"THEY SHALL NOT JUST BE NAMES CARVED IN STONE"
There are eight men from Jacobstowe who are dedicated on our war memorial. From the First World War there are 5, and the Second World War there are 3.
Our goal is to list the full stories of each man in turn, but until then there are brief descriptions about each. If you have any information about any of the men below, please contact me so we can add it to their listing.
Rod Lane rodlane1941@btinternet.com
In-Depth
Peter Cassella Murphy MC
1st Royal Irish Fusiliers
Commanding his Company on the right & exposed flank of the Battalion in a rearguard position north of Ninove with conspicuous coolness & skill under heavy fire. Although shot through the chest in the early stages of the withdrawal he refused to get on to a vehicle until contact with the enemy had been broken. He saw to the vacuation of his casualties and despite his wound marched for five miles in command of his Company until he collapsed and was put onto an ambulance. This courageous example was a most valuable factor in a very difficult withdrawal. Recommended by Comdr 50 Div. Award Recommended Military Cross.
Service No 53706
Major Royal Irish Fusiliers
Killed in action 18th January 1943.aged 30. Son of Major Frank and Margurite Murphy of Dunsland Court Jac0obstowe, and husband of Kathleen Margret Murphy of Parkstone Dorset.
There is a full listing in the file below
Horace Samuel Jacques
Petty Officer telegraphist Royal Navy, HM Submarine Sterlet.
Service No D/J112956
Horace Samuel Jacques was the son of Mr & Mrs Thomas Jacques of Jacobstowe,who were the butler and housekeeper at Broomford manor, and the husband of Margery Lillian Jacques of Dovercourt Essex. The family originated from the Channel Islands. He joined the Royal Navy before the war intending that it should be his career. He was a Petty Officer Telegraphist in HM Submarine STERLET.
On 8th April 1940 HM Submarine "Sterlet" left for a patrol in the Saggererak, Norway. Four days later she signalled that she had unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of 3 merchant ships and a Destroyer. The next day she was given a new patrol area and on the 18th April she attacked the German gunnery ship "Brummer" causing serious damage. Immediately the German escorts counter attacked with repeated depth charge attacks. Sterlet never resurfaced and was pronounced missing with all hands on 27th April 1940.
Leslie James Colwill
Driver Royal Corps of Signals
Service No 2347197
He was known locally as “Jimmy” Colwill and he lived at what is now known as No 10 Jacobstowe where he lived with his parents and siblings. When he left school, he trained as a mechanic at Guy’s Garage now known as Exbourne Cross garage.
He became a driver with the Royal Corps of Signals and was posted to Singapore in the Malay Peninsula. At the end of 1941 the Japanese launched an assault in the Malay peninsula with a lightening march through the peninsula. The British garrison regrettably was ill-equipped and disorganised. General Percival surrendered the island on 15th February 1942 and 140,000 British, Commonwealth and Allies were taken prisoner. Many thousands of these men were forced marched to Burma and Thailand to work constructing railways and roads. Jimmy Colwill among them where he was sent to camp Malai 1 in Thailand.
These men suffered appalling conditions where beatings and torcher were commonplace. Tropical sickness was rife and men had to work without adequate clothing or boots as jungle conditions soon rotted these items. Even the sick was required to work and were beaten if they did not work hard enough. It is estimated that 1 in 3 men died as a result of these privations, Jimmy Colwill was one of these men who died.
Jimmy died of cholera on 28th May 1942 and is buried in Kanchanaburi cemetery in Thailand. He is also remembered on the family headstone in Jacobstowe Churchyard.
The Full List
World War 1 - Who gave their lives 1914-18 war
Francis Arthur GODFREY.
Service No 2441
Lance Corporal 6th Btn Dorsetshire Regiment.
Son of George & Bessie Godfey, The Mill Jacobstowe. Killed in action on 19th October 1918 aged 21 Buried in Mont Huon Miltary Cemetry, Le Treport.
Personal inscription on gravestone HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP R.I.P
Albert John KING
Service No 11415
Private 1st Btn Devonshire regiment.
Son of Edward and Elizabeth King of 8 Jacobstowe. Killed in action 26th July 1916 aged 21 No Known Grave.
Commemorated at :- Theipval Memorial France Pier and face 1C
Sydney Edward KING
Service No 345776
Private 1st Btn Devonshire Regiment.
Son of Edward and Elizabeth King of 8 Jacobstowe. Killed in action 28th September 1918. aged 26. No Known Grave. Commemorated at:- Vis-en-Artois memorial France Panel 4.
Harry Tamcock
Service No 8804
Sergeant 2nd Btn Devonshire Regiment.
Son of Henry & Mary Tancock of Exbourne A Native of Jacobstowe. Killed in action 12th November 1916. Aged 27 Buried Etaples Military Cemetery Framce X11.D.7A.
Inscription "He Fought the fight the victory won and now has entered rest".
Tom Weeks
Service No 46452
Private 4th Btn Staffordshire Regiment.
Wounded in action and died of his wounds 14th January 1918 Buried in the family grave North-West end of Jacobstowe chur
World War 2 - Who gave their lives in the 1939 -45 war
Leslie James Colwill
Service No 2347197
Driver Royal Corps of Signals.
Died of Cholera as a Japanese prisoner of war 28th May 1943 aged 28. Buried at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand, He is also remembered on the Colwill family grave in Jacobstowe Churchyard.
Horace Samuel Jacques
Service No D/J112956
Petty Officer telegraphist Royal Navy, HM Submarine Sterlet.
(Depth Charged and sunk 27th April 1940. Aged 31. Son of Mr & Mrs Thomas Jacques of Jacobstowe, Husband of Margery Lillian Jacques of Dovercourt Essex.
Commemorated - Plymouth Naval Memorial. Panel 39 Col 3
Peter Casella Murphy MC
Service No 53706
Major Royal Irish Fusiliers
Killed in action 18th January 1943.aged 30. Son of Major Frank and Margurite Murphy of Dunsland Court Jac0obstowe, and husband of Kathleen Margret Murphy of Parkstone Dorset.