From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Website.
In Memory of
Gunner JAMES ERNEST JOHN STUBBERFIELD
1697985, 31 Bty., 7 Coast Regt., Royal Artillery
who died age 32
between 02 March 1942 and 03 March 1942
Son of Ernest H. & Sarah Ann Stubberfield, of Bexhill –on –Sea, Sussex.
Remembered with honour
SINGAPORE MEMORIAL
A search on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission's website brought up the name "James Ernest John Stubberfield" without any trouble. It was the only Stubberfield on the database and he was the son of "Ernest H. & Sarah Ann Stubberfield, of Bexhill –on –Sea, Sussex" so he had to be the right Stubberfield.
According to the registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Ernie was born in the last quarter of 1909. His parents were Ernest Huggett Stubberfield and Sarah Ann Mepham. They were married, in the parish of Battle, in 1908, where she had been born in September 1880.
I searched for Ernest's ancestry, to show his connection with Hooe, and what I found has been put onto a separate webpage for those who may be interested – if so, please click on this "Stubberfield" (it's in the form of a PDF file so you will need "Adobe Reader" which is free on –line, if you like to search for it.)
James Ernest John Stubberfield was born in 1909 and seems to have been known, generally, as "Ernie" as that's the name by which he is identified on a list of children, in a photograph of Hooe School, taken in 1916.
To see Ernest in this photograph, please click on the following link "School Photograph – 1916". Ernest is on the front row, fourth from the right at least if the hand–written list is correct.
At the time Ernie was killed, he was a Gunner in the 31 Battery, 7 Coast Regiment of the Royal Artillery, stationed on Singapore to defend the island against any attack from the Japanese, who, by force of arms, were, literally, sweeping throughout the east, in their determination to increase their Empire.
Because there are others, on the memorial tablet who fought in the defence of Singapore, though not in the same branch of the armed forces, I have given a very short and rough account as to what and how it happened, as I understand it.
I can't find much detail on what Ernest was doing that day or how he got killed – perhaps, no one knows and, perhaps, never will because the fall of Singapore happened so, relatively, quickly. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission can only give his date of death as either 2nd or 3rd of March 1942. I hope, however, that the account I have put together from so many sources will give some idea of Ernie's part in the battle and how he may have died. [Please click here.]
After the war, Ernest's name was added to the Bexhill memorial, positioned on the seafront, close to the De la Warr Pavilion.
From correspondence, in the Lewes record Office, it would seem that there were problems in getting the names of Ernest Stubberfield, Raymond Martin, and Jack Burton added to the memorial. The correspondence ends with the matter seeming to have been settled in that the names would not be added but, they were, and there is no record as to how or why the decision was made to add them
To read the full correspondence between the parties, concerning Ernie Stubberfield, Jack Burton, and James Martin (or at least, as much as I found at the Lewes Record Office), please click here."Correspondence"
To read more on the battle for Singapore click here."Battle for Singapore"
