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The plaque is in the Parish Church of St Edward the Confessor, Romford. All four men are also remembered on the Essex Regiment's memorial at Chelmsford.

Private Arthur Henry Brown
Private Alfred Courtney
Private William Osmund Hyett
Private Arthur Ackland Perkins








The members of "Loyal Spring of Friendship" Lodge, M.U., mustered in strong force at Romford on Monday to take leave of Bros. A. Perkins and E.B. Vyse, who are going to South Africa with the Essex Volunteer Infantry Brigade. A programme of songs, handbell selections, and toasts were carried out; and the two members were given a hearty "send-off." Lance-Corpl. Hitch, who joined the Lord Mayor's contingent, is also a member of this Lodge.

Essex County Chronicle, Friday 2nd February 1900
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At the meeting of Court "Sir Robert Peel," A.O.F., at Romford, on Monday, Bro. J. Snashall, secretary, reported that Bros. A. Courtney and J. G. Parsons had volunteered for service with the Essex Regiment in South Africa. It was unanimously resolved to pay their contributions while they are serving with the colours.

Essex County Chronicle, Friday 9th February 1900
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The eleven members of the A and B (Romford) Companies, 1st V.B.E.R., who have joined the special service Company of the Essex Regiment were entertained at dinner at the Corn Exchange, Romford, on Thursday. The building had been attractively adorned by Mr. William Wallis. There was a large attendance of Volunteers and townsmen. The arrangements were efficiently carried out by Major F. B. Thirlwall and Sergt.-Instr. Rose. There was a most willing response to the appeal for subscriptions, and the volunteers were given a right hearty "send-off." The Romford Sociables were to have held a concert at the Public Ball, but they carried out their programme at the Corn Exchange and thereby provided a most popular entertainment. The men came up from Warley Barracks in their khaki equipment. Their names are: - Privates A. Courtney, C. J. Grantham, W. O. Hyett, A. H. Brown, H. Copsey, C. C. Lewis, J. G. Parsons, A. Perkins, E. B. Vyse, H. F. Winch, and E. G. Smith.
Dr. Alfred Wright, J.P., presided.
An excellent dinner was served by Mr. Peter Reynolds, of the Golden Lion Hotel. During it the band of the 1st V.B.E.R., under Mr. A. Byford, played selections.
The concert was contributed to by Messrs. W. Amies King, Randell Jackson, J. Lewis Woods, Charles E. Mott, J. H. Mullerhansen, G. Thomason, and Fred. W. Stephens.

Essex Newsman, Saturday 17th February 1900

Pte. Alfred Courtney, one of the members of the Romford Rifle Volunteers, who volunteered for South Africa, died of dysentery at Kroonstad on June 2nd.

Essex Newsman, Saturday 16th June 1900
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The following letter reached the mother of Private A. Courtney, of the Romford Volunteers, who died at Kroonstad, the day after his death was notified in the official list: -
"My dear Mother, - We are still stationed at Bethulie, and I am in very good health. We have got a pet pig in our camp, and lately we have had chickens and ducks for our dinner. The Boers are a very treacherous people, the women being even worse than the men. When we go to farms and ask the wives where their husbands are, they reply that they have been shot at the war, and that there is no ammunition in the house. Presently we discover that all this is untrue. One day a woman in the house attempted to strike one of my comrades on the head with a bar of iron. We have just received orders to move northward, and I am very glad, for we bury here 20 to 30 a day. Cheer up, I shall soon be home. - Your loving son, ALF."

Essex Newsman, Saturday 23rd June 1900

6852 Pt. A. H. Brown, of the Vol. Co. Essex, has died of enteric at Pretoria.

Essex Newsman, Saturday 7th July 1900

Pt. A. A. Perkins, one of the eleven members of the Romford Volunteers who went to South Africa, died from disease at Earste Fabricken on August 5th. Preaching at St. John's Church on Sunday the Rev. F. B. Feist feelingly referred to the sad news. He said: "A bellringer and communicant of St. Edward's, Arthur Perkins was respected and liked by all. He went out to South Africa, I rejoice to say, with the blessings of Holy Church upon his head, and with the 'sword of the Spirit' - the Word of God - in his breast. What comfort he found in the pages of that precious book we shall never know - though in moments of sickness such comfort would be unspeakable. He went out to South Africa willing, if called upon, to lay down his life for his country, and this he has done. May he rest in peace." The bells of St. Edward's Church were rung muffled in memory of the deceased.

Essex Newsman, Saturday 18th August 1900

The distribution of prizes to the A and B (Romford) Companies, 1st V.B.E.R., took place on Tuesday evening at the Drill Hall. Colonel Frank Landon, V.D., commanding the Battalion, presided over a large attendance. The battalion band, under Bandmaster A. Byford, played selections. The decorations were carried out by Sergeant-instructor H. Rose. Portraits of the four members of the companies who died in South Africa - Lance-corporal Hyett, Bugler Perkins, and Privates Brown and Courtney - were hung over the platform...……
…….[Major F. H. Thirlwall said] The Romford companies had sent the following members to the front: - Twelve with the Special Service Company of the Essex Regiment, two with the C.I.V., one with the Yeomanry, and two for the waiting company. Out of this number he was sorry to say that four would never return to Romford again. Lance-corporal Packer, Pt. Butcher, and Pt. Turvey were now ready for service in South Africa.

Essex County Chronicle, Friday 8th February 1901

The nine Romford Volunteers who are on their way home from South Africa with the Essex Regiment Special Service Company will receive a hearty welcome home. A band will meet them at the railway station, and there will be a fitting ceremony in the Market-place. When all the Romford men have returned a combined celebration will be held. Major F. H. Thirlwall is working heartily in the cause, and the Celebration Committee are receiving willing support. The Romford Volunteers have taken up the question of placing a brass plate in the Parish Church to the memory of their comrades who have died in South Africa.

Essex Newsman, Saturday 1st June 1901

On Sunday afternoon about 60 members of A and B (Romford) Companies, 1st V.B.E.R., paraded at the railway station, and, with some 20 members of the Essex Imperial Yeomanry, marched to St. Edward's Church. The officials present were Colonel R. H. Lyon, V.D., commanding the battalion; Captain and Hon. Major F. H. Thirlwall, Capt. Slade, and Capt. Bryant. Sergeant-Major F. W. Sheppard was in command of the Yeomanry. The battalion band, conducted by Bandmaster A. Byford, headed the procession. At the church an impressive season was begun by singing "Onward, Christian soldiers," accompanied by the band. - Major Thirlwall asked the Vicar of Romford, the Rev. F. E. Allen, to unveil a tablet in memory of members of the Romford Companies of Volunteers who lost their lives in South Africa during the late Boer war. - The Vicar removed a Union Jack which covered the tablet, and said: As Vicar of Romford I have pleasure, a pleasure mingled with a tinge of sadness, in accepting this tablet on behalf of myself and the churchwardens, and I trust that future Vicars and future churchwardens will preserve this tablet in the church. - "When our heads are bowed with woe" was sung, and Colonel Lyon thanked the Vicar and all concerned for allowing the tablet to be erected in the church. It was a memorial to those who had fallen in South Africa, and it was an object lesson to those who had been left to do their duty to King and country in all stations of life. - The Vicar, from the pulpit, said that of all the many experiences which had fallen to his lot during the 14 years he had been at Romford he remembered none that had given him more melancholy satisfaction than the present one. Two of the four men he had known personally, and just before they went to the Front three years ago they had supper with him at his house. He remembered the occasion because the late Sergeant Mumford, who had since been taken to his rest, gave the men some very valuable and wholesome advice. The other two, Arthur Henry Brown and Alfred Courtney, he did not know well, but since they volunteered for service abroad they had been constantly in his mind and heart. He could not help thinking that God must have a very merciful judgment for soldiers who died on the field of battle. On the very brink of Christmas he asked everyone present to try to spend Christmas in a Christian manner. The hymns "Fight the good fight" and "Soldiers who are Christ's below" were sung, and the "Dead March" in Saul was played. The tablet is of brass, surmounted by the arms of the Essex Regiment. It is inscribed "Sacred to the memory of Privates Arthur Henry Brown, William Osborne Hyett, Alfred Courtney, and Arthur Ackland Perkins, A and B Companies, 1st V.B.E.R., who died serving their Queen, King, and country in South Africa during the Boer war, 1900-1902. This tablet was erected in loving remembrance by the present and past members of their Companies, 1902."

Essex County Chronicle, Friday 26th December 1902

Another detailed addition to the site. Many thanks, Berenice.

Thanks, David. I need to contact Romford Library to find out if there was a local newspaper around 1900, for any additional information on the four casualties.