No reference work can ever be researched without meeting many people who give of their time with helpful advice, and make offers to share information and facts, which they themselves possess.

It would be appropriate to commence with The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Maidenhead whose staff have always been extremely helpful, when it is considered that we have requested on loan every Cemetery and Memorial Register covering the Great War, and added to this the many letters of enquiry that have always received courteous and prompt responses over a nineteen-year period.

Many thanks must also go to the staff of the National Archive at Kew, who in the early days had a less than simple system that meant the staff were constantly being asked for assistance, something that was always freely and helpfully given.  

My thanks to the staff of the Bishop Street Reference Library in Leicester (in the early years, prior to the majority of the material being relocated to the Records Office), I spent many quiet hours poring over information and adding to my collection of material. It is also appropriate to thank the staff of the Leicester County Records Office, Wigston, who also became a source of much information and were most accommodating to me.

A big thank you to all the church wardens, sextons, vicars, priests, key holders, together with anyone else who has been pestered over the years in order to allow me access to their respective churches, chapels, memorial halls, cellars, store rooms, churchyards and cemeteries, special thanks also to the bishop’s office in Leicester for trusting me with the keys, allowing me access to churches that were closed.

I am indebted to so many individuals who I have met in passing over the years, many of whom, whose names now escape me, however I wish to make it known, that I am extremely grateful to you all. Of course, special mention must also be accorded to longer term friends who have over a period of many years been extremely helpful and willing to offer and share information from their own areas of research.

Gregory Drozdz who has been most helpful with the Hinckley and district memorials, especially in the gift of a draft copy of his own research entitled, “Nobody told us.” This together with the many photographs, newspaper cuttings and notes he has posted to me during his own travels.

Michael Kendrick who has produced two superb books entitled “Greater Love” and Fifty Good Men and True” that are two excellent records relating to the men from North West Leicestershire, these have proved invaluable in providing background supporting information for this publication.

Pamela Ward, who penned the book “Wigston at War” again the information contained therein was invaluable to my own research.

Brenda Watts and the Friends of Belgrave Cemetery, for the use of their excellent publication “Belgrave Cemetery” covering the burials and commemorations in that cemetery.

I must not forget the late centenarian Bill West (Leicestershire Regiment) of John Street, Enderby who served and returned, his help in the early days with his tremendous recollection of village and wartime events was invaluable.

The late Harry Harrison (Coldstream Guards) who sat as doorman of the ex-servicemen’s club in Enderby, and whose 21-year-old son James (Grenadier Guards) fell in the second world war just North of Rome, and is buried in the British Military Cemetery in Florence.

The late Bob Hall (Royal Army Medical Corps.) of Cornwall Street, Enderby, one of the founder members of the Enderby village ex servicemen’s club, again a source of invaluable memories.

And last but not least the late Fred Woods (Royal Field Artillery) of Narborough who’s amusing tales of life at the front, and rendition of “It’s a long way to Tipperary” outside the Narborough Hotel, Leicestershire, in company with my late father, will ring forever in my ears. It was indeed my privilege to have walked in such grand company as these old soldiers.

It is also fitting that Jaques Ryckebosch and the staff of  Talbot House in Poperinghe receive mention for the excellent work they do in the maintenance of such a fine building, and memorial to those far off days, and for the warm welcome that is extended to all visitors, and finally from my more distant travels a big thank you to Eric Goosens and his wife Ozlem for the very personal care they took of me during my time on Gallipoli, without the help of Eric and his four wheel drive vehicle I would never have made it to Lala Baba and enjoyed the vista of Suvla and the Salt Lake.

In any work of such enormity and complexity there have been many times when my family have had to endure both my short and longer absences, and in addition when at home, the many long days and late nights that I expended whilst engaged in collating and transcribing all the gathered information, it is therefore not only fitting, but absolutely essential that I place on record my most profound and sincere gratitude to my wife Margaret and my daughters Vittoria and Angelina, for their understanding and patience during the many periods when I have been engaged in my travels, both locally in Leicestershire and Rutland and farther afield in France, Belgium, Italy, Malta and Gallipoli in my quest for information.

And finally, I wish to put on record my thanks and appreciation to all the Commonwealth War Graves Commission staff who tend the cemeteries and memorials throughout the world for the magnificent job that they do in keeping our fallen in such beautiful and peaceful surroundings, we have every reason to feel proud that they are in such tender and caring hands.

May I apologise in advance for any omissions of which there are bound to be many, unfortunately this type of work is not exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination. Also, for any incorrectly recorded facts, I accept full responsibility, after such a long period of time some of these errors are unavoidable, as I have often found contradictions in source documents and where known, I have made this clear and given all the facts, drawing attention to minor discrepancies in the last entry.

Though this book was initially created as a means of research, it is my wish that it is primarily considered as a lasting tribute from my late father and I, to all the men and women contained within its pages, let us never lose sight that theirs was the supreme sacrifice, and that their ultimate and enduring gift to us, was to bequeath us the freedoms that we today all enjoy, I think therefore that it is fitting to end with an epitaph written by Rudyard Kipling. “Say not goodnight, but wish me good morning in some brighter clime.”

Michael Doyle
Billingborough
Lincolnshire
2009

All proceeds from the sale of this work are donated to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, in appreciation of their unending task of caring for all the fallen.

New Acknowledgements

Since going to press in 2009 I have continued to enjoy tremendous support and encouragement in my continued quest for additional information relating to the fallen of our two counties, and it is therefore appropriate that I thank all of the following for their support in the many areas in which they work, for their very kind letters, telephone calls and emails, and their generosity in allowing me to add more extremely helpful information from their own personal areas of research into individuals connected to memorial’s in their villages and towns, and indeed not forgetting the many relatives of our fallen who have shared personal family photographs and information, you  have all as individuals, and collectively helped to make this ongoing project the success that it is, and indeed continues to be, and it is very much appreciated, thank you all.

Ken Paterson, Broughton Astley; Terry Kelham; The late Henrietta Schultka, Countesthorpe; Christine Elliott; Maureen Connelly; Pat Gutteridge and Mr Mel Siddons, Derbyshire; Roy William Rayson, Melton Mowbray; Anthony Mason, Little Bowden; Diane Horsfield and Vic Allsop, Hoby; Chris Stephens, MBE, of the War Memorials Trust; Denis Kenyon, Hallaton; John McDonald, Coleorton; Adam Llewellyn, Anstey; Keith Oldham, Houghton on the Hill; Wendy Stanley, Eaton; Sue Blaxland, Syston; Helen Tidmas, Loughborough; Pamela Abbots, Market Harborough; Brian Smith, Loughborough; Elizabeth Evans; Alan Wilson-Benn; Allan Ritson, Grantham; Peter Crooks, Loughborough; Australian National War Memorial; Kim Philips, The Spirits of Gallipoli, Australia; Don and Chris Sadler, Wongan Hills, Australia; James Royall, Salamanca, Spain; Elizabeth Blood, Graham Walley, Catherine Dove, Saj Issa, Marcia Bellamy and John Sharpe of the Leicestershire County Council War Memorial Project Team; Vanessa Taylor, New Zealand; Andrew Strangs, Cosby; Sue Templeman, Quorn; Karen Ette, Loughborough; Eric and Oslem Goosens, Gallipoli Houses, Turkey; James and Jacqueline Doughty, Leicester; Joan Rowbottom, Leicester; Kathryn Gregory; The staff of Melton Mowbray Library; Rosemarie Simpson, Sharnford; Douglas Johnstone, Blaby; Ken Hillier, Ashby de la Zouch; Andrew Moore, Narborough; Christine Hall, Rothley; Christopher Johnson (great nephew of Cyril Herbert Ford Barrowcliff) Saverdun, France; Ivor Perry, Wymeswold; Jackie Yeo, Bitteswell; Anne Simpson; Terence Hunt; Robin P. Jenkins, MA, BA (Hons), late County Records Office Senior Archivist (Collections), Martin Pantling; Andy Murby, Coalville; Sophie Clark, Leicestershire County Council War Memorials Project; Jackie Marsh, Friends of Welford Road Cemetery; Ian Sainthouse; Gary Beckwith; John Blundy, Harby; David Middleton, Bottesford;