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3459: Tablecloth discovered in Harleston, Norfolk

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posted on 2024-01-17, 16:18 authored by Lest We Forget Project Team

For full story, please see the document.

Do you recognise any of the names below? If so, please contact the researcher at harlestonww1tablecloth@yahoo.com.

Soldiers' names inscribed on the Harleston WW1 Tablecloth:

8901 Private C. Aldous, 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire RegimentPrivate Alexander, 1st L11
2997 Private N. Angus, 4th Battalion Black Watch
17554 Private J.A. Atkinson, A Coy 6th (Service) Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment
19640 Private Henry G. Bailey, 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment
8862 Sgt William A. Beech M.M., 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment
Seaman H. Blackburn, Royal Navy Air Service
8906 Private Henry Brereton, 2nd Battalion Irish Guards
2470 Private T. Brindle, 2nd Battalion Kings Own Royal Lancasters
23359 Private J.F. Brown, 12th Battalion Royal Scots
25719 Lance Corporal Percy E. Call, 26 Field Company Royal Engineers
73328 Private Neil Campbell, 28th Battalion (Northwest), CEF Canadian Expeditionary Forc
Corporal F. L. Carter, Canadian Field Artillery
Private A. E. Collant, 4th Battalion (Central Ontario) Canadian Expeditionary Force
9211 Private Thomas Cook, 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment)
666 Private William Coomes, 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment
12127 Lance Corporal William J. N. Crisp, 7th Battalion Norfolk Regiment
9853 Private Charles Dade, 6th Battalion East Kent Regiment
875797 Private J. A. Dade, 1st EAB Royal Field Artillery
5656 Private G. H. Deighton, 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Signalman J. Dowling, 9th Battalion Cheshire Regiment
18084 Private Thomas Duker, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers
Private H. T. Edwards, 7th Battalion East Surrey Regiment
54154 Private D. Egan M.M. Canadian Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
7083 WO2 (CSM) Ferdinand C. Ewald, Signal Service Royal Engineers
9609 Lance Corporal M. Fiveash, 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment
70251 F. Frith, 51 DOM SFT
Henri Georges, 408 Regiment D'Onfanterie
232 Private H. Gilby 19th Battalion Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force
A. E. Goodison, 28th Battalion (Infantry) Australian Imperial Force
22340 Private Reginald John Gowing, 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment
J. Gray, MTASE Egypt 1918
John Griffin RNAS (Royal Navy Air Service)
6390 WO2 (CSM) James W. Griggs, 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment)
28096 Private Ephraim S.C. Groom, 6th Bn Bedfordshire Regiment & 17th Battalion Essex Regiment
146787 Sapper Victor Ham, Royal Engineers (Tunnelling Depot Company)
130415 Private Alfred Harrison, Special Brigade, Royal Engineers
27341 Sapper E. Hemmens, 44th Division Signals
51104 Corporal E. Hopkins Ammunition Column
T. Hudson 2/1st Suffolk Yeomanry (Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars)
Sergeant A. Hughes Army Ordnance Corps Attached to 10 Battalion West Riding Regiment
18925 Lance Corporal S. Humphrey DCM & MM 55 Company Royal Engineers
Private G. Hunt 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Snipers)
William Hunt 3rd East Anglian Field Ambulance (Special Reserve)
Private T. Inclia 2nd Battalion Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
409729 Private W. Irving 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
11423 Trooper William George Kaye Northumberland Hussars
Corporal Kennedy Royal Mail Rifles
1493 Private W. Kiddell 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
2938 Rifleman L.G. King 8th Battalion (Post Office Rifles) London Regiment
280 Gunner James Latimer 2/1 Lowland Heavy Battery (City of Edinburgh) Royal Garrison Artillery
Corporal Ty Lawlor 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Lance Corporal H. Lambert 2/24 Royal London Regiment "Queens"
58929 Sapper Charles P Lamont Royal Engineers
10510 Sergeant J. Leek 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers (Spectamur Agendo)
23300 Private Percy Lenton 7th & 11th Battalion Suffolk Regiment
Private A.W. Lockwood 1/2nd EAB RFA
2765 Private Robert Mason 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders
5036 Private Daniel McCafferty 1/5 Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment
3326 Lance Corporal A. McCoy 1/3 Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Private J. McMinn 6th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Private J.N. McNamara Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Private J. McWilliam 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
972 Sergeant G. Meakin 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbyshire Regiment)
71392 Driver A. Miles 118th Battery Royal Field Artillery
5646 Private James Miller Kings (Liverpool Regiment)
2nd Lieutenant Doctor T. Moir Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service. Territorial Force
1324 Sergeant J.H. Muir 5th Battalion Border Regiment
5073 Rifleman Cornelious Murphy 12th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps
L. Nicholetts Mechanic RL
Private D.C. Owen 6th Battalion Welsh Regiment
10258 Lance Corporal A.J. Perkins 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
2994 Private William H. Purdy 6th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
12265 Lance Corporal F. Radford 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbyshire Regiment)
4638 Rifleman James Rix 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade
Private J. Robb 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry
3965 Private J.H. Robbins 3/8 Royal Warwickshire Regiment
51815 Private George A. Roberts Machine Gun Corps Cavalry
7619 Sapper S.J. Robertson 3rd Australian Engineers
8822 Private W. Robinson 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
J. Rock
2639 Private James Ross 2/6th (Morayshire) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
9996 Private Ernest W. Rowlinson 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment
19009 Private Albert Russell 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment
7382 Private H. Ryley 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbyshire Regiment)
Sapper William Saunders No 72, 2nd Army Troop Company, Royal Engineers
17249 Lance Corporal Frederick Sharp M.M. 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
1819 Private William Sharples 4/5th Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Dundee's Own
Bombardier William Shilson Divisional Ammunition Column 114th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Sergeant S. Shortland 1/8 Battalion London Regiment Post Office Rifles
1993 William Smith 2 Pioneer Battalion AJF
12049 Private F. Stuchfield 2nd Battalion Worcester Regiment
Private John Sullivan 14th Durham Light Infantry
154825 Lance Corporal Arthur Swift Royal Engineers
Private A. Taylor 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment
Corporal R. Thompson 21st Canadian Infantry Battalion
3934 Lance Corporal A.T. Timms 4th PAN Australian Imperial Force
H.G. Tinson Special Leading Ganger
13120 Gunner James Wallace 6th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
Driver S. Webb 3/1 E A B Royal Field Artillery
Rifleman W. Webb 3rd 8th West Yorkshire (Leeds Rifles) Territorial Force
Rifleman William Welby 21st Battalion London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles)
Corporal Wittering 9th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps
Driver A. Wood Royal Field Artillery

Staff and Other names inscribed on the Tablecloth:

There is a possibility that some of these listed were patients at the Hospitals and not staff members. These names have been annotated with a question mark and will be subject to further research when more information is found. Those with a VAD number refers to their British Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment section number.

Mr Robert Thomas Alderton VAD Norfolk 11 Quartermaster
Mrs Flora Maud Aldous VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Miss Ethel Amsden Masseuse
Miss Gertrude Jane Armstrong Housekeeper
Ms Lilian Barker (Woolwich Arsenal)?
Mr Alfred W Bale Lic RIBA Transport of wounded soldiers
Ms Mary Blair?
Ms Ada Booker (Doorkeeper)
Mrs Muriel D.G. Bridges
Miss Ellen Buckingham VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Miss Gertrude Eva Cann VAD Norfolk 38 Cook
Mrs Jeannette E Churchyard VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Ms Charlotte Connal-Parker?
A.V. Cooper?
Mrs Maud Henson Denny VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Mrs Caroline Egerton VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Miss Ellen de Jersey Forrest VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
B. Garrett ?
Ms Maud Hayward?
Mrs Anna Agnes Hipperson VAD Norfolk 38 Sergeant Cook
Ms Mary Johnson?
Sister Kate (Queen Mary Hospital)
Mrs Minnie Knights VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Dr Frederick N.H. Maidment VAD Norfolk 11 Medical Officer & Commandant
Ms Fanny Elizabeth Manley VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
C. Munro?
Mrs Ida Pagan VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Miss Ellen (Nellie) Pain VAD Norfolk 80 General Service
Miss Mary Jane Eliza Perowne VAD Norfolk 38 Commandant, Nursing & Quartermaster
Mr Robert Pipe VAD Norfolk 11 Secretary to Commandant
Miss Olive Mary Rutter VAD Norfolk 38 Cook
Miss Edith Mary Saunders Governess of Caltofts
Miss Rose Beatrice Springfield VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Mrs Sarah Stagg Matron of The White House
Ms Muriel Grace Stagg VAD Norfolk 38 Nursing Member
Ms Ellen M. Stiles (Woolwich Arsenal)?
Ms Mabel G. Stiles (Woolwich Arsenal)?
M. Stratford-Henniker?
Ms L. Widdicombe?
E.S.S. Wood?

History

Name of contributor(s)

Terry Pegg

Subject of the story/individual the object(s) relate to

A unique piece of World War One history has recently been discovered in Harleston, a three-foot square linen tablecloth, signed by many soldiers who stayed at the two Red Cross hospitals in the town between 1914-1918. They have written their names and service details in ink which can still be clearly seen; the tablecloth is like an international autograph book with signatures from many countries, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Canada, Australia and France. At the centre of the tablecloth are signatures of medical staff and those that kept the hospitals running, one name we know, Mr Alderton, was the quartermaster and the father of a son killed in WW1. Another, Miss Ellen de Jerzey Forrest, who lived in Pulham St Mary, is the lady we must thank for taking care of the tablecloth when the hospitals closed. She folded it away until some twenty years later she gave it to Mrs Adcock, a lady who had helped around the house where she lived. Her daughter Pauline recently transferred it to the care of Terry Pegg of the Harleston & District Branch of the Royal British Legion. Terry has been working with local researcher and author Ruth Walton to find out more about the 144 names on the tablecloth, 104 soldiers and 40 other personnel. This includes staff and other patients - many of the staff were local people. The names on the tablecloth include two important figures in Harleston at that time. Dr Frederick Norton Haylock Maidment who was the Medical Officer at both the Hospitals as well as a surgeon and the local doctor for Harleston. The other was Mary Perowne who was Commandant of The Red Cross Hospitals and daughter of Thomas Thomson Perowne, the Rector of Redenhall and former Archdeacon of Norwich. Research has so far discovered that 5 of the soldiers that have their names on the tablecloth were awarded medals for gallantry. One soldier was awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Medal. 3 other soldiers were awarded the Military Medal and 1 was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. There are also some tragic tales as well with at least 5 of the soldiers being Killed in Action after returning to the Front Line. This includes a local soldier from Pulham St Mary. It is planned to showcase the tablecloth and the research at suitable venues and events in and around Harleston during the coming months, when we hope to learn much more about the huge community effort that people from Harleston and nearby villages must have made to help the sick and wounded soldiers, and possibly other casualties such as Woolwich Arsenal munition workers. For any further information on this remarkable tablecloth, please visit: http://branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/harleston/ww1-tablecloth If you have any information and want to contact the researcher, his details are: harlestonww1tablecloth@yahoo.com.

Date(s) the event(s) in the story took place

1914-1918

Location(s) where the event(s) in the story took place

Harleston, Norfolk. UK

Object(s)

A table cloth signed by staff at the hospital and patients.

Community Collection Day

Ashleigh Primary School, Wymondham (23/03/19)

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Keywords

Lest We Forget World War One

Licence

CC BY-NC 4.0

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