Additional Information on WWI and WWII
We received further details on Asterby and Goulceby relating to WWI and WWII relating to residents either born or connected to the villages through family for the March/April 2026 Newsletter. We have also received further details on the 2 Hurricanes which crashed in mid-air over Asterby after a night patrol over Mablethorpe and the Wellington Crew from RAF Snaith which crashed at Asterby Top Farm – all the details will be collated and added to the website as an additional page to “Asterby and Goulceby Remembers”. A great deal of work has already been compiled and we are grateful for this additional information received from Lincolnshire County Council – Historic and Culture departments.
The following link will also be added: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/88624; which details the ‘Asterby and Goulceby Book of Remembrance’ on the Imperial War Museum’s War Memorials Register website; which is a copy of the WWI information held at Goulceby All Saints Church.
Anyone wishing to see the records of the inscriptions from Asterby St. Peters Church can access these via a copy of ‘A History of All Saints Church Goulceby’ for £4 via Goulceby Church.
WWI 1914 – 1918
Moses Griffin (service no. 13508) - Private, 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Son of Moses and Mary Ann Griffin, of Roughton, Woodhall Spa. Possibly born in Goulceby (detailed in the Goulceby 1911 Census), enlisted Baumber, resident Woodhall Spa. Died 29th November 1915, aged 29. Buried at Azmac Cemetery, Sulva, Turkey, I. D. 8. Commemorated Hemingby St. Margaret and Roughton St. Margaret.
William Smith (service no. 13817) - Private, 7th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, born Goulceby, enlisted Louth, resident North Elkington. Died of wounds 17th February 1916 (16th in SDGW), buried Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, II. B. 41., commemorated Louth United Methodist and Tathwell W.M. William is already detailed in our WWI “Asterby and Goulceby Remembers”.
Henry William Stones Smith (service no. 203109). Private, 2/4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 26th September 1917. Aged 30 years. Born Gayton le Wold, enlisted Grimsby and resident Louth. Commemorated Dochy Farm New British Cemetery. VI.D.8., and Stenigot St. Nicholas. Reported wounded and missing, now reported killed on 26th September, 1917. A loving husband and father kind. A beautiful memory left behind.
From his sorrowing wife and family, Goulceby. L&NLA 21st September 1918. [Obits.]
Albert Edward Holland (service no. 49407) - Private, 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Mary Elizabeth Holland, of Hainton House, Eastgate, Louth, Lincs. Born Lincoln, enlisted Louth, Lincs, resident of Goulceby. Killed in action 24th March 1918, aged 19, commemorated Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, Bay 3 and 4. Albert is already detailed in our WWI “Asterby and Goulceby Remembers”.
Billie William Jollands (service no. 19074) Private, 7th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. Born and enlisted in Gainsborough and was resident in Louth on Little Lane. He was killed in action on 3rd July 2016, age 30, during the Battle of the Somme and is presumed buried in France. From research we believe Billie had a memorial at Asterby St. Peter Church in the family plot with his grandparents (entry 72). He is recorded on the Lincolnshire Regiment Roll of Honour. There is an obituary in the Louth and North Lincolnshire Advertiser - 2nd September 1916 (2510) and 14th March 1917 (2926). His next of kin were his grandparents Thomas and Eliza Jollands. Inscription on the grave: “In loving memory of Thomas Jollands died November 10th 1914 aged 75 years. Also Eliza wife of the above died May 29th 1917 aged 84 years. Also Billie grandson of the above died in France July 3rd 1916 aged 30 years.”
WWI ALFORD (St Wilfrid), LINCOLNSHIRE – WAR MEMORIAL / ALFORD MEMORIALS
As noted in the above Alford War Memorial, the following where presumed to be born in Asterby:
Scott Burkitt - Private 22910. 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 4th July 1917. Son of Joseph and Fanny Burkitt of East Street, Alford, Lincs. Brother of Jesse Scott. Born c1883 Asterby, enlisted Lincoln and resident Alford, Lincs. Commemorated Boyelles Communal Cemetery Extension. I.E.9.
Jesse Burkitt - Roll states: Private, Lincolnshire Yeomanry, died 27th May 1919. Born c1889, the son of Joseph and Fanny Burkitt and brother of Scott Burkitt. Unable to identify as casualty and no further information currently available.
WWII 1939 - 1945
WWII HURRICANES - CRASH 22nd FEBRUARY 1941 - ASTERBY
A source from Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire was able to find out the following additional information on the WWII crash involving Hurricanes from 46 Sqn RAF Digby on 22nd February 1941 which was caused by a mid-air collision in bad weather between the two aircraft. The aircraft were part of ‘Blue Section’ sent to patrol over Mablethorpe at 8000ft. The aircraft both came down near Cadbourne Green Farm, Asterby.
Flight Officer Morgan-Gray was subsequently buried with military honours at Scopwick Church near Lincoln (war grave) and is located on Row 2 Grave 36. He was 22 years old.
Sergeant Cyril Edgar Hudson (Service Number: 936012 – volunteer reserve) age 20. He was presumably returned to his family for burial as no record shows any parade. However, on the Commonwealth War Graves Register information on his burial are as follows: Buried or commemorated at Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery Grave 51260
WWII VICKERS WELLINGTON MK 1C – CRASH 22nd FEBRUARY 1942 - GOULCEBY
The 150 Sqn Wellington crashed in a field at 0330hrs near Asterby Top Farm near Goulceby whilst descending through cloud to determine their position. No further information can be found and the diaries have been checked at Snaith. Further information was sourced through www.cwgc.org Commonwealth Ware Graves Commission on their ages and burial locations:
Flight Sergeant D. Wormleighton (service no. 1162813) – killed – age 21 – buried Manby St. Mary
Flight Sergeant J.E. McAllister (service no. 631875) – killed – age 20 – buried Derby cemetery
Sergeant J.E. Blackburn (service no. 1051863) – killed – age 21 – buried Irlam St. John the Baptist
Sergeant E.F. Rawlings (SERVICE NO. 1306695) – killed – age 21 – buried Manby St. Mary
Private Officer J.B. Birkes – injured
Flight Sergeant O.D. Lland – injured
In a previous newsletter there was a letter from Sergeant E.F. Rawlings to his parents (May/June ‘25).
OTHER WWII
Benjamin Stanley Eyre (service no. 4807250). Trooper, 49th (West Riding) Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, Royal Armoured Corps. Son of C. Farrow Eyre and of Margaret A. Eyre of Goulceby. Born and resident Lincolnshire, presumed killed in action 22nd August 1944, aged 31, interred St. Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France, III. A. 3. No known Lincolnshire Memorial.
Mrs Wiles of No. 1, Council Houses, Goulceby, received the news from the War Office of the death in action in the North West European theatre of war, of her eldest son, Trooper Benjamin Stanley Eyre, of the Reconnaissance Regiment, R.A.C. He joined up in 1940 and before worked at East Lincs. Garage, Louth. He was 31 years of age (Horncastle News 9.9.44).
LINCOLNSHIRE HERITAGE EXPLORER
Asterby and Goulceby has a great deal of heritage and this can be found through the Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer; It’s simple to use by adding the village you wish to look at and then ‘click’ on the ‘map’ for the detail.
Link as follows: https://heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/recordsearch
It is a record of archaeology, historic buildings and landscapes across Lincolnshire. It has records from the earliest Stone Age to the 20th century, and single finds to military airfields and parks. The database acts as an index to lots of other sources held in Lincolnshire County Council’s offices which the public are welcome to come and peruse in person (it needs to be by appointment though as the public viewing space is very small).
Looking on the resource there are a lot of records for Asterby and Goulceby - it's a place rich in history and archaeology going back to early Neolithic, late Saxon, Medieval, various monuments and many sites of interest, etc.
In terms of WWII there are records of the remains of a searchlight battery at Red Hill. This is the record on the Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer website: https://heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Monument/MLI84911. This has been plotted from aerial photographs - the remains show up as cropmarks in the arable fields. All the lines within the red boundary are cropmark remains of the searchlight battery. The curving line just to the west is thought be a prehistoric trackway. The rectilinear enclosure to the south is of unknown date, but might be associated with the searchlight battery. Across the road to the east are what have been interpreted as being prehistoric enclosures. Within the red line the two circular features are probable searchlight positions. The features to the north are probable building platforms, generator and shelter locations. This would have just been searchlights, and there does not seem to have been any anti-air guns here. The lights were helping to spot and triangulate incoming aircraft, for either fighters or gun positions in the area to target them.
We have been advised the 2 crash sites identified from WWII will be added the website at some point.
Image: Searchlight Battery (Source: Lincolnshire County Council - Heritage Department)