Page 37 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

Percy Bellingham served with the Expeditionary Force in France from 25th July 1916 which
was just weeks after the devastating British losses. His Regiment was soon heavily
involved in the Battle of Guillemont and sadly he was killed in action on the 31st August
1916. He had been in France just over five weeks.

Two of his colleagues took the time and trouble to write to Percy’s wife to explain how the
tragedy had happened: "We deeply regret to write to tell you that we have lost our dear pal,
your husband, sad to say, yesterday, August 31st. We all got buried, your husband was hit
by shrapnel and killed instantly. He was shot through the heart and died very
peacefully. We both hope you will bear the sad news bravely, as your dear husband died
doing his duty most nobly and bravely.”

Mary Rosina Bellingham, a widow at 23-years-of-age, came home to North Cray to stay with
her family in Manor Cottages.

In Memoriam: No known grave. His name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial,
Belgium.

Driver Edward BRIGDEN, No. 1 Company, 25th Division, Train, Army Service
Corps
1897 - 21st March 1918

Born in Orpington, farm-hand Edward Brigden’s family home was now Granville Cottages.
He was one of four sons born to Frederick and Catherine Brigden. All his brothers, George,
John and Frederick, served during the conflict. Keen to be involved in what he probably
saw as an exciting adventure, young Edward enlisted on 25th September 1915 when still
under 19-years-old. As he was experienced working with horses on the farm, he was
assigned to the Army Service Corps as a Driver.

Drivers were usually privates in rank, but designated driver to distinguish them from
infantry and were absolutely essential in getting supplies, food, ammunition and equipment
to the men at the Front, as well as bringing the wounded back to the medical stations. It
was an extremely dangerous job as drivers were targeted by machine guns and artillery
who tried to prevent them getting supplies through.

Edward Brigden had managed to survive in battle conditions for over two years but
tragically he was one of the thousands of victims of the brutal fighting during the
engagement known as 'Operation Michael'. News of his tragic death on 21st March 1918
soon spread through North Cray Village. His mother received a letter of sympathy from the
Rev. E. Wilcox, assigned to the Royal Service Corps, as well as from a colleague, Driver C.
M. Lloyd, who was formally from Sidcup.

In Memoriam: Buried at the Bancourt British Cemetery, France.

2nd Lt. Frederick William CORKE 10th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
1883-10th April 1918

Born in Wrotham, Kent, Frederick Corke’s home was now Cray Bank, North
Cray. Previously his family had been in the grocery business in Sussex. By 1911, Frederick
earned his living as a grocer, as well as being the proprietor of the Crayford Sand & Gravel
Pits. He was very well known in Sidcup, especially as he was a Deacon of Foots Cray
Baptist Church in Sidcup Hill. He married Mable in 1910 and the couple had four children.

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