Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, remains one of the most notorious battles of the First World War. In three-and-a-half months (July and November 1917) of fighting, an advance of less than five miles saw an estimated 550,000 Allied and German troops killed, wounded or lost.

Around 90,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers were missing; 50,000 buried without being identified, and 42,000 never recovered from the Belgian fields of Flanders that turned into an ocean of mud.

SUMMARY BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOR PASSCHENDAELE CASUALTIES

STORRINGTON AND DISTRICT VILLAGES

BUDD, Charles of Bury

Guardsman 10504, 2nd Battalion, The Coldstream Guards, enlisted in Petworth. Died of wounds from 3rd Battle of Ypres 3rd August 1917, aged 21. Buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge. Born Bury 1896, son of Alfred Charles and Annie Maria Budd of ‘Newwoods’, Bignor Park.

BUTCHER, Frederick of Storrington

Private 67452 Royal Fusiliers, posted to 2nd/2nd London Regiment (ex Pte 58470 103rd T.R Battn Royal Fusiliers). Killed in action 26th October 1917, 3rd Battle of Ypres (2nd Battle of Passchendaele), age 35. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial. Born Petworth 1882, son of Mark and Frances Butcher. Brother of Kate Butcher of Greyfriars, Storrington.

FLOATE, Alfred of Ashington

Private 6263, 16th Battalion, Australian Infantry, 4th Australian Division, enlisted Wickepin, Western Australia. Died 19th August 1917, of wounds received in action on the same day at No.2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station near Bailleul, Nord, France, aged 28. Buried Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerk, Nord. Born Ashington 1889, son of Henry (ka Harry) and Eliza Caroline Floate (née BONIFACE, later LELLIOTT) of Ashington.

FRANCIS, John Henry of West Chiltington

Private SD/5053, 11th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. Killed in action in the opening attack of the 3rd Battle of Ypres, Belgium, 31st July 1917, aged 20. Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres. Born 1897 Thakeham, son of George and Caroline Francis. Next of kin West Chiltington.

HARDS, Richard William of West Chiltington

Private 241896, 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (ex 5152 1st/5th Leicestershire Regt). Killed in action 1st October 1917 in the Battle of Polygon Wood (part of 3rd Battle of Ypres) aged 33. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, north of Ypres, Belgium. Born Billingshurst, son of James and Elizabeth Hards of Gay Street, West Chiltington.

HAYLER, Alfred Henry of Storrington

Lance Corporal L/10573, 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. Died of wounds 15th August 1917, Chelsea, London, age 27. Buried Brighton (Downs) Cemetery. Born Storrington 31 March 1889, son of George and Ann Hayler, later of Pulborough. Lived Redford (near Bog Common), Cootham, Storrington.

HUMPHREY, Henry Edward of West Chiltington

Private G/7654, 1st Battalion Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment (ex 1556 West Kent Yeomanry). Killed in action 4th October 1917, Battle of Broodseinde (part of 3rd Battle of Ypres) aged 26. Son of Luke and Jane Humphrey of The Bungalows, West Chiltington.

LINFIELD, Percy Frank of Storrington

Private G/16044 13th Battalion Royal Sussex (prev. 3757 2nd/4th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, ex 177th Company Royal Engineers and 255th Company. Killed in air raid near Westhoek, Ypres, Belgium 15th October 1917, aged 31. Buried Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. Born Storrington 31st August 1886, son of John and Friend Linfield. Husband of Esther Barbara Brooker of East Grinstead.

NEWNHAM, WILLIAM of West Chiltington

Private SD/4230 13th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. Died of wounds 3rd August 1917 aged 28, from the opening attack of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. Buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West Flanders, Belgium. Born Bury 1889, son of Henry and Esther Newnham of East View (ex Homeland), Broadford Bridge, West Chiltington.

PARSONS, CHARLIE of West Chiltington

Private 54972, 15th Battalion Welsh Regiment (ex 3650 13th Battalion Royal Sussex). Killed in action 1st August 1917 at the beginning of 3rd Battle of Ypres, aged 30. Commemorated on The Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium. Born Henfield in 1887, son of George and Ann Parsons, later of Gate Cottage, Thakeham. 1911 census at Hatches Cottage, West Chiltington.

RICHARDS, Charles James of Bury

Sergeant SD/2766, 13th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. Died of wounds from the Battle of The Menin Road near Ypres 27th September 1917 aged 27. Buried in Locre Hospice Cemetery, Heuvelland, West Flanders, Belgium Born 1891 in Briantspiddle, Dorset, son of George and Anna Maria Richards, later of Newwoods Farm, Bury. Husband of Alice Mary (née Joy).

WAGSTAFF, Fred of Storrington

Private GS/54987 13th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Killed in action 5 August 1917, 3rd Battle of Ypres, aged 30. Commemorated on Menin Gate Memorial. Born Sullington 2nd March 1887 son of Henry and Elizabeth Fanny Wagstaff.