Ralph Drake-Brockman was the son of Alfred and Catherine Drake-Brockman and born on the 17th March, 1888 at 78 Cheriton Road, Folkestone. The Brockman family lived at Chalksole from 1913 – 1919. Between 1902 – 1906 Ralph attended Dover College and was a Prefect, Head of House and Captain of the Running Team. The 1911 Census shows that Ralph was single and a 23 year old Law Student. By 1913, Ralph was working as a solicitor in Folkestone. Ralph, serving as Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, was awarded the Military Cross on 18th June 1917. He was ‘killed in action’, aged 29, at Messines, Belgium on Saturday, September 29th 1917 when a shell exploded as he, his brother and their Colonel were reconnoitring for an observation post. Ralph is buried at Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Belgium.

 

Mark Robson