Gloucestershire – Blogging while allatsea

Former St Peter’s Cheltenham War Memorial

On: 03/07/201817/07/2018 By: JA

I first spotted the church from the 41 bus going to Cheltenham and was always tempted to climb out and take a closer look. The building just has the impressive look about it. However, do not be deceived because it is no longer a church, and it has not been since after 2008. The building is situated on the south side of the Tewkesbury Road (Google Earth co-ordinates: 51° 54.525’N, 2° 5.445’W) . It is now sign boarded as being a part of “The Rock Youth Charity“. I took my first images of the church and War Memorial in June 2016.

The memorial can just be seen amongst the trees on the left of the photograph above. It was in a very poor condition and the names were almost illegible.

I went past there once more in October 2017 and there was light at the end of the tunnel as an official notice advised that the memorial was to be refurbished. In December 2017 work was underway and I made a mental note to get around there in the new year. That only happened at the end of May 2018 by which time the restoration was complete, the inscriptions and name panels were once again legible and the memorial was looking infinitely better than when I had last seen it.

More importantly it was now possible to read the names on it.

And, the inscription.

The memorial is referenced on the War Memorials Register of the Imperial War Museum.

Alas, our English weather tends to do it’s deed in all seasons and parts of it were already taking on a green hew, but the main thing is that hopefully it will once again become a focus for commemoration and no longer a stone object hidden amongst the trees.

Gloucester Post Office War Memorial

On: 15/01/201817/01/2018 By: JA

On Friday 12/01/2018 I went through to Gloucester to do some business at the post office, and as I was leaving I spotted a war memorial inside the post office. Fortunately I had my camera with and got permission to photograph it. The two plaques are mounted quite high up on the wall and the corner is cramped so these pics are the best I can do.

First World War.

The inscription reads:

Pro patria. This tablet is erected by the Postmaster and staff of Gloucester and district in memory of the undermentioned colleagues who fell in the Great War 1914-1919.

The names on the Memorial (World War 1) are:

Booker. C.Wm.H.	Hanman. P.J.
Capon. G.G. (*)	Hawkins. C
Clark. C.E.	Hughes. D.A. (*)
Clissold. E.V.	Johnson. T. (!)
Constance. A.E. (?)	Jones. E.G. (!)
Daniell. A.	Knight. Wm.C. (*)
Dovey. G.H. (*)	Nash. Wm.F. (*)
Durrett. T.	Parry.H. (*)
Evans. A.H. (!)	Phillips. G.(!)
Gleed. Wm.A.	Rodman. F.
Gill. G. (*)	Stephens. E.L.
Turner. Wm.H. (*)

An (*) indicates that may be the CWGC details for that person. (?) indicates that no casualty with that name was found. (!) Too many possibles and not enough information. Wm = William, Name list obtained from http://www.royalmailmemorials.com/memorial/gloucester-and-district-war-memorial

Second World War.

The inscription reads:

Pro patria. This tablet is erected by the Head Postmaster and staff of Gloucester and district in the memory of the undermentioned colleagues who fell in the World War 1939-1945

Beachus. F.J	Harman. V.A.(!)
Cook. E.J.(*)	Hewitt. F.N (*).
Cook. R.J.(!)	James. I.T.(!)
Duberley. G.H.	Jones. G.E.A.(*)
Edwards. N.D.	Nicholls. G.D (*).
Flower. C.J.	Payne. A.L. (*)
Preece. W.A.

Underneath the above plaque is a notice stating that The war memorial was maintained by Royal Mail and may not be removed without permission. That is the first time I have seen such a notification on any war memorial, so hopefully it will not end up the way so many others have.

Interestingly enough, Geoffrey Howard Duberley is buried in West Park Cemetery in Johannesburg and I photographed his grave in 2007.

There is a similar memorial at the Royal Mail Depot in Tewkesbury.

Birt W.F (*)

Garratt C.E (?)

Peach R.F. (?)

Rowley H.G

Ashchurch War Memorial (Tewkesbury)

On: 26/12/201729/12/2019 By: JA

When I moved to Tewkesbury in 2015 it was inevitable that my camera lens would be on the lookout for churches, cemeteries and war memorials. The Parish Church of St Nicholas in the village of Ashchurch being the one church closest to where I was living at the time. I made two visits to the church and once I had done those I put it out of my mind and concentrated on other things. However, I was unaware that there was a war memorial associated with Ashchurch and this past week I realised that I had missed out.

The War Memorial may be found on Google Earth at 51.997611°, -2.105686°. and it is not too difficult to find it, you literally follow the cycle path until you find St Nicholas church, then cross the road and there you are.

The war memorial may be described as a “Cross with ‘roof’ ends on top and each arm, set on capital on top of square tapered column on three step base”. (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20772)

Remembrance Day was almost 2 months ago and there are still wreaths at the memorial. The main inscription reads:

There are three panels with names from both World Wars, 24 from the First World War and two from the 2nd. It will be interesting to see how many of them are buried in the graveyard of St Nicholas Church just over the road. I do know that there is a memorial to Major Bertram Cartland in the grounds of Tewkesbury Abbey.

Alternatively the names on the memorial may be seen at http://www.glosgen.co.uk/warmem/ashchurchwm.htm. I created a community at Lives of the First World War specifically for this memorial.

Prestbury War Memorial

On: 04/11/201712/01/2018 By: JA

The War Memorial in the village of Prestbury, Gloucestershire may be found at Google Earth co-ordinates 51.913794°, -2.042938°.

The memorial has plaques commemorating men from the village that served in both World Wars. There are a total of 41 names on the memorial and these are available at Remembering.org

The Parish Church of St Mary’s in close to the memorial and there are 5 casualties buried in the churchyard with one private memorial. The church has it’s own war memorial inside it.

The church and memorial are roughly 1 kilometre away from Prestbury Cemetery, that has the Gloucesters Memorial in it, as well as burials from both World Wars.

War Memorials in Stroud

On: 01/10/201712/01/2018 By: JA

My visit to Stroud in September 2017 was somewhat of a disaster, although a number of goals were achieved. One of those goals was to photograph any war memorials that I would see on my way. Unfortunately the Stroud War Memorial was in an area which was far removed from where I ended up but one day I may return. As far as I can see it is situated at 51.747915°, -2.214784°.

The major war memorial that I saw was in St Laurence Church in Stroud, and the World War 1 section was remarkably legible.

Flanking this central Roll of Honour are the names for the Second World War. A Book of Remembrance is kept in a glass case near the memorial.

There are more images of the church in the blogpost that I did about my trip to Stroud

My next memorial I found in The Holy Trinity Church which I passed on my way to the cemetery. The memorial looks like it was made from alabaster and it had a screen blocking off the best view. The two windows on either side of it confused my camera too.

A shot from the side did leave me with a more legible Roll of Honour so all is not lost.

That was my collection from Stroud. I will have to return one day to get the war memorial and revisit Painswick. Just not this year.

©DRW 2017-2018. Created 01/10/2017

War Memorials in Painswick

On: 30/09/201712/01/2018 By: JA

While attempting to visit Stroud last weekend I ended up in Painswick in Gloucestershire instead, and while I was there I photographed two War Memorials.

The first was outside the parish church of Saint Mary in Painswick.

The memorial is surrounded by Yew trees, and I believe that there are 99 of them in this churchyard! unfortunately the weather was grey and gloomy and I did not take as many images as I would have liked. It was designed by Arts and Craft architect Frederick Landseer Maur Griggs and was erected in 1921 and commemorates the men from Painswick who lost their lives in the two world wars.

The weathering of the stone has made the memorial hard to read, so it may be easier to have a look at the memorial inside the church.

What makes this memorial interesting is that it not only commemorates those who lost their lives in the two wars, but also those who served in it. The gold engraved names are of the former. I have darkened portions of the image to enhance legibility,

It is a nice touch to know that all of those who served are on the ROH, and it is one of the few occasions that I have seen it done. Unfortunately though there were chairs in front of the memorial so I was unable to get all of the plaques. I was also pressed for time so could not be picky about my pics. The one thing I do know is that the village lost a lot of men in the wars, and I expect this church was the centre of the many memorial services that would have been be as a result of the wartime deaths.

Sir Percival Scrope Marling VC CB DL

On: 26/02/201711/01/2018 By: JA

Percival Scrope Marling (06/03/1861 – 29/05/1936) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Battle of Tamai in the Sudan in 1884.

The Citation reads:

“For his conspicuous bravery at the Battle of Tamai, on 13th March last, in risking his life to save that of Private Morley, Royal Sussex Regiment, who, having been shot, was lifted and placed in front of Lieutenant Marling on his horse. He fell off almost immediately, when Lieutenant Marling dismounted, and gave up his horse for the purpose of carrying off Private Morley, the enemy pressing close on to them until they succeeded in carrying him about 80 yards to a place of comparative safety.”

He is buried in All Saints Church, Shelsey, Gloucestershire.

James Power Carne VC, DSO

On: 26/02/201705/01/2020 By: JA

James Power Carne (11/04/1906 – 19/04/1986) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions with the Gloucestershire Regiment during the Korean War in 1951.

The Citation reads:

“On 22/23 April 1951 near the Imjin River, Korea, Lieutenant Colonel Carne’s battalion was heavily and incessantly engaged by vastly superior numbers of the enemy. Throughout this time Colonel Carne moved among the whole battalion under very heavy mortar and machine-gun fire, inspiring the utmost confidence and the will to resist among his troops. On two separate occasions, armed with rifle and grenades, he personally led assault parties which drove back the enemy and saved important situations. His courage, coolness and leadership was felt not only in his own battalion but throughout the whole brigade.”

(Image in the Gloucestershire Regimental Museum)

(Medals in the Gloucestershire Regimental Museum)

He was cremated at Cheltenham Crematorium and his ashes were interred in Cranham Churchyard Gloucestershire.

Francis George Miles VC

On: 26/02/201705/01/2020 By: JA

Francis George Miles (09/07/1896 – 08/11/1961), was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the First World War at Bois-l’Évêque, Landrecies, France.

The Citation reads:

“On 23 October 1918 at Bois-l’Évêque, Landrecies, France, when his company was held up by a line of enemy machine-guns in a sunken road, Private Miles, alone and on his own initiative went forward under exceptionally heavy fire, located a machine-gun, shot the gunner and put the gun out of action. Then seeing another gun nearby, he again went forward alone, shot the gunner and captured the team of eight. Finally he stood up and beckoned to his company who, acting on his signals, were able to capture 16 machine-guns, one officer and 50 other ranks.”

He is buried in St Peter’s Churchyard, Clearwell, Gloucestershire.

Winchcombe War Memorial

On: 29/05/201610/01/2018 By: JA

The War Memorial in Winchcombe may be found on Abbey Terrace, it commemorates those from the parishes of Winchcombe and Sudeley that lost their lives during the Two World Wars.

Nearby Winchcombe Cemetery contains 12 CWGC graves.