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Somerset
County Herald Saturday 14 Sep 1940
Page 6 Column 3
FIVE TAUNTON MEN KILLED
DURING ARMY OPERATIONS IN ENGLAND
FORMER TOC H WORKER
MILITARY HONOURS AT THE FUNERALS
Four Taunton men and another who had worked at the County Offices- all in the Royal Engineers – were accidentally killed during military operations on the S.E. Coast during the week-end.
They were Corporal Kenneth Robert SMITH, aged 25, who formerly worked in the trunk roads survey department at the County Offices, and had been married only a few days;
Sapper Geoffrey James JENNESS, of 25, Bridge-street;
Sapper Ivor Kitchener COLES, of 41, Baldwin-road;
Sapper Harold Leslie OATEN, of 46, Wood-street; and
Sapper Joseph William ELSON, of Court-land Cottages, Pen Elm.
Sapper JENNESS is related by marriage to Sapper COLES.
In addition to those killed, there were a number injured, including some Taunton men.
AN ONLY CHILD.
Sapper JENNESS was nearly 21 years of age, and was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. JENNESS, of 25, Bridge-street, Taunton. He had been in the Army since the outbreak of the war, having previously served in the Territorials for some time.
He was a keen athlete, and follower of all sports. He had played Association football for the Taunton Amateurs, and for the Taunton Y.M.C.A. Teams. He had also represented the Y.M.C.A. at cricket and table tennis.
He was educated at North Town School, and on leaving was employed by Messrs. Geo. OSMOND & Co., organ builders, Priory Bridge-road, Taunton. After he had been there for three and a-half years he returned to work at his father's garage in Bridge-street until he was called up.
His father, Mr. William JENNESS, is the well-known speedway and grass-track motor cyclist.
MARRIED AT EASTER.
Sapper JENNESS was married at Easter of this year, and leaves a nineteen-years-old bride, who was formerly Miss Kathleen COLES, of 41 Lyngford Square.
Her cousin, Sapper Ivor Kitchener COLES, who was also killed was the youngest son of Mrs. H. TARRANT, of 41, Balwin-road, and the late Seargeant William Henry COLES, of the Somerset Light Infantry, who was killed in the first battle of the Somme in 1916. He was educated at Mary-street Memorial School, and on leaving worked at Messrs. James PEARSALL & Co., Ltd., at the East-street Mills. Some years ago he was a member of the Temple Boys' Brigade and the Temple Sunday School.
He has a brother who is a Sergeant in the Palestine Police, and also a step-brother, who is in the Royal Air Force.
Recently he spent seven days' leave at Taunton, returning to his unit on August 23rd. He had been on service since September, 1939, having previously served in the Territorials.
FORMER CHORISTER.
Joseph William ELSON was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar ELSON, of Courtland Cottages, Pen Elm, who have one other child, a girl aged eight. Joseph, who was aged 19, enlisted in the Royal Engineers shortly after the outbreak of war, prior to which he had been in the employ of Mr. F. C. SPEAR, builder, of Taunton.
In his younger days he was a chorister at the Parish Church of Norton Fitzwarren, where he attended the village school. His father is employed at the North Town Stores, Taunton.
KEEN FOOTBALLER.
Harold Leslie OATEN, aged 20, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Geo. OATEN, 46, Wood-street, Taunton. He had been in the Royal Engineers since the outbreak of war, having served as a Territorial for a year previously.
In civil life he was an apprentice plumber to Mr. F. J. LOCK, of Station-road. He was a keen footballer, and had played for a number of local clubs.
ON COUNTY COUNCIL STAFF.
Corporal Kenneth Robert SMITH was 25 years of age and the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. SMITH, of Wilmington, Kent. He had been in the Royal Engineers since September, when he was called up with the Territorials.
Before this, he had been an assistant to Mr. J. A. AVERY, in the Trunk Roads Survey Staff of the Somerset County Council. He came to Taunton from Exeter in 1937, where he was employed at the Ministry of Transport.
An active member of the Taunton branch of the Toc H, he had at one time been the Jobmaster. In the winter of 1937-38 he was in charge of the boys' department of the Toc H Social Welfare Centre at Lambrook.
On Friday of last week, at Alphington, Exeter, he was married to Miss Mary Evelyn (Mollie) PETHERICK, only daughter of Maj. and Mrs. D. M. PETHERICK, of 14 West-avenue, Exeter. Major PETHERICK is the manager of Lloyds Bank, Exeter, having come from Bridgwater. Miss PETHERICK was once employed in the County Education Department, at the County Hall, Taunton.
The funeral of Cpl. SMITH took place at Exeter on Wednesday.
MILITARY FUNERALS
FOUR BURIED ON SAME DAY.
Many friends, neighbours and sympathisers gathered at St. Mary's Cemetery, Taunton, on Thursday afternoon, when three of the local victims were buried, and at Norton Fitzwarren, where Sapper ELSON was interred, there was also a representative assembly of friends and villagers.
Military honours were accorded each man. The Somerset Light Infantry provided bearer and firing parties. Major B. D. G. COLLISON-COX was in command, with R.S.M. SMITH, M.M. Sergt. GILLARD was in charge of the firing party. The buglers were Corporal TACCHI and L/Corpl. MARSHALSEA. There was also present an escort party from deceased's unit, in charge of Sergt. BICKHAM.
Captain P. HUNT represented the Taunton Boys' Brigade, and Mr. H. G. WEST the Temple Sunday School at the funerals of Sappers OATEN, JENNESS and COLES.
There were many floral tributes, including wreaths from officers of the R.E. Unit, N.C.O.'s and other ranks.
SAPPER OATEN.
The Rev. Preb. W. H. HEATON-RENSHAW, vicar of St. Mary's, officiated at the funeral of Sapper OATEN. A service in the Cemetery Chapel preceded the interment.
The chief mourners were:- Mr. and Mrs. George OATEN (parents), Miss Edwina OATEN (sister), Miss Violet ROSSITER (fiancee), Mrs. HAZEL and Mrs. WILLIAMS (aunts), Mr. and Mrs. A. WILTSHIRE (uncle and aunt), Mr. K. HARRIES (cousin), and Private V. BAILEY, Somerset Light Infantry (friend).
Others present included Mr. F. J. LOCK (with whom deceased had been employed prior to the ourtbreak of the war) and the following members of the staff:- Miss DUDDRIDGE, Messrs. C. M. PASCOE, D. PASCOE, L. H. BEALEY, D. R. PRICE, M. KENNER, G. CADDY, and F. THICKESS.
The Boy's Brigade was represented by Mr. P. HUNT, captain of the 1st Taunton Company.
Among the floral tributes were wreaths from the Royal Engineers, the Somerset Light Infantry, the Boys' Brigade, and former workmates.
Messrs. E. E. WHITE & Son, of East Reach, Taunton, carried out the funeral arrangements.
SAPPER JENNESS.
The funeral service of Sapper JENNESS was held in St. Andrew's Church, and was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. F. L. SHEPPARD, assisted by the Curate, the Rev. D. ELIAS. The service was choral, the hymns, “King of Love, my Shepherd is” and “He who would valiant be” were sung. The Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd” and the Nunc Dimittis were chanted. Mr. Louis HULATT was the organist, and in addition played “Solemn Melody” (Walford Davies), Prelude in C Minor (Chopin), and “Dead March” (Handel).
The Vicar afterwards officiated at the interment.
The family mourners were:- Mrs. K. V. JENNESS (wife), Mrs. W. J. JENNESS (mother), Mr. and Mrs. L. TELLING (uncle and aunt), Mr. J. MAXWELL (uncle), Mrs. J. ILES (cousin), Mr. Leonard TELLING, Exeter (cousin), Mr. and Mrs. W. COLES (father-in-law and mother-in-law), Misses Nellie and Gwen COLES (sisters-in-law), Mr. F. N. PENNY (friend), The Taunton Y.M.C.A was represented by J. KING.
The funeral arrangements were entrusted to Mr. Leonard E. SMITH, 1, Haydon-road, Taunton.
SAPPER COLES.
The Minister of Temple Methodist Church, the Rev. G. H. McCormick, officiated at the funeral service of Sapper COLES, which took place in the chapel of St. Mary's Cemetery. He also officiated at the interment.
The family mourners were:- Mr. and Mrs. TARRANT (step-father and mother), Leslie TARRANT (step-brother), Mr. and Mrs. WATTS (brother-in-law and sister), Mrs. DYER (sister), Mr. and Mrs. CRIDGE (uncle and aunt), Mrs. OVERTON and Mrs. PAVEY (aunts), Messrs. H. J. and C. E. SKINNER (uncles), Mr. Charlie COLES (cousin), Priv. David DAVIS S.L.I. (friend), Mr. and Mrs. R. COLLINS (friends).
The funeral arrangements were made by Messrs. E. E. WHITE & Son (Taunton) Ltd.
SAPPER ELSON
Sapper ELSON was buried at Norton Fitzwarren, where there was a service in the Parish Church conducted by the Rector, the Rev. H. S. BUNNY. The hymn, “Jesu. Lover of my soul.” was sung.
The principal mourners were:- Mr. and Mrs. E. W. N. ELSON (father and mother), Mr. and Mrs. E. ELSON (grandparents), Mrs. BAILEY (grandmother), Mr. W. ELSON, Mr. C. ELSON, Mrs. SMITH, Mrs. CRIDLAND, Mrs. IRWIN (uncles and aunts), Miss MURDOCH (fiancee), Mr. H. BROOKS and Mr. and Mrs. W. INGRAM (neighbours).
Among the general mourners were Messrs. A. WEBBER and A. CONYBEARE, representing Norton Village Club, the members of which also sent a wreath.
Messrs. E. E. WHITE & Son, Taunton, carried out the funeral arrangements.
<NOTES: Harold Leslie OATEN son of George Edwin OATEN and Dorothy M. ACKLAND>