The following is a brief review of those commemorated on the Searby memorial to the fallen of the Great War 1914 – 1918.Personal details are from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and the reference book ‘ Soldiers died in the Great War’.
St Nicholas Church, SEARBY cum OWMBY
A brass plaque affixed to the northern wall of the nave bearing the following inscription in black indented capitals
In grateful memory of all who have
sacrificed their lives in the Great War
including
JOHN THOMAS and CHARLES BALDING
GEORGE BRUMPTON
JOHN HENRY KING
WILLIAM TOPLIN
ERNEST VESSEY
JOHN THOMAS BALDING
John Thomas BALDING, the son of Mr. and Mary Ann Balding of Searby, was killed in action in France on the 20th May 1915 aged 27 years whilst serving as Private 2656 of the 1/5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. He is buried at Packhorse Farm Cemetery near Ypres, Belgium.
CHARLES BALDING
Charles BALDING, the son of Mrs. Thomas Balding, was killed in action died aged 27 years on the 1st July 1916 (the first day of the Somme) as Private 15442 of the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, the Somme, France.
GEORGE BRUMPTON
George BRUMPTON, aged 18 years and the son of George and Fanny Brumpton of Searby was killed on the 7th August 1918 whilst serving as Private 41814 in the 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. He is buried in the Beacon Cemetery on the Somme.
JOHN HENRY KING
John Henry KING, who was born at Scopwick and was the son of John and Fanny King of Searby, was killed in France, aged 20 years, on the 2nd May 1918 whilst serving as Lance Corporal 240894 in the 1/5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. He is buried in Fouquieres Churchyard in the Pas de Calais.
WILLIAM TOPLIN
William Toplin was in fact William Parish TUPLIN who was born in Kirton Lindsey and served as Private 7724 in the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. He died as a result of his wounds on the 29th October 1914 in France and is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery in the Pas de Calais.
ERNEST VESSEY
Ernest VESSEY was Ernest Luke Vessey, aged 19 years, who was killed on the 9th August 1915 at Gallipoli whilst serving as Private 10216 in the 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. He was the son of the late Thomas and of Alice Vessey of Searby and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli peninsular.
