KEFFORD & KIFFORD ROLL OF HONOUR ~ WAR DEATHS  
     
  As my research into the Keffords and Kiffords uncovered at least 3 to whom I am related,    
  including my Grandfather, this is a special page to commemorate the 13 Keffords and 3 Kiffords    
  who fell in the two World Wars. The 3 Kiffords were all related, all arising from a family in the    
  Watford area in the 1830/40s, probably as a variant of Kefford. Many of the Keffords were also related.  
       
  The lists are alphabetical by forename and by conflict and have been compiled from:  
     
    General Register Office Indexes (GRO)  
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)  
    Soldiers Died in the Great War  
    Imperial War Museum  
    1881, 1891 & 1901 Census  
    Family Recollection    
   
  As research is ongoing, the data is by no means complete and contains some guesswork.    
  To any relatives of these men I ask your forbearance over any inaccuracies or omissions and I will gladly  
  correct these upon receipt of further information.    
     
  I would also be grateful for any photos to fill the gaps of the eight whose pictures are still sought.  
  Click on the photo links to see the eight whose pictures have been traced.  
     
  Peter J Kefford    
  3 September 2008      
  Home        
   
  WORLD WAR ONE  
     
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
1 KIFFORD Charles John Frederick Private 12346 2nd Bn Leicestershire (D Coy) 25.09.1915 37
    (John Frederick Charles)   Killed in Action
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial     France & Flanders
Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France   Enlisted Mansfield      
Panel 42 to 44   Photo Home 250 Victoria Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire    
    GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   I 47 84
      Parents Charles Kifford & Sarah Martin Born  
  Married 1866 Poona, India 1878  
    Widow Emily Searridge HALIFAX  
    Married 1907 TAMWORTH    
Other Charles' forenames are transposed on his marriage and CWGC records - also on the 1881 Census.    
Details Mansfield - Those Who Have Died on Active Service - John Frederick Charles Kifford    
       
  Charles Kifford senior was a Sergeant with the 33rd Foot Regiment and was born in Watford in 1839, the son of Thomas Kifford  
Family and Jane Arnold. He saw service in a number of places and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (for Abyssinia, 1868)  
Line  when a Lance Corporal. Charles Kifford' brother Henry Kifford was father to James Kifford (No 5 below). Therefore, Charles John
  Frederick and James were 1st cousins. Also, 1st cousins once-removed from William Edward James Kifford (No 15 below)  
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
2 KEFFORD Charles Joseph Private 37342 Wiltshire t/f to 07.08.1918 19
        29209 8th Bn East Surrey Killed in Action
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial     France & Flanders
Dive Copse British Cemetery, Somme, France Photo Enlisted Birmingham      
III E 6   Sought Home 5 Colville Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham    
    GRO No Entry Found Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   ? ?
  Parents Thomas Kefford & Fanny Winspur Born  
    Married 1895 ASTON 1899  
    Widow   ASTON  
    Married No Marriage Found    
Other Soldiers Died in the Great War has birthplace as Egham, Surrey. Birth entry and 1901 Census have Aston.    
Details CWGC data confirms Thomas and Fanny as his parents. 1901 Census shows him to be a brother to Francis Henry Kefford (No.3
  below).    
     
Family Thomas Kefford appears to have been born in 1871 at Sutton, Bedfordshire,  the son of John Kefford who was born at Potton in  
Line 1824, & Emily Griggs. He was the son of Richard Kefford and  Mary Mead. This makes Charles Joseph a 2nd cousin to  
  Frank Kefford (No 4 below). See also No 16 below.    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
3 KEFFORD Francis  Henry Private 22605 9th Bn Worcestershire 03.11.1917 22
        Died of Disease?
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial     Mesopotamia
Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery Photo Enlisted Birmingham      
Plot 11 Row J Grave 13   Sought Home      
      GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   I 55 325
  Parents Thomas Kefford & Fanny Winspur Born  
    Married 1895 ASTON 1895  
    Widow   ASTON  
    Married No Marriage Found Birmingham  
Other 1901 Census shows him to be a brother to Charles Joseph Kefford (No 3 above).    
Details    
     
     
Family Thomas Kefford appears to have been born in 1871 at Sutton, Bedfordshire,  the son of John Kefford who was born at Potton in  
Line 1824, & Emily Griggs. He was the son of Richard Kefford and  Mary Mead. This makes Francis Henry a 2nd cousin to Frank  
  Kefford (No 4 below). See also No 16 below.    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
4 KEFFORD Frank Private 19499 1st Bn Bedfordshire 31.10.1916 28 ?
        Killed in Action
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial     France & Flanders
Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France   Enlisted Biggleswade    
Panel 41     Photo Home Biggleswade    
      GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   I 65 56
Biggleswade War Memorial   Parents James & Fanny Sarah Stratton Born  
Sutton Church War Memorial, Bedfordshire   Married 1882 BIGGLESWADE 1888  
Sutton Roll of Honour   Widow Gertrude Alice Gouge BIGGLESWADE
    Married 1910 BIGGLESWADE Sutton  
Other    
Details    
     
     
Family James Kefford appears to have been born in 1858 at Sutton, Bedfordshire,  the son of Simeon Kefford who was born at Potton in
Line 1820, the son of Richard Kefford and  Mary Mead. This makes Frank a 2nd cousin to Charles Joseph and Francis Henry Kefford  
  (Nos 2 & 3 above). See also No 16 below.    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
5 KIFFORD James Private 23817 8th Bn Kings Own 12.04.1917 28
        (Royal Lancaster) Died of Wounds
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial     France & Flanders
Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, Pas de Calais Photo Enlisted Bedford      
France   Grave I Q 3 Sought Home Wilstead      
      GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   I 19 164
Wilstead Church War Memorial   Parents Henry Kifford & Mary Sarah Hammond Born  
 St Peter's Church, Bedford   Married 1878 MARYLEBONE 1888  
Wilstead (Wilhampstead) Roll of Honour   Widow   LUTON  
    Married No Marriage Found Kensworth  
Other Soldiers Died in the Great War has birthplace as Hemsworth. The GRO entry is for LUTON district.    
Details Hemsworth should read Kensworth in the adjacent DUNSTABLE district as confirmed by the 1891 Census for Turvey,  
  Bedfordshire, where the family were then living.    
     
Family Henry Kifford was born in 1847 at Watford, the son of Thomas Kifford and Jane Arnold. He was brother to Sgt Charles Kifford,  
Line the father of Charles John Frederick Kifford (No 1 above). Therefore James Kifford and Charles John Frederick Kifford were 1st
  cousins. They were also 1st cousins once-removed from William Edward James Kifford (No 15 below).    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
6 KEFFORD Joseph Leslie Corporal 2913 47th Bn Australian Infantry AIF 06.04.1918 26
           
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Bournemouth East Cemetery, Gloucester Road   Enlisted      
Bournemouth, England Grave No. O. I. 143 Photo Home Mannuem Creek, Kingaroy, Australia    
      GRO NORMAL DEATH INDEX Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index JUN 1918 CHRISTCHURCH 2B 821
Australian War Memorial   Parents Joseph Kefford & Annie Brown McDowall Born  
    Married 11.10.1886 Brisbane Queensland Aus. 20.10.1891  
    Widow   Warwick  
    Married No Marriage Found Queensland Aus.
Other Wounded in action in France and died of wounds in Boscombe Hospital, England. This explains his burial in England.  
Details A PDF file of his particulars (as required for the Australian War Memorial) can be downloaded from the AWM website.  
  By occupation he was a draper.    
     
Family His father, Joseph Kefford (jnr) was born at Bolton, Lancashire in 1860, the son of Joseph Kefford (snr) and Alice Taylor  
Line who married at Liverpool in 1845. Joseph (jnr) emigated to Australia c 1880 and Joseph Leslie was born in 1891.    
  Joseph (snr) died in 1879 at ORMSKIRK aged 62. The 1871 Census shows he was born in Pampisford, Cambs. c1819  
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
7 KEFFORD Leonard Private S/4/218736 R.A.S.C  t/f  to 23.04.1918 30
        25399 14th Bn R.Warwickshire (A Coy) France & Flanders
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Lille Southern Cemetery, France Photo Enlisted Aldershot      
Plot 3  Row C  Grave 17   Sought Home Chequer Bank, Moulton, Northamptonshire    
      GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index (Listed as KEFFORDS) I 51 284
Moulton Parish Church Memorial   Parents George Kefford & Sarah Cole Born  
        Married 1883 NEWPORT PAGNELL 1888  
  Widow Evelyn Louisa Fenton BRIXWORTH
    Married 1914 BRIXWORTH Moulton  
Other    
Details    
     
     
Family George Kefford appears to have been born in 1853 at Baldock, Hertfordshire,  the son of Joseph & Maria Kefford (nee Nunn?).  
Line    
     
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
8 KEFFORD William Private G/12448 7th Bn Royal Sussex  t/f to 23.10.1916 35
        G/40394 2nd Bn Middlesex Killed in Action
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial     France & Flanders
Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France   Enlisted Chichester   (Le Transloy)
Pier 13 Face B   Photo Home 25 Osborne Road, Preston, Brighton, Sussex    
    GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   I 69 359
Old Steine War Memorial, Brighton   Parents John Kefford & Emma Clark Born  
Middlesex Chapel, St Paul's Cathedral (Roll of Honour Book) Married 19.10.1876 Barton le Clay 11.11.1880  
Family Grave, Nunhead Cemetery, Peckham No.35796/53SQ Widow Catherine Elizabeth Humfrey LUTON  
Poem: "In Chalky Fields of Picardie"   Married 11.12.1904 Brighton Barton le Clay
Other Enlisted March 1916. Killed by shellfire 23.10.1916 near Le Transloy, France. No known grave.  
Details Commemorated on the grave of his parents John & Emma and brothers Harry & George (Horace) Kefford in Nunhead Cemetery.
 
     
Family John Kefford was born in 1857at Gravenhurst, the son of William Kefford, born 1832 at Haynes, and Eliza Armstrong. William snr 
Line was the son of John Kefford, born 1810 at Potton, and Mary Cherry. This John was the first son of William Kefford and Sarah  
  Roberts. This makes William Kefford a 3rd cousin to Eric Wilfred and Ivor George Kefford (Nos. 12 & 13 below).    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
9 KEFFORD William  E (Ellis?) Private 24554 3rd Bn Lancaster Fusiliers t/f to 18.08.1919 24 ?
        433878 309th Coy Labour Corps    
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Caudrey British Cemetery, France Photo Enlisted      
Plot 3  Row B  Grave 26   Sought Home      
    GRO Army Deaths 1914-21 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   M3 360
  Parents Henry Ellis Kefford & Martha Jane Coppock Born  
    Married 1884 BURY 1895  
  Widow   BURY  
  Married No Marriage Found Radcliffe  
Other Possibly killed whilst clearing the battlefields after the war.    
Details    
     
     
Family Henry Ellis Kefford was born at Godalming in 1871, the son of Frances Kefford, a widow in 1881 when she and four children were
Line at Radcliffe in Lancashire. It is thought that her husband was William Ellis Kefford and that they married in 1857 at Tunbridge  
  Wells. It is possible that the family came from Sawston, since Frances had another son, William Ellis Kefford at Sawston in 1860.  
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
10 KEFFORD William  John Private CH/1476(S) 2nd Bn RMLI RN Div 02.05.1917 21
        (S Division) (Royal Marines Light Infantry)    
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Douai Communal Cemetery, France Photo Enlisted 21.02.1916; Draft for BEF 21.11.1916; Joined 2nd RM Bn. 08.12.1916
Row H Grave 16   Sought Home 425 Rotherhithe Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16    
    GRO NAVAL DEATHS 1914-1921 Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   RN 2152
  Parents William John Kefford & Sarah Jane Smart Born  
    Married 1895 ST GEO EAST ? 1896  
    Widow   MILE END  
    Married No Marriage Found Wapping  
Other William John was listed as missing on 28.04.1917. He died of wounds as a Prisoner of War in the Kriegs. Gef. Lazarette St. Clotilde
Details at Douai. The Germans held Douai through most of the war and RMLI left the area on 29 April 1917. He was a member of 'D' Company
  14th Platoon on 28.04.1917.    
     
Family Son of Mrs S J Kefford. Parents assumed to be the couple shown above. William John snr died in 1920 and is thought to have  
Line born at St Olave, London in 1870, the son of John and Margaret Kefford.  John was born c 1844 in St George in the East, London.
     
     
    WORLD WAR TWO    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
11 KEFFORD Charles  Phillip Stoker 1 c/k 66397 R.N  HMS Wakeful 29.05.1940 33
           
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, England Photo Enlisted      
Panel 38 Column 2   Sought Home      
        GRO NAVAL RATINGS WAR DEATHS 1939-48 Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   6 2148
  Parents Alfred Edward Kefford & Edith Mary Perrine Born  
    Married 1895 LAMBETH 1907  
  Widow   ST GILES  
    Married No Marriage Found    
Other HMS Wakeful was torpedoed by a German E-Boat S30 on 27.5.1940 whilst evacuating troops from Dunkirk. She was cut  
Details in half and sank in 15 seconds. 740 men died (640 soldiers/100 sailors). Only 40 sailors/10 soldiers were picked up.    
     
  Alfred Kifford was at Westminster in 1881aged 20 with his birthplace given as Stapleford in Cambridgeshire. He & Edith Mary  
Family appear on the 1901 Census as Edward & Edith, living in Islington. Edward's age is 40 and his birthplace Stapleford.  
Line The GRO has an Alfred Edward Kefford born in 1860 at CHESTERTON. As the 1901 census has children born from 1885 onwards,
  he appears to have married twice, first in 1883 to Ellen Nash at ST GEO H SQ and then to Edith Mary in 1895.    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
12 KEFFORD Eric  Wilfred 2nd 232403 Bedfordshire & Herts sec. to 19.07.1944 30
      Lieutenant Kings Own Scottish Borderers    
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Bayeux Memorial, France     Enlisted      
Panel 13 Col 3   Photo Home 62 The Baulk, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire    
      GRO ARMY WAR DEATHS 1939-48 (Officers) Volume Page
Other Biggleswade War Memorial   Index   2 295
Memorials Biggleswade Roll of Honour   Parents Wilfred George Kefford & Ada Catherine Wyatt Born  
  Married 1906 BIGGLESWADE 1915  
    Widow Barbara Betty Scott BIGGLESWADE
    Married 1944 BIGGLESWADE Biggleswade  
Other Brother to Ivor George Kefford (No 13 below).    
Details The tragedy of war for this family was the loss of both sons. The death of both without issue meant that the Kefford name  
  died out on this branch of the family.    
     
Family Wilfred George Kefford was born in 1882 at Tempsford, the son of William Kefford, born 1856 at Tempsford, and Elizabeth Ann  
Line Balk. William was the son of Thomas Kefford, born 1831at Tempsford, and Ann Osborn. Thomas was the fourth son of William  
  Kefford and Sarah Roberts. This makes Eric Wilfred Kefford a 3rd cousin to William Kefford (No 8 above).    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
13 KEFFORD Ivor  George Able c/ssx/31243 R.N ss Ettrick 15.11.1942 21
      Seaman   Also: Ville de Quebec    
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, England   Enlisted      
Panel 54 Column 3   Photo Home      
        GRO NAVAL RATINGS WAR DEATHS 1939-48 Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   6 2148
Biggleswade War Memorial   Parents Wilfred George Kefford & Ada Catherine Wyatt Born  
Biggleswade Roll of Honour   Married 1906 BIGGLESWADE 1921  
    Widow   BIGGLESWADE
    Married No Marriage Found Biggleswade  
Other Brother to Eric Wilfred Kefford (No 12 above). He may have served on HMS Pembroke. CWGC has the SS Ettrick which was a
Details troop carrier. On 15.11.42 she was torpedoed by German U155 whilst part of a convoy in the Gibraltar area and later sank whilst  
  18 naval ratings were killed, whilst the remainder of the crew were rescued. GRO has the (Ville de) Quebec, which was  
  a Canadian corvette. Perhaps the Quebec picked up the survivors, plus Ivor George Kefford's body?    
Family Wilfred George Kefford was born in 1882, the son of William Kefford (born 1856) and Elizabeth Ann Balk. William was the son of
Line Thomas Kefford (born 1831) and Ann Osborn and Thomas was the fourth son of William Kefford and Sarah Roberts. This makes
  Eric Wilfred Kefford a 3rd cousin to William Kefford (No 8 above).    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
14 KEFFORD Leslie William John Driver 45451 Royal Army Service Corps 28.08.1945 40
           
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Hills Cemetery, Horsham, Sussex, England Photo Enlisted      
Block T Grave 256   Sought Home 18 Oakleigh Road, Horsham    
        GRO NORMAL DEATH INDEX Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index SEP 1945 HORSHAM 2B 341
Horsham Carfax War Memorial   Parents John Joseph Kefford & Lillian Mary Walker Born  
  Married 1896 KINGSTON/Thames 1905  
    Widow   KINGSTON  
    Married No Marriage Found Surbiton  
Other Leslie William John died at Roost Hole Pond, Lower Beeding, Sussex. The circumstances of his death are not yet known, but as it 
Details occurred so near to home and after the war had ended, it must have been particularly tragic.    
     
     
Family John Joseph Kefford was born at Hertford in 1867, the son of John Kefford, born in 1829 at Buntingford, and Ann Thake. They  
Line married at Hertford in 1853. John Joseph and Lilian were living at Surbiton in 1901. John Joseph died in 1938 at Horsham. Lillian  
  Mary was living in Hertford in 1945 died there in 1958.    
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
15 KIFFORD William Edward James Warrant 4186777 1st Bn Middlesex 18.12.1941 31
      Officer 1      
Commonweath War Grave or Memorial        
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong   Enlisted      
A R C M Column 13   Photo Home Hastings, Sussex    
      GRO ARMY DEATHS 1939-48 (Other Ranks) Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index   7 144
Middlesex Chapel, St Paul's Cathedral (Roll of Honour Book) ? Parents Edward James Kifford & Marie Charlotte Vignes Born  
Hastings Book of Remembrance   Married 1910 AYLESHAM 1910  
The Die Hards Roll of Honour 1939-45   Widow Lily Barnby   PANCRAS  
  Married 1937 BRIGHTON    
Other    
Details    
  Edward James Kifford was born in 1879, the son of Thomas Kifford and Fanny Neelance Biddis, at Berkhamsted. Thomas Kifford
  was born at Hemel Hempstead in 1841, the son of Thomas Kifford and Jane Arnold. Therefore William Edward James was a 1st
Family cousin once-removed from Charles John Frederick Kifford and James Kifford (Nos 1 & 5 above). Thomas Kifford senior was born
Line c1810 at Abbots Langley, the son of John Kefferd and Sarah Wheeler who married there in 1806. It is thought that John was born
  near Wendy, Cambridgeshire c1774, possibly baptised at Whaddon in 1776, the son of John & Elizabeth Kefford, nee Bond.  
       
    Rank Number Regiment(s) or Ship(s) Died Age
16 KEFFORD William Ernest Private 11414943 North Staffordshire 31.05.1946 25
           
Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial        
Witton Cemetery, Moor Lane, Birmingham, England   Enlisted      
Section 115 Grave 18203   Photo Home South Yardley, Birmingham    
      GRO NORMAL DEATH INDEX Volume Page
Other Memorials     Index JUN 1946 DROITWICH 6C 197
  Parents William Kefford & Alice Madeleine Lawton Born  
    Married 1916 ASTON 1921  
    Widow Violet Ruby Wilson ASTON  
    Married 1943 BIRMINGHAM    
Other    
Details    
     
     
Family William Kefford (snr) was born at Birmingham (Aston) c 1893, the son of George Kefford and Annette Jenkins.    
Line George was born c1862 - probably at Sutton, Bedfordshire, the son of John Kefford, born 1824 at Potton, & Emily Griggs.   
  John was the son of Richard Kefford and Mary Mead. Therefore William Ernest is a cousin to Nos 2, 3, & 4 above.  
       
Top            
    ~ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE ~    
Home