Roll of Honour - Devon

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

LYNMOUTH WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2- Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Transcribed & researched Martin Edwards 2026

The memorial is to be found outside the entrance door, St John the Baptist Church, Watersmeet Road, Lynmouth, Devon. It takes the form of a rectangular tablet with a Latin cross at the top and six supporting corbels with the information in three columns in black lettering. There are ten names for World War 1 and four names for World War 2. The names are listed on the memorial in order of the date of death but have been sorted into here into alphabetical order within conflict.

FOR KING AND COUNTRY

1914-1918

BALE

Thomas Henry

[Private on memorial] Guardsman 11119, 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Killed in action 13 September 1916. Born Countisbury, Devon, enlisted Bristol. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 8 D.

CANNING

William John

Gunner 55748, 8th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 20 September 1916. Born Brendon, Devon, resident Brendon, Lynton, enlisted Exeter. Buried in AVELUY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Row G. Grave 4.

HOLSGROVE

Archibald

Private 34903, 12th (Service) (Bristol) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. Died on service 30 June 1918. Aged 19. Born Lynmouth, Devon, enlisted Exeter. Son of James and Eda Holsgrove, of 1, Tors Bridge Cottage, Lynmouth, Devon. No known grave. Commemorated on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 5.

HOLSGROVE

George

Private 201856, 2nd/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion (Territorial), Gloucestershire Regiment. Died of wounds 29 May 1917. Aged 32. Born Porlock, Devon, enlisted Minehead. Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Holsgrove, of Tors Bridge, Lynmouth, Devon. Buried in GREVILLERS BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row D. Grave 10.

JARVIS

Albert

Gunner 15640, 6th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, Australian Field Artillery. Killed in action in Belgium 12 June 1917. Aged 31. Son of John and Sarah Ann Jarvis; husband of Mrs. G. Richards (formerly Jarvis), of Seabreeze Cottage, Lynmouth. Buried in LONDON RIFLE BRIGADE CEMETERY, Hainaut, Belgium. Plot IV. Row B. Grave 10. Australian Roll of Honour Circular

JARVIS

[Richard] Francis

Private 14163, 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment formerly 18159, 6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Died on service in Mesopotamia 26 May 1916. Aged 24. Born Tors, Lynmouth, Devon, enlisted Lynton, Devon. Son of John and Sarah Ann Jarvis, of Torrs, Lynmouth, North Devon; husband of Hannah Harden Corney Read (formerly Jarvis), of 14, Ladysmith Row, Shipfield, Sprowston Rd. Norwich. Buried in AMARA WAR CEMETERY, Iraq. Plot XVII. Row H. Grave 16.

JEUNE

Hugo St Helier

Captain, 12th Battalion [9th Battalion on SDGW], Gloucestershire Regiment. Died of wounds 12 May 1917. Aged 23. Son of Lt. Col. E. B. Jeune and Mrs. Jeune, of The Manor House, Lynmouth, N. Devon. Buried in BRUAY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Pas de Calais, France. Row G. Grave 19.

LITSON

George [Walter]

Private 13934, 4th Battalion, South Wales Borderers. Killed in action at Gallipoli 9 August 1915. Born Middleham, Devon, resident Minehead, Somerset, enlisted Newport, Monmouthshire. No known grave. Commemorated on HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey (including Gallipoli). Panel 80 to 84 or 219 and 220.

RIDLER

Willie

Gunner 168440, 82nd Anti-Aircraft Section Royal Garrison Artillery formerly 842, Devonshire Royal Garrison Artillery. Died on service 6 November 1918. Born and resident Lynmouth, Devon, enlisted Lynton. Buried in ROISEL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot II. Row E. Grave 19.

WILLIS

[William] Albert

Private 16649, 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Died of wounds 14 October 1916. Born and resident Broad Clyst, Devon, enlisted Lynton. Son of Lewis Aaron and Clara Willis, of Broadclyst, Exeter. Buried in ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot VIII. Row A. Grave 5.

1939-1945

BURGESS

William [Redvers Baden]

[Listed as Captain on memorial and 3 November 1942] Master, S.S. Llandilo (London), Merchant Navy. Died when his ship was sunk in the Atlantic by the U-172 2 November 1942. Aged 42. Born Lynmouth, Devon. Husband of Bessie Burgess, of Cardiff. In the 1901 census he was the son of William G and Hannah Burgess, aged 1, born Lynmouth, Devon, resident Myrtle Cottage, Lynton, Barnstaple, Devon. In 1912 he was Master of Tree Sisters, registered at Cowes. In 1912 he was making voyages between the Bristol Channel Ports of Lynmouth, Newport, and Clovelly. No known grave. Commemorated on TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, London. Panel 65.

GILSON

Stanley

Sergeant 1867257, 2 Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died from poisoning while carrying out demolitions in the Middle East 18 October 1940. Aged 27. Born 9 January 1913 in London S.W., resident Exeter. Son of Thomas I. and Lottie Gilson, of No. 1, The Fall, Lynmouth, Devon. In the 1921 census he was the son of Thomas I. and Lettie Gilson (note mothers name slightly different), aged 8, born London, resident 1, London House, Lynmouth, Lynton, Devon. Enlisted 1 May 1928, engagement from 9 January 1931. Disembarked at Aden 18 August 1940. Buried in EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY, Egypt. Plot XXXII. Row H. Grave 10.

KIFF

Christopher

Extract from North Devon Journal 19 April 1945, page 7:

Lance Sergeant 5619925, 1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Killled in action in Burma 10 March 1945. Aged 28. Born and resident Devon. In the 1921 census he was the son of Elsie M Kiff, aged 5, born Challacombe, Devon, resident The Village, Challacombe, Devon. Buried in TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY, Myanmar. Plot 19. Row C. Grave 3.

LITSON

Albert Edward

[Memorial states 4 November 1942.] Able Seaman (Gunner), S.S. Llandilo (London), Merchant Navy. Died when his ship was sunk in the Atlantic by the U-172 2 November 1942. Aged 39. Born 3 November 1902 in Lynmouth, Devon. Son of Charles and Marion Litson; husband of Mary Marjorie Litson, of Lynton, Devon. In the 1911 census he was the son of Charles Noel and Marian Litson, aged 8, born Lynmouth, Devon, at school, resident Lorna Doone Cottage, Lynmouth, Devon. Former service number J/91058. No known grave. Commemorated on TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, London. Panel 65.

PENNICOTT

Basil

Gunner 5185517, 447 Battery, 66 (4th Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died as the result of an accident in the United Kingdom 15 August 1940. Aged 21. Born Lynmouth, Devon, resident Bristol. Son of Worthington Herbert and Winifred Mabel Pennicott; husband of Bridget N. Pennicott, of Newport, Barnstaple. Buried in COUNTISBURY (ST. JOHN) CHURCHYARD, Devon.

Extract from North Devon Journal, Thursday, 22 August 1940, page 6:

DEATH OF MR. BASIL PENNICOTT
LYNTON'S LOSS

With deep regret we announce the death Mr. Basil Pennicott (as the result of a motor cycle accident), whilst serving in HerMajesty's Forces. Mr. Basil Pennicott was 21 years of age, and leaves a widow and one child, and was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Northcott. His father died in the year 1921 from injury received in the Great a 1914-1918 He was a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Northcott, of Lynmouth and Lynton. Mr. Northcott (who died in 1936) will be remembered for the great work he accomplished as a schoolmaster and organtist Lynmouth. Deceased was educated at the Barnstaple Grammar School, and was a splendid swimmer and high-diver, having second prize in the "County Championship Diving" at Plymouth, and was the pround possessor of over 40 trophies won in this section. From his early childhood days was a great favourite at Lynmouth and Lyon, and the deepest of sympathy is extended to his widow and the family.

RICHARDS

[Thomas Herbert] Ivan

Sergeant 1717708, 242 Battery, 48 Light. A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died of malaria at Sandakan, Borneo, 22 March 1945. Aged 35. Born Tynmouth, Devon, resident Bodmin, Cornwall. Son of William and Alice Florence Richards; husband of Marion Elsie Richards, of Wearne, Somerset. No known grave. Commemorated on SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 6.

Last updated 19 September, 2026

War Memorials Trust