Name
Patrick Chillingworth Stearns
17 March 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/12/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
King's Royal Rifle Corps
5th Bn., attached 7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
OXFORD ROAD CEMETERY
V. E. 3.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Bengeo School Memorial – Location TBC, Haileybury College Cloister Wall Memorial, Hertford Heath, Haileybury College Chapel Roll of Honour, Hertford Heath, Rolvenden, Kent War Memorial, Roll of Honour in St Mary the Virgin Church - Rolvenden
Pre War
Patrick Chillingworth Stearns was born on 17th March 1896 in Egham, Surrey, and baptised on 2nd May 1896 in Twickenham, Middx. His parents were William Alfred and Alice Catherine (nee Drabble ) and he had two brothers,Hugh David and Alfred Dunstan along with two sisters Catherine Eva and Mary Alice.
In 1901 Patrick was living with his parents and brothers and his father was listed as an Underwriter. He was educated at Haileybury College from 1910 to 1913. In February 1914 he was given a month’s trial with London and North West Railway. He later joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps as Lance Corporal 8121.
Wartime Service
Patrick obtained a commission in the 5th Battalion, KRRC, a training unit, which remained in Britain.
He went to France in Jan 1917 when he was attached to the 7th Battalion which had arrived in France in May 1915 and then took part in the battle for Hooge, being part of the first Division to be attacked by flamethrowers.
In 1916 at the Somme they took part in the battle for Delville Wood and Flers-Courcelette.
By December 1917 they were in trenches at Vlamertinge about 5 miles west of Ypres, and on 4th December Patrick was killed while leading a working party, although the CWGC states he was killed on 4th the unit war diary says he was killed on 2nd December. He is buried in Oxford Road Cemetery, a few miles north east of Ypres.
Additional Information
His father, Mr Wm A Stearns, Pachesham Lodge, Leatherhead, Surrey. ordered his headstone inscription: "THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE". Probate record show that he was from Cornhill, Rolvenden, Kent and he left £324.17s.6d to his father. His medals were also sent to his father at Links End, Camber, Rye, Sussex. Alfred Stearns joined RAF May 1918 and began Training as a flight Cadet and was demobilised 16 Jan 1919.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Malcolm Lennox, Karen Smith - Acting Director of External Relations www.haileybury.com/honour, Ann Hacke, Terry & Glenis Collins
