AS TOWNS and villages mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, in Horley, people have been paying tribute to one particular Great War soldier.
On July 21, 1916, Henry Webber, Horley's oldest soldier, was killed on active service during the Battle of the Somme.
David Hall, of Horley Local History Society, has been delving into the past to paint a detailed picture of Mr Webber's life. His enquiries have stretched far and wide – even to New Zealand where a distant relative lives.
He has put together a one-off booklet telling the fascinating story of this larger-than-life character whose campaign to allow older men to fight for their country overcame some of the objections from the War Office.
The Surrey Mirror in July 1916 carried a moving obituary of Lieutenant Webber, headed "A Horley Hero at 68".
Mr Webber moved with his new wife, Emily to "Greenfields", Meath Green Lane, in 1875. For two years, from 1891, they resided at Duxhurst, near Sidlow, before moving to a 25-room house, "Elm Cottage" where they lived until 1915. The house, in Horley Row later became Kingsley School and has now been demolished. It was there that Henry and Emily raised a family of four boys and five girls. They were assisted by a large domestic and estate staff.
The Surrey Mirror obituary article is partly reproduced here:
HORLEY has rarely been so deeply stirred as it was during the last weekend when it became known that Lt Henry Webber, South Lancashire Regiment, had been killed on the front.
Profound sorrow was expressed on all sides that the gallant officer, who had set such a magnificent example in patriotism and devotion to duty, should have been called upon to pay the supreme penalty. Mr Henry Webber had been for so many years prominently connected with the public life of Horley that his loss was felt to be a personal one by all sections of the community.
There was hardly any phase of the public life of the district in which Mr Webber may not be said to have taken a leading part.
Few men were endowed with such wonderful business instincts, ready grasp of facts, and the ability to arrive at a prompt decision. He was always a strong man. He was ever at great pains to assure himself that the cause he championed or the policy he advocated was right, and then he went "all out" in its support. He was the finest chairman of a public meeting that Horley has ever known.
Not only was he a strong man, endowed with qualities that made him a doughty opponent in debate, but his power of assimilating knowledge and giving forcible expression to his views was of no mean order. It is difficult to realise that that virile figure and strong personality is no more.
To the end he was young in everything but years, and he has left a noble example of which his relatives and Horley may well be proud, crowning a full and active life by making the supreme sacrifice on behalf of the country he loved so well.
To everything in life he applied the motto "Thorough". Anything worth doing was worth doing well, and he invariably put his best to the task in hand. As county councillor, churchwarden, chairman of the Horley District Gas Company, and in the field of sport he left the impress of his personality, and his good works live after him.
Since the outbreak of the war, he literally rose to the great occasion. In nothing in his life was his dominating personality more supreme. He at once realised the magnitude of the task in hand, and laboured under no misconception as to the gigantic nature of the effort that would be required.
In the month that the war was declared he presided over a public meeting at Horley. It was convened at the request of the Surrey County Committee for the prevention and relief of distress during the war.
His declaration was a striking one. Having dealt with the proposal to form a local committee, which has since done good work, he spoke what was uppermost in his mind. He said "Of course, the primary object for the moment is to bring home to the minds of the people the urgent necessity for recruiting." A stirring indication of the action of England in taking her part in the war followed.
"We are fighting," he said "for the right against might, and because England declined the offer of the Kaiser to tear up a little piece of paper to which she had attached her plighted word."
He referred to a letter in the Times written by "Veteran", a man on the wrong side of 60, who believed that though the War Office had fixed a certain limit of age, beyond they would take no recruits, he felt convinced there was a large body of men in England who had been accustomed to ride and shoot all their lives, who although considerably beyond that age limit, would be only too willing to go form a corps. Following the publication of that letter, the writer had within 24 hours received sufficient response to form a regiment. Very few of those who responded were under 55. The War Office had replied: "Not yet, we will bear you in mind, but we expect that the younger generation will first come forward."
Mr Webber said "The young men of Horley have this opportunity today. The time is fleeting, and your opportunity may be lost for ever, but you must remember this: if you lose your opportunity today, as sure as I am speaking to you, the age limit will be raised, and thousands of men of mature age will only be too willing to come forward on the lines suggested by 'Veteran', to which regiment I have applied to belong."
Mr Webber was not content with the mere expression of his views. He laboured hard to translate them into action. In the words of a correspondent to The Times, "From the beginning of the war he set himself to try to get a commission, in spite of his 66 years. For a long time he plagued the War Office ineffectually, but at last he won his way and was gazetted to the South Lancashire Regiment. And now this junior Ltenant has died nobly on the battlefield'.
It was in May that he was appointed to the Horse Transport, and he went to France at the end of that month. His letters from the front were always cheery, optimistic and characteristic of the man. They revealed in every line his big heart and devotion to his country. Lt Webber has left an inspiration and an imperishable example that may well soften the blow to those who mourn him most. He has met a hero's death, and has won a hero's crown.
Lt Webber was wounded at about six o'clock, as far as can be ascertained, whilst talking to his Commanding Officer, and he passed away two hours later. He received every possible attention, and was buried in a military cemetery near to where he fell.
Mr Webber, JP, was born in 1849. He was the youngest son of the late Dr William Webber, of Norwich and Tunbridge Wells, and was educated at Tonbridge School, under Dr Welldon and at Pembroke College, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1870.
In 1874 he married the eldest daughter of the late Mr Norman Morris, of Ford Manor, Lingfield. He was a member of the firm of H. Webber and Co, and joined the Stock Exchange in 1872. When he entered the Stock Exchange he became a member of his father-in-law's firm, Norman Morris and Co. He had always been one of its best known and most respected members. Nothing has so stirred the feelings of the Stock Exchange since the outbreak of the war as the announcement of the death of Mr Webber, and upon the receipt of the news a spontaneous desire was expressed to perpetrate his memory, in the form most favoured being the endowment of a bed at the Star and Garter Home for Helpless Soldiers.
Mr Webber's connection with Horley was a long and honourable one It was generally regarded as a richly-merited distinction when his name was placed on the Commission of the Peace of the County.
He was an original member of the Surrey County Council, having been returned unopposed for the Horley Electoral Division on January 15th, 1889 when the administrative body for the county was brought into being.
"The circumstances attending his election demonstrated the measure of confidence he enjoyed. The electoral division comprises the parishes of Burstow, Charlwood, Horley and Nutfield, and it was at one time thought there would be a contest, as the late Mr James Hudson, of Capenor, Nutfield, (who was then on the roll for the appointment of High Sheriff of the County of Surrey in 1890), was freely spoken of as a probable candidate for the seat on the newly constituted body. Both gentlemen had strong claims by virtue of their business qualifications and matured experience. It clearly, however, became apparent that Mr Webber had the larger following, and Mr Hudson withdrew from the contest.
Mr Webber was an active member of St Bartholomew's Church, Horley.
He was churchwarden during the illness of the late Reverend E.G. Peckover, and for nearly two years, in conjunction with his colleague, the late Mr G.W. Butler, was responsible for carrying on the services at the parish church, no small task in addition to the ordinary duties of the office. He continued to act as a sidesman until his removal to Bexhill, Sussex, last year [1915].
Researcher Mr Hall said: "I am indebted to many people who have made my task of writing this account of one of Horley's most remarkable residents so much easier. Two of these stand out in particular, Paul Bellinger and Henry Reid. They are two of Henry Webber's great grandsons unknown to each other until recently.
"Paul Bellinger almost overwhelmed me with information when we met at Horley Library; better still when he introduced me to his previously unknown cousin, Henry Reid.
"It is to Henry Reid, in Australia, that I owe my greatest thanks for the information that he has made available to me. In particular his contribution, in the shape of a four page time-line covering nearly all the high and low points in Henry Webber's life. My own, quite detailed, time-line only extended to one and a half pages.
"Thank you, Linda Webber, a distant relation of Henry Webber who emigrated to New Zealand, for information about Henry Webber's family."
Mr Webber also took a prominent part in the establishment of the Cottage Hospital, and its administration during the many years he was carried out the duties of treasurer.
The Boy Scout movement had no warmer friend, said contemporary reports.
"He was ever ready to instil the lesson of duty as one of vital importance," wrote the Surrey Mirror.
Mr Webber was also first chairman of the Horley Parish Council. He was a member of the committee for the erection of a Church Room, and was keen on the provision of a boiler to ensure the establishment of a soup kitchen for the poor.
A keen sportsman, Mr Webber's love of outdoor pursuits was well known. He was a good man to hounds, a good shot, and a keen cricketer. He was in both his school and college elevens, and had the distinction of making 200 runs for Horley in an innings when he was over 55 years of age.
The Surrey Mirror continued, "He was for many years a member of the Surrey Stag Hunt, and retained a wonderful virility to the end.
"Mr Webber was the first chairman of Gatwick Golf Club.
"His daughter, Mrs Betbedder, said of her father, 'He was tremendously keen to go out – so much that he walked from London to Dorking, and from Dorking to Horley in his determination to see the Lord Ltenant and obtain his commission.'
"She added: 'My father had hunted all his life, particularly with the Surrey Stag Hounds, and no exercise, even at his advanced age, was too much for him.'"
When he received his commission, Mr Webber had three sons serving in the Army– all of senior rank to himself. They were Colonel N. W. Webber, R.E., D.S.O. (aged 36), Canadian Staff, mentioned in despatches five times; Major Morris Webber, R.F.A., wounded at the front but returned; and Captain H. H. Webber, R.G.A.
On July 21, 1916, in the Battle of the Somme, at about 7.10pm an eight-inch shell burst about 15 yards from where Ltenant Webber and his group were seated. This wounded Mr Webber, Ltenant Wollfenden and eight men and killed two men and three horses.
Mr Webber was transferred to a field dressing station but died that evening shortly afterwards. He was buried in the Dartmoor Cemetery at Becordel-Becourt about 6km from Mametz Wood.
Though he was listed as 68 when he died, Horley History Society has subsequently proven Mr Webber was, in fact, 67.
