Budleigh Past and Present

Continued from  10 June 1941 'A Vaseful of Remembrance':  SERGEANT JOHN LAKE ENDICOTT (1921-41)   https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2020/12/ww2-75-10-june-1941-vaseful-of.html Identifying Peter, who died at the age of 19 while on a minelaying mission, proved difficult: with just the initial P on Budleigh’s war memorial for guidance, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) database yielded only two servicemen, both named Peter.  For a long time I included him as one of my ‘orphans’ – Budleigh-linked WW2 servicemen about whom, sadly, barely anything is known. Finally with immense help via Ancestry from Budleigh resident Carolyn John, Peter Pritchard’s story emerged. It seems that the Pritchard family was based mainly in London, but details uncovered by Carolyn included Peter’s address as ‘Cove’, Budleigh Salterton.  Evidently this fine 19 th century house at 2 West Terrace was a holiday home for the family, which would explain why Peter’s name is ...

Continued from 29 January 1944 – ‘A very gallant old soldier’:   SERGEANT DANIEL GEORGE DICKS (1910-44)   https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2021/02/ww2-75-29-january-1944-very-gallant-old.html     Allan is the only Australian serviceman in a military grave at St Peter’s Burial Ground in Budleigh Salterton.   Budleigh Salterton War Memorial at the junction of Coastguard Road and Salting Hill His name is listed on the War Memorial because his wife came from a well known local family.   Allan’s grave in St Peter’s Burial Ground, Moor Lane, Budleigh Salterton The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) record tells that he was the son of Horace Edward Dearlove Davey (1887-1978) and his wife Floradora Stephen Mechen Davey (d.1993), and they probably provided the personal inscription, part of which I’ve used to introduce this post: ‘Loved and remembered fondly by his family in Adelaide South Australia. He died that others might hav...