War Memorials - Surnames O

Albert Ockenden was born in 1897 (GRO reference Mar 1897 Epsom 2a 15) to George Edmund and Elizabeth Harriet Ockenden (nee Dudley). Albert's parents married in the December quarter of 1872 in the Croydon registration district. They produced ten children, all registered in the Epsom district.

ALBERT OCKENDEN AND HIS SIBLINGS

Name	Born - Died
Morris Williams	Born: 1873
Edmund	Born: 1875
Frank	Born: 1880
Harriet	Born: 1883
James	Born: 1885
Ellen Mary	Born: 1888
Tom	Born: 1890
Maud	Born: 1893
Albert	Born: 1897 - Died: 27 Sep 1916
Unknown

In the 1881 census, before Albert was born the family lived in Lintons Lane, East Street, Epsom. Albert's father Edmund was a 34 year old labourer. His mother was aged 29 and he had three siblings, Morris aged 8, Edmund aged 5 and Frank aged 8 months.

By 1891 the family had moved to 4, Carters Cottages, Upper Downs Road, Epsom, and three more siblings had arrived, James aged 5, Ellen aged 3 and Tom aged 4 months. Edmund, aged 15 was a pupil in the Mayford Industrial School, Woking.

Albert's mother died in 1899 aged 45 and was buried in grave F108A, Epsom cemetery on 28 December. Note: His father died in 1921 aged 74 and was also buried in grave F108A on 16 September.

In 1901 the family lived at 13 Downs Cottages, Epsom. Brother Edmund worked as a labourer and James worked on the golf links. Another sister, Maud aged 7, had arrived. Brother William(s) (Morris) lived at 10, Downs Cottages with his wife Sophia Jane and her three children from her previous marriage.

The 1911 census shows 14 year old Albert living at 11, Carters Cottages, Burgh Heath Road, Epsom with his 64 year old widower father. Also living there were siblings Edmund and Tom, both labourers, and Harriet. Albert's father recorded his name as George Edmund and wrote against his name that he had been married for 39 years and had 10 children, all still alive. The information on marriage and children has been struck through, presumably because he was a widower.

The Soldiers Died CD tells us that Albert enlisted in Ealing, whilst he was living at Hanwell, and served in the 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, which was in the 150th Brigade, 50th Division.

Albert died of wounds on 27 September 1916 and is buried in grave III. B. 15. Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension. Dernancourt is a small village about 2 miles south of Albert and in 1916 was a base for medical services looking after casualties from the Battle of the Somme. It is not possible to know exactly when or where Albert was wounded but between 15 and 18 September, 81 men from his battalion lost their lives fighting between the villages of Martinpuich and Flers.

The St Martin's church Roll of Honour states that:

ALBERT OCKENDEN, died in France of wounds on 27th September 1916.

Albert was awarded the British War medal and the Victory medal.

EP SM

Private John Addison Oldridge was born at Epsom in 1896. In 1901 he was living in the High Street, Epsom. His father ran a fancy drapers shop. He enlisted in Epsom, where he joined the 7th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. His parents, John Major Oldridge and Mary Elizabeth Oldridge, later moved to 'Marberry' Heatherside Road, West Ewell.

According to the Surrey Regimental recruitment registers, John was 5ft 3ins tall, weighed 120lbs, with a 35 ins chest. He had brown hair and eyes with a fresh complexion. In civilian life he had been an engineer.

On Monday the 3 July 1916 the 7th East Surreys were in the 37th Brigade, 12th Division.

On the 2 July the 12th Division relieved the 8th Division opposite the village of Ovillers, which it was due to attack very early the next day. At 2.15am on the 3 July Ovillers was bombarded by artillery. Assembly trenches had been dug in no man's land, reducing its width from 800 to 500 yards. At 3.15am 12th Division commenced its attack. By 9am the Division reported a complete failure with some 2,400 casualties.

On the 3 July 1916, 9 men from the 7th East Surreys were killed in action or died of wounds.

Kenneth William Oppenheimer was born on 18 February 1887 in Cheshunt Hertfordshire to William and Louise Matilda Oppenheimer. He was christened later that year on 1 May. He had an older sister Daphne and a younger sister Vera.

Kenneth's father was a manufacturing chemist from Manchester and by 1891, when the census was taken, the family had moved to 54, The Drive in Hove Sussex, where he had a staff consisting of a governess, housemaid, parlour maid, cook and nurse.

The family had once again moved by the time the next census was taken and were living at "Riverdale" Summer Road Thames Ditton.

I have been unable to find the family in the 1911 census.

On 2 September 1912, 25-year-old Kenneth married Margaret Simpson Wallace Van Schuymer in St Jude, South Kensington Middlesex. The marriage register shows that his father William was deceased by now and that Kenneth's occupation was a manufacturing chemist. His address was given as 22 Eardely Crescent Earls Court. Their daughter Daphne was born 1 March 1914 in Fulham.

Kenneth attested in to the Army Service Corps at Grove Park on 21 March 1915 as Private 054824 where he gave his occupation as a motor driver and address as "The Meadows" Walton on Thames. He later gave his wife and daughter's address as being the Royal Squadron Hotel Ryde on the Isle of Wight. His height was measured as 5 feet 7¾ inches tall and his chest as 38 inches with a 3 inch expansion.

On 11 April 1915, only 20 days after attesting, Kenneth left from Folkestone by passenger steamer to Boulogne to join the British Expedition Force in France. Here he was posted to the 318 Mechanical Transport (MT) Coy and attached to the No. 14 General Hospital as a chauffeur to a DDMS. Later he was posted to 317 MT and 315 MT before being granted leave between 13 - 18 July 1915.

After only 94 days in France Kenneth returned to England and was admitted to the Middlesex Hospital in Mortimer Street, and seven days later on 19 July 1915, he "died from a fracture skull and sternum, self inflicted whilst of unsound mind".

Lieutenant Holmes RMO wrote from the Middlesex Hospital stating that the inquest held regarding Kenneth's death had found that the verdict was that of "suicide during temporary insanity". His suicide death would seem to indicate that he fell from a great height. Kenneth's body was buried in St. Mary's Churchyard, Ewell and is not listed on any other borough memorial.

Kenneth's grave in St Marys, Ewell
Images courtesy of Clive Gilbert © 2011

The War Office wrote on 25 September 1915:

Sir, I am directed to inform you that in view of the circumstances of the death of No. M. 2/054824 Private Kenneth Oppenheimer, Army Service Corps, his widow and child are not eligible for pension from Army Funds.
Mrs Oppenheimer and the Regimental Paymaster should be informed accordingly. The late soldier's documents are returned herewith.

His personal belongings and any medal (1915 Star, British War and Victory) due to him were requested on 28 March 1916 to be sent to Margaret's solicitors in Cheapside.

A letter was later sent to Margaret on 6 November 1917 stating that she would be regarded as eligible for grant of a temporary pension under Article 15 of Royal Warrant of the 29 March 1917. It enclosed a form to be filled in and returned to them. In reply to this, a letter was sent to the War office from the Reverend Claude Trimble on 21 November 1917:

Kilmesden Vicarage, Alresford, Hants.
Dear Sir,
Enclosed Mrs Oppenheimer's declaration fully filled in and signed, together with her wedding certificate and birth certificate of her daughter. I should be glad if you will return the certificates to the above address when finished with. May I point out ????? (illegible) for the first six months after her husband's death when she received £1.1.0 per week, Mrs Oppenheimer and her daughter have been absolutely penniless and solely dependant on relatives.
Yours faithfully
(Rev) Claude S Trimble.

The Ministry of Pensions wrote on 8 January 1918 confirming that the widow of Private Oppenheimer would receive, under Article 15 of Royal Warrant, a weekly pension of 15 shillings dated from 4 April 1917.

Soon after Margaret married a Henry C Wright in 1918 in Alresford Hampshire.

Many years later on 24 October 1935, Kenneth and Margaret's daughter Daphne gained her flying certificate flying a Gypsy moth 85hp aeroplane from Surrey Flying Services at Croydon Airport. She was still unmarried then and was living at 25 Launceston Place London W8. Three years later in 1937 she married Richard H Paterson in Kensington.

BSM