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Hugh PERRIMAN, 8th Battalion, East Kent Regiment
1892 -5th July 1916

Hugh Perriman, born in 1892 in Loose, a small village just two miles outside Kent’s principal town of
Maidstone, was the eldest son of Albert and his wife, Mary Susana. Like thousands of other young
men of his generation, Hugh felt it his duty to “fight for the Empire” and enlisted in Ashford, Kent,
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joining the 8 Battalion, East Kent Regiment. Before joining the Army, Hugh had worked at Ryecroft
Laundry in Suffolk Road, Footscray.

The notorious Battle of the Somme began on 1st July 1916 when up to 60,000 men were either killed or
injured in just a few tragic hours. The conflict resolved nothing but brutal slaughter, on both the
German and the Allied sides.

Hugh Perriman took part in an episode when three officers and 100 men went over the top to carry out
a raid on the enemy. Four men were killed and 20 wounded. Hugh was one of the wounded and was
taken to the nearest Casualty Station. With the casualty list so high, it is unlikely that he was given very
much medical assistance, other than something to help with the pain. The small number of doctors
and nurses working at the casualty clearing station were stretched to the limit and had to be ruthless in
their approach to medical help. The fact that he lived for five days may have been down to his
determination to survive, but on 5th July he lost his fight to live.

In Memoriam - Hugh Perriman was buried in Pond Farm Cemetery . He is also remembered on the
magnificent Memorial situated in the centre of Kent’s capital town of Maidstone.

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Stoker 1 Class William RUTLAND, served on “HMS Queen Mary”
1894- 31st May 1916

Born in 1894 in the neighbouring parish of St. Mary Cray, William Rutland was the son of Charles and
Mary Ann Rutland. The family home was at Cray Place in Foots Cray. William joined the Navy and
was on board “HMS Queen Mary” as a stoker, 1st class when it was engaged in the Battle of Jutland.

HMS Queen Mary was the last battle cruiser built by the Royal Navy before Word I. She was
completed in 1913 and participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight as part of the Grand Fleet in 1914.
Like most of the modern British battle cruisers, she never left the North sea during the war. As part of
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the 1 Battle Cruiser Squadron, she attempted to intercept a German force that bombarded the North
Sea coast of England in December 1914, but was unsuccessful.

The ship was re-fitted early in 1915 and missed the Battle of Dogger Bank which took place in January,
but participated in the largest fleet action of the war - the Battle of Jutland, in May 1916. “HMS Queen
Mary” was hit twice by the German battle cruiser “Derfflinger” during the early part of the battle and
her magazines exploded shortly afterwards, sinking the ship. There were no survivors.

In Memoriam The wreck of “HMS Queen Mary” was discovered in 1991 and rests in pieces, some of
which are upside down, on the floor of the North Sea. It is designated as a protected place under the
Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, as it is the grave of 1,266 officers and men, one of which was
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Stoker 1 Class William Rutland.