Hibberd, A. W.
Arthur William Hibberd, of 2 King's Avenue, Sandwich Bay, was riding his bike down Whitfield Hill, and on turning at the bottom, collided with the 29th Training Reserve battalion of recruits. His head was badly injured when he was thrown from his bike and he died 12 hours later at the Royal Victoria Hospital, on 8 September 1916. The husband of Agnes Hibberd, he was a butler, aged 46

The bicycle was hired, and there was no front brake while the back brake was found to be inoperative (although at the time of testing the wheel had been buckled by the accident). Mr Hibberd had already returned that bike to the hirer as it had a puncture, and a replacement, of which the pedal had fallen off.

Mitchell, P.
Sergeant Peter Mitchell, 35199, was in the 40th Company, Royal Garrison Artillery, stationed at Langdon Bay, Guston. He died on Monday night, 15 March 1915 after a fall down eight or steps leading to the latrines at the Western End of the Battery

He is buried at St James, Dover FV 3. His wife, J Mitchell, lived at Maker Vicarage, Plymouth

Parker, F. W.
Leading Seaman Frederick William Parker, 122668, a retired naval veteran of twenty-three years service and who was described as a ‘big, heavy man’, with ‘a scar on his chest’ was a naval pensioner turned Leading Seaman in the Dover Anti-Aircraft Corps. Born in 1867, he had enlisted into the Royal Navy in 1883 and served as an able-bodied seaman on many vessels, with spells ashore with HMS Pembroke. He was promoted to Leading Seaman in April 1905 before retiring the next year. Following the outbreak of the First World War he immediately re-enlisted and was assigned to a shore role with the Dover Anti-Aircraft Corps, a small unit run by the RNVR and composed mostly of local citizens enlisting on watch duty over the town.

Parker was one of the initial 25 active service RN members and the only member to die whilst in still in service of DAAC. He was stationed with B Crew of No.1 Co. (Drop Redoubt) at the Western Heights in Dover under Sub. Lt. W.T. Rust. As such he would have been responsible for the maintaining the searchlights and engines and manning the telephone as opposed to operating the searchlights directly, and providing instruction on equipment operation. At the time of his death he was have been assigned to HMS Arrogant, a old cruiser turned submarine supply ship moored in the Camber, but had been living with his brother and his sister-in-law wife at 63 Limekiln Street for the previous eight years.

On Easter Monday 5 April 1915 he had finished his night shift early in the morning. He took part in the DAAC Sports Day at Crabble Athletic Grounds directly afterwards. He had acted as an anchor man in the tug-of-war for his Drop Redoubt crew but had come home to his brother-in-law’s house after parade complaining of pains in his side and chest. The pain became steadily worse but he refused to see a doctor and continued in his shifts as usual, even walking up the Grand Shaft staircase to the Redoubt. After going to the town in the afternoon of the 19 April he suddenly collapsed at home, and had died by the time the doctor arrived. At the inquest it was determined that he had died of natural causes, the attending doctor had diagnosed a cerebral haemorrhage and stated that the strain of the tug-of-war had probably been a contributory cause and expedited the end.

A full military funeral (pictures above and below) took place at 14:15 on 24 April and was covered in great detail in the local newspapers. His coffin was transported draped with a Union Jack drawn on a gun carriage with full military escort from the Chapel at Dover College to his last resting place at St. Mary's cemetery. Lt. Cdrs. Henry D. Capper and Ian Howden gave speeches and the Rev. V. Hayward Fisher of Dover College administered the service. A volley was fired by the Royal Fusiliers and he was buried to the Last Post. Virtually the whole of the Anti-Aircraft Corps was in attendance and he was buried with full naval honours. He died single at the age of 48 and left no children, but was regarded with affection by his nieces and pephews, who knew him as "Uncle Pum" and "Uncle Titchie".

with grateful thanks to Phil Eyden for the research, words, and pictures
picture of Mr Parsons, courtesy Dover Museum, pictures of fuenral, courtesy Dover Express, picture of gravestone, Phil Eyden

Parsons, V. G.
Victor George Parsons was a lance corporal serving with the Royal Engineers Motor Cyclists Section. He had been in Dover about four months, having left school not long before. He was killed on 21 May 1916, the day before his 19th birthday. He had turned right from Woolcomber Street,  returning after duty to the Castle where he was quartered, when at 4am he struck a lorry coming down the hill, approximately opposite Laureston Place. The lorry was transporting twelve members of the Dover Anti-Aircraft Corps and driven by Stanley Joyce, a Stoker in the RN.

Victor Parsons was admitted to the Military hospital at 4.35 am and died there about ten minutes later. He had a fracture to the base of his skull. The subsequent verdict was accidental death.

He was the son of the Rev William Henry Parsons and his wife Evelyn, from St John's Vicarage, Tunbridge Wells. He is buried at Tunbridge Wells, B 2 62

Right, the location of the accident. Victor Parsons probably turned out from the road on the left to go up the hill, while the lorry was coming dowr the hill, as is the cyclist in this picture.  The lorry driver believed that Victor was attempting to pass in front of him, and was travelling quickly, as would be necessary to climb the steep hill to the Castle.

with thanks to Phil Eyden 

Royal, E
Not exactly war-related but worth noting is that Ernest Royal, a seaman in the drifter patrols, was one of eleven people to be killed in the Dover Tram accident on 19 August 1917. His  companion, Dolly Hunt, from Snargate Street, was injured

Atkinson, N S
Norman Slinger Atkinson, P/J 44575, was a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy (H.M.S. Lynx). He died at the age of 30 on 15 October 1939 after having been run over by a railway engine at the Marine Station, Dover, during the blackout. He is buried at the Portsmouth (Milton) Cemetery, Plot U, Row14, Grave 13

He was the son of Harry and Ellen Atkinson, and married to Lilian M Atkinson, of Southsea

Banks, W. H. 
William Henry Banks of 7 Shakespeare Road, was knocked down by a bus at the junction of Folkestone Road and Elms Vale Road on 4 October 1939 during the blackout

The bus had been travelling from East Cliff, leaving there at 7.30 pm, for Elms Vale. It was dark and raining slightly, and the headlights and sidelights of the bus were screened. The driver, William Edward Ealden, of 42 Alfred Road, saw a person in the nearside beam and braked. He felts a bump and saw a man disappear under the windscreen .A dog jumped from the man's arms, yelped, and ran off up the road. Mr Banks was lying by the offside front wheel, having been struck by the headlamp, the shade of which was buckled

Mr Banks' skull was extensively and fatally fractured; he died the same evening in the Royal Victoria Hospital. He was 52, and a WD Constable

Mr Banks was buried at Charlton, Dover. The first part of the service was held at St Martin's. Bearers of Mr Banks' coffin were workmates: Sgt, Boulsbee, Sgt. Ord, P.C. Jacobs, P.C. Bryson, H. J. West, Dowsett and Chilton of the Ordnance. The funeral was semi-military, with the coffin draped with the Union Flag, and thereon Mr Banks' cap and medal. The coffin was taken to Charlton on a gun carriage and at the graveside a Bugler sounded the Last Post and the Reveille. Amongst the mourners were Mrs Banks, his widow, Mr and Mrs W Banks, son and daughter-in-law, and Mr and Mrs Banks, parents

1939 - Sadly missed by his loving Wife, Son and Daughters

1940. Treasured memories of our dear son, who was accidentally killed October 4^th 1939. Always in our thoughts From Mum and Dad (Appledore)

Mr Banks' widow, Léonie Helen (née Dangremont), "passed peacefully away" at Appledore on 29 July 1940, "after much suffering, patiently  borne" "Reunited"

Benn, W.
William Benn. He was four years and ten months old when he died on 30 October 1941 from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping in a private cave shelter

Durman, J.
Jesse Durman. Living at 43 Heathfield Avenue, he was a Constable in the Police War Reserve>, having been previously a Special Constable. He had been a chef at a Dover Hotel, and later a fish and chip monger, of the "Silver Grill" in the High Street, Dover. He had also opened another fish and chip shop in Priory Street

He came on duty at the Police Station on 23 May 1942, complaining of feeling unwell. He was found collapsed in the lavatory, and when removed to the hospital was found to be dead, owing to heart trouble. He was 37

From 43 Heathfield Avenue, he was buried on 27 May at Charlton, Dover 18 2T, with PCs Crush and Harman, and War Reserves Dunnigan, Pascall, Minter, and Brook as bearers of his coffin

He was the husband of J M S Durman, who was in Wales with their two children at the time of his death

Note: The Silver Grill former premises is pictured here; it's the shop with the yellow doors next to the Salvation Army 
details Joyce Banks

Groombridge, A. H.
Arthur Herbert Groombridge was a corporation employee, labourer. He lived at 3(33) St Martin's Road, Guston

He was 43 when, in March/April 1942,  he was accidentally shot in Union Road while a naval sentry was being taught how to unload a revolver. He died on 1 April at the Casualty Clearing Hospital. He was buried on 7 April at Charlton, Dover 12 2T

Higgs, A. E.
Private Albert Edward Higgs, aged 20, was accidentally shot in his billet by his friend Private Taylor. When he heard they were to go on guard duty again at 9pm, Private Higgs jokingly said, "Here is my rifle, Taylor, shoot me!" Private Taylor took the rifle and pointed it at Private Higgs. A cartridge had gone into the chamber after loading, and unfortunately the gun went off and Private Higgs was shot directly through the head. Date uncertain, possibly March 1941 (or August 1914?)

Lockyer, R. E.
Rosetta Lockyer was evacuated to Wales from Dover on 2 June 1940, with her brother John and older sister Primrose

Born in 1935, she died, aged 8, in 1943. She had been dropped off by the local postman, who was helping with his van to bring evacuees from their school, a distance of some two miles.  While crossing the road she was struck by an army convoy lorry driven by an ATS. The ATS was severely injured, having gone through the windscreen of the lorry and fallen into the road. 

Rosetta's brother remembers that just a few weeks before she had been singing of her home town - "There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover".

She is buried in Mamhilad churchyard, near Pontypool

with thanks to John Lockyer

Lucas, E.
Ernest Lucas was a seaman with the Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S. Skiddaw. He died on 13 December 1939 after having fallen into the Wellington Dock and drowned during the blackout. He is buried at St James, Dover, Row E, Joint Grave 5

Manton, W. F.
William Frederick Manton lived at 3 Beach Street, was married, and was 51 when he died on 17 October 1939, a victim of the blackout which was ordered from 1 September 1939

William had been painting during a 12 hour nightshift at the Naval Stores depot beginning at 7pm. His companions had noticed he was missing shortly after 9.30 pm, but assumed he had gone outside for a smoke. When they had not seen him by midnight they went outside, searching with torches. When they had been unable to find him they assumed he had gone home, and reported the matter to the foreman the next morning

All the doors at the Naval Stores had been fastened, apart from the main and office doors. The outer door of the office opened directly on to the sea wall, which was around five feet wide. There were no chains or barriers, and, coming out of the light into the darkness, Mr Manton probably had missed his step

The water at that time would have been low, but the fall would have been about twenty feet and Mr Manton was wearing heavy clothing which would have made it almost impossible to get up out of the Granville dock. He would probably not have been heard if he had called out, though his wet cap was found in a boat moored nearby, and one wonders if perhaps he had tried to attract attention that way, or if perhaps this had happened when he had fallen. His body was not found until 10.30 the next morning. The Police Surgeon stated that on viewing the body at the mortuary, his opinion was that Mr Manton had drowned

Mr Manton's brother was Percy Manton, of 1 Archcliffe Road, Dover

McGrath, D.
David McGrath, an army pensioner from 22 Clarence Street, died in November 1940 at the age of 55. He died from double pneumonia in a cave in Trevanion Street, where he had been sleeping (owing to raids?)

He was buried on 4 December at St James, Dover. 20 CR

Sellen, A.
Anthony Sellen was four years and nine months old when his tricycle hit an Army lorry driven by a learner driver and traveling in convoy in Black Bull Road, Folkestone on 22 December 1943. Little Tony was immediately taken, unconscious, to the Royal Victoria Hospital, and died there at 12.50pm

The foot of the grave, above, reads "Anthony Sellen". The left kerbstone reads "In loving memory of our darling eldest son". On the right are the words, "Died 22nd Dec 1943. Aged 4 years & 9 months". At the top is "In the kingdom of Thy grace, Give a little child a place"

Skelton, J. E.
John Edwin Skelton, aged 6,  was drowned at Cwmbran jsut a few days after he had been evacuated with his brother. He went missing on 19 June 1940, and his body was eventually found in the Clay Pits Pool on 10 July. He was buried on 13 July 1940, at Cwmbran cemetery, with the funeral service taking place in the cemetery chapel.

A pupil at the Pier infants' school, he was the son of Mr Arthur Skelton, of King Lear's Way, Dover, and his wife Amelia, née Blogg

Smith, W. F.
William Frederick Smith and his friends had been collecting mortar bombs in a barrow from an army training field. They found a live one and took turns in throwing it at a gate post. On 15 October 1942 Billy, aged 10 years and 8 months, died from wounds after the mortar exploded. His mother told the inquest, held two days later at the Royal Victoria, then at Waldershare, that she had told her son, "It was a silly thing to do, Billy"

Billy was probably the son of William Smith

"Treasured memories of my only beloved son" - Mummy and Edwin - 1943
"In loving memory of my dear son, Petty Officer William Smith ... also grandson Billy" - their loving Mother and Grandmother

Thomas, G. and J.
Georgina, aged 11, and Joan Thomas (aged 9) were killed by an express train while going to school on Tuesday, 9 July 1940. They had been evacuated to Undy, Wales, with their school, and were walking to their lessons with their older sister Julia (12) when they stopped at a level crossing to let a goods train past. Thinking the line was then clear they began to cross; an express train fatally knocked the two younger children against an embankment. They are buried at Undy.

Mr Thomas, their father, worked at the Dockyard, and lived at Buckland Farm.

Tucker, T. S.
Thomas Sydney Tucker, 164610, was a Captain of the Welsh Regiment. He died at the age of 30 on 18 September 1943 in Dover County Hospital, as the result of an accident. He was the fourth son of Mrs Tucker of Oxford and the late Edward Tucker, of Ashbury, Berkshire, and the husband of Angela Tucker

He was buried on 21 September 1943 at St James, Dover. 4 JR

?Wells, E.
Edward Wells, aged 67, of 13 River Street, was found drowned in the River Dour. He did not go out in the dark as he was "afraid of the blackout"

An inquest was reported on 12 February 1943, where evidence from a post mortem revealed Mr Wells had drowned. There were no injuries, though there were signs of arthritis which was probably painful.  An open verdict was returned, as there was no evidence to suggest how Mr Wells came to be in the water, nor as to his state of mind