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Gunner ALFRED VICTOR THORNTON, R.A. 1445201, Gunner, 215/57th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Age
25 Died 11.3.1941 SEE – Bombardier, ALBERT GEORGE ALDRED, R.A.
Pilot Officer JAMES TILLETT, R.A.F. 33454, Pilot Officer, No 238 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Age 22 Died 6.11.1940
Pilot Officer JAMES TILLETT, Royal Air Force, was the adopted son of Maud Reynolds, of Courteenhall, Northamptonshire, he was 22 years of age.
He joined the Royal Air Force in September 1937 as a flight cadet, was awarded his wings on graduating in July 39. P/O Tillett was posted to 238 Squadron, based at R.A.F. St. Eval, Cornwall, on the 7th
of September 1940, at the end of that month the Squadron was moved to Chilbolton, North
Hampshire. On the 6th of November 1940, P/O Tillett's flight was scrambled to intercept a bomber formation heading towards the Portsmouth
area. The bomber aircraft were escorted, by German fighter aircraft. Piloting a Hawker Hurricane No. V 6814, Pilot Officer Tillett and his Flight, intercepted the formation high over the Portsmouth area. A deadly aerial combat took place, it was not long before aircraft fell from the skies, Pilot Officer Tillett’s Hurricane was hit and severely damaged by a Messershmitt Bf 109.
Most probably flown by Major Helmut Wick, newly promoted Kommodore, of Stab/JG2, and whose logbook contains an entry for the day that he shot down two Hurricanes over the Portsmouth area. Pilot Officer
Tillett's aircraft began a gradual descent. He was flanked on either side by a Hurricane of his Flight; the plane made a wheels-up landing at White Dell Farm, North Wallington, Fareham.
A Memorial Service to Pilot Officer Tillett, a commemorative stone was unveiled and dedicated and blessed. After the service, I spoke to one of
two brothers, who witnessed the Hurricane’s landing. He told me ‘we saw him swoop down, he slid to halt, dust and mud flew everywhere. When he did not emerge from the cockpit, we ran over to the aeroplane. He was slumped forward over the controls, we banged on the cockpit canopy, but he did not answer or move. We tried to get the pilot out of the cockpit, but the canopy would not move, hard as we tried, it would not open’. ‘Whilst we did this we noticed that the smoking engine had caught alight. The only thing we could do was grab handfuls of dirt and
throw that onto the engine cowling, in an attempt to smother the fire (we had seen this being done to put out incendiary bomb fires). In seconds, the fire had spread, engulfing the cockpit area. We knew
we could do no more for our brave fighter pilot. The heat of the fire got so hot, we had to get back. We then thought about the ammunition, which might go up. It was awful! We just had to stand there,
whilst the flames consumed everything. It was the saddest day of our young lives.’ Over sixty years later, I could still see the great sadness that the young boys felt, I only had to look into the
eyes and face of a seventy year-old man
Pilot Officer JAMES TILLETT, Royal Air Force, was buried on Wednesday 13th November 1940, he was laid to rest in the War Graves Section, Row 2
Grave 7, and is commemorated by a CWG headstone.
Lieutenant Commander BENJAMIN TITHERIDGE, M.V.O., R.N. Lieutenant Comer, Royal Navy, HMS Pomone. Age 60 Died 23.1.1918
Lieutenant Commander BENJAMIN TITHERIDGE, Member of the Victorian Order, Royal Navy, was the husband of Lizzie Rebecca Titheridge, and they
lived at No. 115 Obelisk Road, Woolston, Southampton. Lt. Cmdr. Titheridge, was taken ill at his home, he developed pneumonia, from which he died on the 23rd of January 1918. Lieutenant Commander
BENJAMIN TITHERIDGE, M.V.O., R.N., was buried on the 28th of January 1918, and is laid to rest, Plot 31a Space 113, and is commemorated CWG headstone.
Corporal LESLIE HENRY PATRICK TOPLEY 6294537, Corporal, Hampshire Regiment, 50th (Northumberland) Division, XXX
Corps. Age 22 Died 15.6.1944
Corporal LESLIE HENRY PATRICK TOPLEY, was another of the casualties mortally wounded during fighting for the liberation of Europe. Seriously
wounded in bitter fighting to take the outskirts of the town of Caen, in an effort to seize control of the airfield at Capriquet. Corporal Topley, was taken to an Emergency Casualty Clearing Station,
where it was felt that medical facilities aboard a hospital ship, would give him a better chance of surviving. After surgery aboard the ship, he was stabilised, and it was hoped that he would make it. On
return to Gosport, he was taken from the ship moored in Stokes Bay, straight to the Alverstoke Emergency Hospital. This was the Alverstoke Children’s Home, which had been evacuated for the war, and
turned into a hospital. Despite all that could be done for him, Corporal Topley’s condition worsened. Complications set in, and sadly on Thursday 15th June 1944 he lost his fight for life.
Corporal LESLIE HENRY PATRICK TOPLEY, was buried on Saturday 17th of June 1944, and is laid to rest in the War Graves Section , Row 1 Grave 18,
and is commemorated by a CWG headstone.
Chief Petty Officer MONTAGUE WILLIAM TOPLIS,
R.N. P/M 3651, Chief Petty Officer, Sick Berth, Royal Navy, HMS Bacchante. Age 51 Died 8.4.1944
Chief Petty Officer MONTAGUE WILLIAM TOPLIS, Royal Navy, was the son of Frank Walter and Ada Toplis. He lived at No.80, Elson Road, Gosport,
with his wife Beatrice Pia. CPO Toplis had already served in a World War, 1914-18, and found himself, like many others, doing so yet again. The cause of his death was due to wounds he had received whilst
onboard HMS Bacchante, whilst she was on patrol in the North Sea. The ship was attacked by E-Boats, and the German fast attack vessels raked the decks and superstructure with cannon shells. C.P.O.
Toplis was wounded whilst attending his shipmates, who been wounded in the attack.
The ship managed to limp back to port, where she discharged her casualties. C.P.O. Toplis passed away on
Saturday 8th April 1944, after being admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital, at Aberdeen. Chief Petty Officer MONTAGUE WILLIAM TOPLIS, R.N., was buried on Friday 14th April 1944, and is laid to rest, Plot
35 Space 40, and is commemorated by a CWG headstone.
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