Kemerton
War Memorial
Ordnance Survey reference: SO 957374
KemertonWar MemorialOrdnance Survey reference: SO 957374 | Contents |
This is a cross set on an octagonal base. A circular rim at the top of the base reads:
1914 + 1919 Greater love hath no man than this
However, a dedication inscription, runs at the top of three faces:
In Proud and Grateful memory of those who gave their lives in the War of 1939-45
From the names of regiments (ie. Parachute corps), and the evidence of a L.C. Archer's grave in the Kemerton churchyard, these three faces list World War II casualties:
Commander T.C.M. Bellairs
Royal Navy
Petty Officer C. Carter
Royal Navy
Captain J.S. Atkinson
Indian Armoured Corps
Lt. R.N. Atkinson
7 Btn Parachute Regt.
Lt L. Atkinson M.C.
South Wales Borderers
Private L. Archer
Worcs. Home Guard
Sergt, A.J.B. Gerard-Smith
12 Btn. Parachute Regt.
The remaining names on the other 5 faces are listed in a slightly
different style, and the inscriptions also look somewhat more weather eroded.
With the backup evidence from the Roll of honour listing, it is evident that these are World War I casualties.
These are the names on the remaining five faces:
Lt. E.T. Stringer R.N.
HMS Redpole
Stoker I.O. Spiers
HMS Hampshire
Lt. G.R. Holland-Martin
16th Lancers
Spr. C.R. Smith
R.E.
Sergt. W Russell
G. Gds.
Lt. J.A. Pinney
R. Fus. Attd. 38th C.I.H.
Pte. O.W. Devereux
L. Cpl. W.P. Mansell
Pte. T.J. Smith
Glouc. Regt.
Pte R.F. Peach
Pte C.A. Pugh
Pte T. Spiers
Pte J. Wiggins
Worc. R.
Sergt. E.N. Hindmarsh
Oxf. & Bucks L.I.
Pte F. Cook
Manch. R.
Lt. Col. H. W. Festing DSO
Durh. L.I.
Corp. A.C. Brush
Lt. H.C. Hopton
E Afr T.C.
Sergt C. Farrer
A.M.R. (N.Z.)
Spr. T.C. Farrer
N.Z.E.
Since this transcription was made in the summer of 1998, the memorial has been renovated. The text is now much clearer and more readable, the letters having been picked out with paint. This was probably done, like many other memorials, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great War.
There are two framed Rolls of Honour in the church. The names of those who died are underlined in red, and a small cross placed next to the name. I have marked such names with a '+'. The first:
ROLL OF HONOUR KEMERTON PARISH 1914-1916 Patrick Moore Staffordshire Yeomanry Thomas Payne Royal Field Artillery Ernest Hillman Royal Garrison Artillery William Wood Royal Field Artillery Frederick Randall 20th Hussars Henry Morris Gloucestershire Regiment Albert Figgett Military Foot Police Ernest Figgett Gloucestershire Regiment Frank Cross Queen Victoria Rifles + William Mansell Gloucestershire regiment Isaac Spiers HMS Leviathan + Oliver Spiers HMS Southampton & Hampshire Norman Devereux Royal Army Medical Corps Maud Hopton Nursing Staff Expeditionary Force Martin Devereux Gloucestershire Regiment Steadman Devereux Gloucestershire Regiment William Devereux Gloucestershire Regiment Francis L Festing 5th Fusiliers Harold E Festing Border Regiment Vincent Smith Royal Naval Reserve Albert Morris Worcestershire Regiment Jesse Morris Gloucestershire Regiment Alfred Morris Worcestershire Regiment Kenneth P Smith Berkshire Regiment Frank Bown Gloucestershire Regiment George Bartlett Gloucestershire Regiment Clifford Cotton Gloucestershire Regiment Henry Jones Gloucestershire Regiment William Jones Gloucestershire Regiment Frank Smith Gloucestershire Regiment Thomas William Smith Gloucestershire Regiment Henry Cooke Gloucestershire Regiment Joseph Marsh Gloucestershire Regiment Jim Colley Cheshire Regiment Arthur Colley Cheshire Regiment Fred Dudfield West Somerset Light Infantry Oliver Dudfield Worcestershire Yeomanry William Parker Worcestershire Yeomanry Albert Turner Worcestershire Yeomanry William Cranton Worcestershire Yeomanry Maurice C Festing Royal Marine Light Infantry Albert Taylor Worcestershire Yeomanry + Thomas Farrer New Zealand Engineers Clifford Stanley Worcestershire Regiment + Charles Pugh Worcestershire Regiment George Mansell Gloucestershire Yeomanry Roland Farrer Auckland Mounted Rifles Reginald Tombs Worcestershire Yeomanry + Ralph Peach Worcestershire Yeomanry + Albert Clarke Worcestershire Yeomanry Albert Haines Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Albert Randall Worcestershire Regiment Herbert Taylor Gloucestershire Regiment + Edric Hindmarsh Oxfordshire Light Infantry Arthur James Smith Army Service Corps Thomas Wilfrid Smith Gloucestershire K.F.A. Carmi Walker Royal Horse Artillery Charlie Morris Worcestershire Yeomanry Charles Clarke Army Service Corps Harold Clarke Army Service Corps Herbert Hipkins Australian Contingent + William Russell Grenadier Guards Robert Smith 11th Hussars + Hubert W Festing Durham Light Infantry Harry Taylor 1st Royal Dragoons Joseph Gannaway Worcestershire Regiment Cecil Cross Army Service Corps Thomas Cranton Royal Garrison Artillery ROLL OF HONOUR KEMERTON PARISH 1916 - William J Morris Army Service Corps Thomas Spiers Worcestershire Regiment Harry W Colley Royal West Surrey regiment Frederick Dudfield West Somerset Light Infantry Reginald Dudfield Worcestershire Regiment Vincent Smith Royal Naval Division Alec Hipkins Royal Flying Corps Leonard Holyoak Royal Army Medical Corps Thomas Daffurn Canadian Exped. Force Walter Daffurn Gloucestershire regiment Victor Daffurn Rifle Brigade G Herbert Mumford Suffolk & Essex R.G.A. Charles Brush Dorsetshire Regiment Ernest Cross London Regiment Arthur Walker Army Service Corps Norbert Smith Gloucestershire Regiment William Gisborne Warwickshire Regiment Charles Holyoak Royal Field Artillery Alfred Holyoak Royal Field Artillery Arthur Stanley Royal Engineers Richard Portman Gloucestershire Regiment William Edwards Worcestershire Regiment Thomas Harris Worcestershire Regiment + Arthur Brush Royal Fusiliers Charles E Attwood Gloucestershire regiment Grove Smith Royal Flying Corps Raymond Smith Royal Engineers Alfred Wood Gloucestershire Yeomanry + Geoffrey Holland-Martin 16th Lancers James Burke Hampshire Regiment Cecil Spiers Berkshire Yeomanry Ernest Brush Royal Air Force Jack Daffurn Gloucestershire Regiment Alfred Wallace Royal Marine Light Infantry Frederick P Attwood Gloucestershire regiment Henry Knight Royal Garrison Artillery Austin Hall Army Veterinary Corps Walter A Smith Devonshire regiment Charles H Bridges Gloucestershire Regiment Frederick C Smith Royal Engineers Arthur Clarke Army Service Corps Thomas Clarke Warwickshire Regiment George Pugh Gloucestershire Yeomanry Philip Long Army Service Corps & RFC Albert Brush Devonshire Regiment Arthur Bown Army Service Corps Leonard Green Royal Engineers Denis Barnes Warwickshire Regiment John Parker Gloucestershire Regiment Edward Holland-Martin O.T.C.
A plaque in the church:
To the Glory of God
and in ever loving memory of
John Charles William Adderley Pinney
Lieut. 38th K.G.O. Central India Horse,
late 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers,
Born 31st March 1896 - who fell 1st December 1917
in the Battle of Cambrai while leading his
Squadron in a dismounted attack on the
Kildare trench, south east of Villers Guislain
An observer with the Royal Flying Corps in France
from 12th November 1914 to June 1915
"and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts
in that day when I make up my jewels"
Mal. III 17
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IN LOVING MEMORY OF MARY JANE HOPTON, WIDOW OF CHARLES EDWARD HOPTON, CAPT. 23RD. ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS, DIED JANUARY 25TH 1914 ALSO OF GWENDOLINE MARGARET, THEIR DAUGHTER DIED JULY 14TH 1913 R. I. P. |
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"THINE FOR EVER GOD OF LOVE" IN EVER LOVING MEMORY OF MY DARLING HUSBAND FREDERICK THURSTON STRINGER, ROYAL NAVY BORN AUGUST 2ND 1890 DIED AT PLYMOUTH MARCH 26TH 1919. "UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY" |
The next grave is a small, simple wooden cross: this looks like a battlefield cross, with four grey metal strips nailed to the horizontal member: lettering in black, apparently engraved by hand then filled with paint. (I.W.G.C. = International War Graves Commission?):
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6. 10. 18 54044 PTE. A.C. SMITH 2/SOUTH STAFFS. REGT I. W. G. C. |
A CWGC grave:
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PRIVATE L.C. ARCHER 4TH WORCESTERSHIRE BN. HOME GUARD 24TH JANUARY 1943 AGE 42 I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE ST JOHN XI 25 |
GENUKI's Kemerton Page
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