The presentation given at Blackmore (9 November 2018) was
greatly enriched by the writing of local historian and Rector of Stondon
Massey, Revd. Edward Henry Lisle Reeve who was incumbent for 42 years beginning
in 1893.
Reeve records in detail the events of
the War as it affected his parishioners.
He notes in February 1916 the
introduction of Conscription whereby all men between 16 and 41 years of age
were deemed to be enrolled for the war effort.
In September that year Reeve wrote, “The War Office is calling men
up. Lads who are now eighteen are
finding themselves called for, and among them Leonard Hasler, Ernest Baines,
Alfred Baines, of Stondon, and Thomas Roast, formerly of Stondon School, now
living in Blackmore. Our Church Clerk
Ernest Baines, (father of E Baines junior) is now discharged, having done good
service, chiefly at Welsh centres, in the Army Training Corps.”
One of the victims was Leonard Hasler,
whose name appears on the War Memorial tablet inside St Peter & St Paul’s
Church. Leonard died in October 1918 in
a hospital in Boulogne having suffered a severe shrapnel wound. His mother, Mrs Conn, who Reeve described as
“no traveller” made the journey to see her injured son in hospital. “Many of the soldiers greeted Mrs Conn
cheerily as ‘Mother’, and seemed pleased to see a countrywoman again, and to
have tidings first-hand of ‘Blighty’, which is their familiar name for the old
country. Everything was high-priced in
the market-place, and she paid 1/8 for a single pear for her sick lad, and
sevenpence for a banana!” Leonard died,
and his mother attended his funeral.
“Leonard was buried with five other soldiers with military honours. The day previously the funeral service had
been read over 60 poor fellows at one time.
These are the harrowing accompaniments of the war. Up and down the neighbourhood we are
constantly hearing of sad losses.”
His brother, Herbert, died in 1920 from
the debilitating effects of gas upon his lungs.
He is buried in Stondon Churchyard.
The young Ernest Baines, aged 19, was
severely injured in both legs and later returned home have had his right leg
amputated.
His father, also named Ernest, also
served in the War. When Armistice came
on Monday 11th November 1918, “Some in Stondon heard the distant
bells at Brentwood. But it was not till
the afternoon that definite tidings reached the villages and then it filtered
through chiefly the form of private messages.
… As soon as I had this official intelligence the Stondon Church bells
were chimed with all the old vigour by Ernest Baines, our sometime sexton.”
The Stondon War Memorial includes six names.
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL
MEMORY OF/
William Chantry Sapper RE
Robert James Ellis RAF
Herbert Walter Gann Sapper RE
Herbert Hasler Pte Middlesex Regt
Leonard Hasler Pte East Surrey
Regt
William Hasler Pte Ryl Innskg Fusrs
MEN OF STONDON MASSEY WHO FELL FIGHTING
FOR KING/ AND COUNTRY OR WHO DIED FROM SICKNESS CONTRACTED/ THROUGH SERVING IN
THE GREAT WAR A.D. 1914-1918/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ ERECTED BY
PARISHIONERS AND FRIENDS.
“We will remember them”.
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