I was wandering in Tidebrook churchyard, East Sussex, and came upon this memorial stone bearing 17 brass plaques. The inscription reads: “The Embankment Fellowship Centre in memory of those who served in the Great War 1914-1918 who lived and died at Downgate and are buried here”.
The EFC (now Veteran’s Aid) was formed in 1932 to assist ex-servicemen and ex-merchant seamen “of all classes over the age of 45 and who are in distress by providing food, accommodation, and clothing. The Centre also helps finding employment”. Downgate was a rehabilitation centre accommodating 40 men, and the charity also ran a permanent home, Hollenden House at Bexhill and a hostel in London, at 59 Belvedere Road, SE1.
The 17 men on the memorial are:
Charles T. Bartlett, KRRC, died 14/01/1948, aged 70
Patrick Campbell, RE, died 01/06/1951, aged 77
John Clifton, 7th London, died 08/03/1951, aged 62
Soloman Cowan, RAMC, died 11/05/1948, aged 72
George Fry, Middlesex Regiment, died 18/10/1945, aged 74
Jeremiah Hennessey, RE, died 13/07/1940, aged 67
Robert G. Hough, Rifle Brigade, died 10/11/1947, aged 67
Robert A. Innes, RFA, died 29/09/1948, aged 69
Albert J. Kingwell, Middlesex Regiment, died 08/03/1951, aged 58
Thomas Major, CD, died 07/11/1953, aged 90
Frederick S. McManus, Sussex Regiment, died 20/04/1943, aged 65
George Russell, South Wales Borderers, died 26/03/1946, aged 70
Alfred H. Searle, RASC, died 11/12/1939, aged 63
James Smith, RFA, died 04/05/1944, aged 60
Samuel Soar, Grenadier Guards, died 24/01/1944, aged 73
John Symons, died 29/01/1944, aged 65
Alfred G. Vere, Royal Marines, died 31/01/1945, aged 51
