Lt Colonel J F Radcliffe DSO
Jasper Fitzgerald Radcliffe was born in 1867, the son of W C Radcliffe at Warleigh.
He was educated at Cheltenham and joined the 1st Devonshire Regiment in 1888 being promoted to Captain in 1898 and Major in 1907.
He served with distinction in the South African campaign where he was mentioned in despatches twice and was awarded the DSO and the Queens Medal with clasp.
He was awarded the DSO following action at Colenso village which he led a small party to capture. One of his men was injured and he braved intense fire in an attempt to rescue the man and suffered a fractured thigh in the process.
He married Emily Maude Chatterton-Orpen of Exleigh in 1893.
On 23 November 1915 he was promoted to Lt Colonel and took over command of the 10th Essex.
On the night of the 31st January 1916 during an attack and barrage by the Germans on the line held by the 10th Essex, Lt Colonel Radcliffe went into the telephonists dugout to access the communications when the dugout received a direct hit causing a beam to collapse which hit Lt Col Radcliffe on the head and killed him instantly.
