Jeff Clements
Pte. Harry Hooper, 2nd Bn.,
Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry,
became the first Witney man to
lose his life in the Great War –
a victim of enemy artillery fire,
France, 19th September 1914.
Witney man Harold ‘Dick’
Simpson volunteered for service
with the Royal Marines in 1939.
Following time spent in Egypt
and Sicily, Dick returned to the
UK to join the newly formed 48
RM Commando. He was mortally
wounded when his unit took
part in the Allied landings at
Normandy and died on his return
to Southampton, 6th June 1944.
Son of a local ironmonger, R.A.F.
pilot, Lt. Reginald Leigh, was lost
on the 18th June 1918 during a
routine patrol over the Western
Front. No trace was ever found
of either him or of his machine.
A native of Hailey, Frank Brooks
emigrated to Canada in 1912.
He enlisted in the Canadian
Engineers in 1916 and was
deployed to the Western Front.
A victim of a German gas attack
on the Allied front line near
Arras, in late July 1918, Frank was
evacuated to a military hospital
for treatment. He died 10 days
later on 8th August 1918.
Son of prominent local blanket
manufacturer, F. Marriott, Captain
Jimmy Marriott served in the
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry. He was killed
in action, leading a patrol in
Normandy, 10th June 1944.
Initially rejected for military
service on medical grounds,
Albert Miles successfully
reapplied and in July 1915 he was
sent to Gallipoli to join the 4th
Bn., Worcestershire Regiment.
Posted as ‘missing in action’
one month later, his death was
not officially confirmed until
February 1916.
Sgt. (Air Gunner) Jimmy
Hadland, formerly of Corn Street,
Witney, was killed in action on
the night of 20th/21st January
1944. His aircraft was shot down
over Germany following an
attack on Berlin.
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