Captain Arthur Noel Loxley

Killed on the 1^st January 1915 on the H.M.S. Formidable, when it became the first British Battleship to be sunk in the Great War. Captain Loxley was commanding the 15,250 ton Warship on exercise 37 miles off the Devon Coast when German U-Boat 24 torpedoed her. Captain Loxley, his second-in-command, Commander Ballard, and the signaller stayed at their posts throughout, sending flares and rockets off at regular intervals. There was no panic, the men waiting calmly for the lifeboats to be lowered. Someone played ragtime on the piano, others sang. The Chaplain risked his life going below to find cigarettes. Suddenly the ship gave a tremendous lurch, the Captain shouted 'Lads, this is the last, all hands for themselves, and may God bless you and guide you to safety'. He then walked to the forebridge, lit a cigarette and, with his terrier Bruce on duty at his side, waited for the end in true Royal Naval tradition. Of the 750 crew on board, only 199 were rescued from the ice cold swells and relentless gales that had battered the stricken ship, having fought to stay alive in their damaged life boats for 22 hours.

Captain Arthur Noel Loxley went down with his ship, therefore has no known grave, but is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

More information on the sinking of the H.M.S. Formidable can be seen here.

Second Lieutenant John Vere Isham

5^th (Princess Charlotte of Wales) Dragoon Guards

John died 3^rd June 1916 at the Military Hospital in France, aged 20.

He was the son of Sir Vere Isham and Millicent Isham, of Lamport and is buried in Grave I. A. 28. at Etaples Military Cemetery.

John Isham’s father would have been the 11^th Baronet of Isham and his family are described as perhaps one of the county’s most ‘distinguished and interesting’ families, having originally bought Isham in 1560. The first Baronet was created in 1627 and the family have numerous interesting members recorded in history, including Sheriffs, Architects and Knighthoods. The Northamptonshire County records Office hold many records on the Isham family, including letters written by John whilst in France before his death.

Lieutenant William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse, V.C.

2^nd Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.

William died of wounds received on the 26^th April 1915, aged 27. He was the son of Edward Moorhouse, of Parnham House, Dorset and husband to Linda Rhodes-Moorhouse. His bosy is buried in the grounds of Parnham House, Beaminster, to the west of the house.

His father had lived and married in New Zealand before returning to England to start a family, making William half Maori as a result. Educated at Harrow and Cambridge, William devoted his time to fast cars and motorcycles, later becoming involved in the early days of aviation. Unfortunately, William knocked down and killed a boy whilst racing his motorbike near Brighton Pier around 1906 but charges of Manslaughter were later withdrawn. Having been associated to Jas Radley in the manufacture of monoplanes around 1909, the adventurous William gained his pilot’s certificate in October 1911. He competed in ‘Daily Mail’ prize flights from London to Manchester and around England, and was first to demonstrate how aeroplanes could be used to carry parcels by flying from Northampton to Hendon with boxes of boots. In August 1912 he was the first to cross the channel from Douai in France to Ashood in England with two passengers (one being his wife) in a Brequet biplane.

William was posthumously awarded the first ever Victoria Cross presented to the British Air Services. After fearlessly bombing a German advance that left him hit in three places and his plane peppered with bullet and shrapnel holes, William returned to base but died from his wounds the following day. An extract from "The London Gazette," dated 22nd May 1915, records the following citation regarding his Victoria Cross:- "For most conspicuous bravery on 26th April, 1915, in flying to Courtrai and dropping bombs on the railway line near that station. On starting the return journey he was mortally wounded, but succeeded in flying for 35 miles to his destination, at a very low altitude, and reported the successful accomplishment of his object. He has since died of his wounds."

Edwin Norman Buck

I have been unable to isolate which of the possibilities is Edwin Buck.

Samuel Dickens

Probably Private 145671 Samuel Dickins

Yorkshire (Queens Own) Dragoons, formerly Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

He enlisted from Northampton and was a resident of Pottersbury, Bucks. Samuel was killed in action 15^th October 1918 in France, during the final month of the war on the Western Front. His age is not recorded.

Private 200676 Charles Edward George

6^th Battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment.

Charles enlisted in Northampton and was killed in action in France 1^st July 1918, aged 25. He was the son of Charles and Emily George, of Hanging Houghton, Lamport and is buried in Grave IV. H. 14. at the Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension.

The ‘Glorious Sixth’ records “It was a fairly quiet day on the 1st of July, with no infantry action whatsoever, but the enemy heavily shelled the line captured from him on the previous evening & this was repeated @ 9.25pm that night."

The 6th Battalion War Diary of the period of Charles’ death records:
”Night 29/30th June 1918. B & D Coys took over our Front line (SWAN TRENCH), A Coy in Support (CAREY TRENCH), C Coy on Reserve (MELBOURNE TRENCH)
30th June 1918. Formal preparation for attack on enemy front system on W21.b.?.d. Zero hour 9.35pm. Good barrage by our own guns, enemy barrage late in starting. Advance under smoke screens. No news from front line at 12.30am. Patrols sent out found prisoners coming down (July 1st 12.40am) Signals from front line "Positions captured and consolidated". Very light casualties. Notes column: Ref Map SENLIS 1:20,000
1st July 1918. NW of Albert. 2.0am Heavy shelling of captured line by enemy. No infantry action. fairly quiet day. Consolidation and establishment of communication. 9.25pm Heavy shelling of captured line. No infantry attack.

2nd July 1918. 2.35am SOS from front line. Heavy shelling. 3.15am ‘Cease fire’. All well.”

Glyn Ferguson

I have been unable to isolate which of the possibilities is Glyn Ferguson.

Arthur Flower

Possibly Rifleman 3854 Arthur Flower

1^st/8^th Battalion, the London (Post Office Rifles) Regiment.

Arthur enlisted from London, being a resident of Paddington at the time. He was killed in action 15^th September 1916 on the Somme in France, aged 25. He was the son of the late William James and Amy Flower. Arthur has no known grave but is remembered on Pier and Face 9 C and 9 D. of the Thiepval Memorial.

Private 31319 Arthur George Warner

5^th Battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment

Arthur enlisted from Northampton and was killed in action 23^rd July 1917 in France, aged 23. He was the son of Alfred and Eleanor Warner, of 13 Hanging Houghton, Lamport and is buried in grave I. B. 27., in Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy-Le-Preux.

Those who fell in the 1939-1945 War

John Smith

Leonard Allen

Harry Clark

John Howard

In honour and rememberance of the men of Lamport who laid their lives down so that we may enjoy the freedom their sacrifice provided for us.