War Memorials of Hinxworth in Hertfordshire

Hinxworth is a village Hertfordshire. It sits just off the Great North Road between Baldock and Biggleswade. The name of the village has variously been recorded as Haingesteworde, Hainsteworde, Hamsteworde (in the 11th century); Hingslewurd (12th century); Hengsteworth, Hyngstrigge, Heynceworth (13th century); Hangteworth, Hynxworth (14th century); Hyggextworth, Hyngxtworth (15th century); and Henxworth (16th century). The author Monica Dickens lived in a cottage in the village for four years from 1947 to 1951. Here she wrote her novels Flowers on the Grass (1949) and My Turn to Make the Tea (1951), the latter based on her experiences as a reporter working on the Herts Express in Hitchin. While there she was the Treasurer of the annual Ashwell Horse Show and President of the Hinxworth Cricket Club, having bought maroon blazers for all the team, the umpire and the Club Secretary. The church and former rectory stand on the southeast of the angle formed by the road to Ashwell and that leading southwest to the Roman road, and the village lies a little to the northwest of the church [1].

St Nicholas, Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

The church has memorials which are personal to individual soldiers both a plaque and a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

Memorial Plaque to A J Barton, St. Nicholas Church,
Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

In memory of

A. J. Barton

3rd Batt. Grenadier guards

*

Killed in action 28th May 1940

CWGC Headstone for private E D Street, St Nicholas Churchyard,
Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

M2/019262 Private

E. D. Street

Royal Army Service Corps

4th August 1919

Whilst there are memorials in the church the main memorial at Hinxworth is a clock tower memorial which stands at the side of the High Street close to the village green and Market Square, and takes the form of a clock tower with two dials and three tablets inserted. The clock was bequeathed to the parish of Hinxworth by Major A Vincent Clutterbuck, Essex Regiment who died October 31st 1916.

The memorial was originally unveiled and dedicated on the 24th March 1920. Listed on the memorial are 12 names of those who died in World War 1 and one for World War 2. It cost £250 and the builder were Messrs. Bailey.

Original inauguration plaque with added plaque above for World War 2 Dead

Top Plaque

1939-1945

A. J. Barton

Grenadiers Guards

Bottom Plaque

This clock was bequeathed 

to the parish of Hinxworth by

Major A Vincent Clutterbuck. Essex Reg.

Who died October 31. 1916.

World War 1 list of names A-D

In loving & grateful remembrance

of these

who sacrificed their lives

in the great war 1914-1918

A. Vincent Clutterbuck. Essex Regt.

Walter Brooks. Beds Regt.

Frederick Bryant. M.M. R.H.A.

Frederick Dearmer. Royal West Kents

World War 1 list of names E-Z

G. Edward Garley. East Kent Regt.

William Harradine. 60th Labour Coy

Percy Morgan. Kings Royal Rifles

Frederick Stanton. R.H.A.

Charles Stanton. Beds Regt

Ernest Stanton. Herts Regt

Ernest Street, R.A.S.C. M.T.

George Waldock. Royal Fusiliers

The tower was subsequently restored in 1997. The restoration of the clocktower in 1997 was made possible by a generous donation from Major Robert Clutterbuck [2].

Restoration Plaque

The restoration

of this

clocktower in

1997 was made

possible by a

generous

donation from

Major Robert

Clutterbuck

[1] Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinxworth)
[2] IWM Memorials Archive (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3792)

War Memorial at Ayot St Lawrence in Hertfordshire

The village of Ayot St Lawrence has two churches. The old one, in the centre of the village, was partially demolished in 1775, because it was obstructing the view from Sir Lionel Lyde's new home. Field Marshal Frederick Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan, a British Army officer and Chief of the Imperial General Staff, is buried in the churchyard [1].

'Old' Church of St Lawrence, Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire

The memorial is found in the grounds of the old church by the road. The memorial is a rough-hewn stone plinth surmounted by a wheel cross of sacrifice with a sword in relief on the front face of the cross. The Inscription is in smoothed stone at the front of the plinth for the fallen of both 1914/18 and 1939/45. The whole memorial is fenced in by a metal gate and a hedge [2].

1914/18 and 1939/45 War Memorial outside Ayot St Lawrence Old Church

This Cross is Erected In Memory of

Those Men Of Ayot St Lawrence

Who Laid Down Their Lives

 In The Great War 1914 – 1918

(Names)

And 1939 – 1945

(Names)

The memorial at Ayot St Lawrence includes the names of five men from the 1914/18 war and three from 1939/45.

1914/18

H. Stagg Ryl Berks Regt
L Shadbolt Essex
J. Titmus Midsx
F. Martin R.F.A.
F Sheppard Beds

1939/45
C. Penny Devons
E. Brown R.A.F.
C. Tuke Coldstream Gds


[1] Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayot_St_Lawrence)
[2] IWM Memorials (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14628)

War Memorial at Ayot St Peter in Hertfordshire

Ayot St Peter is a village in Hertfordshire, about two miles north-west of Welwyn Garden City. The new church was erected on its present site in the 1870's. The church was built from contributions principally from Earl Cowper and Mr. George Robinson of Ayot Bury, from designs by J. P. Seddon. It is a red brick building with Bath stone dressings and a tiled roof, and consists of an apsidal chancel with organ chamber on the south side, nave, north porch and tower.

Ayot St Peter Church, Hertfordshire

The memorial resembles an Eleanor Cross [1] with shields on each face. It is placed in the churchyard of St Peter's Church [2].

1914/18 and 1939/45 War Memorial outside Ayot St Peter's Church

To the glory of God

and in honour of the men

of this parish who fell in the

Great War 1914 - 1919

Front Face

Comr George D. Jephson. R.N.

Sergt William Welsh. R.A.F.

Corpl Ernest G Fitt Beds Regt.

L. Cpl R. J. Harwood. Herts. Regt.

L. Cpl H. W. Philpotts. London Regt.

L. Cpl I. Wigmore. Royal Scots

L. Cpl P. J. Gaylor London Scottish

Right-hand Face

Pte Alick L Baker. Lancs RTC

Pte S. G. Butterfield. Royal Fvsrs

Pte George Day. Royal Fvsrs

Pte G Draper. London Rifles

Pte Samuel Draper. A.S.C.

Pte George A. Ellis. Essex Terrl

Pte John Ellis. Essex Regt

Left-hand Face

Pte Stacey Gamgee. Herts Regt

Pte J. G. Giddings. Berks Regt

Pte Alfred J. King Beds Regt

Pte Jesse Mardling Beds Regt

Pte Alfred Shepherd Herts Regt

Pte Cecil B. White Royal Fvsrs

Roll of Honour

There is also a handwritten roll of honour in the church comprising a list of names, presumably in order of death, handwritten by the then rector, Rev. Canon Henry Jephson M.A. (whose son was among those killed) [3]. I was unable to access the roll to take a picture as the church was locked when I visited.

[1] The Eleanor crosses were a series of twelve lavishly decorated stone monuments topped with tall crosses of which three survive nearly intact in a line down part of the east of England. King Edward I had the crosses erected between 1291 and 1294 in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile.

[2] IWM War Memorials (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/14625)

[3] IWM War Memorials (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/20020)

War Memorial of Sandon in Hertfordshire

Sandon is a village in North Hertfordshire. Sandon is located near the towns of Baldock and Buntingford and has a church called All Saints Church. The church dates back to the 14th century but was partially restored in 1875.

The WW1 memorial consists of a memorial clock on the Church of All Saints, Sandon,  The clock can be seen in the photograph below. It is accompanied by a dedicatory wooden board within the church, to the men of Sandon who were killed in action in World War I. The WW1 memorial was dedicated in April 1921 [1]. There is also another wooden board dedicated to the men of Sandon who were killed in action in World War 2.

Church of All Saints, Sandon, Hertfordshire

The clock dedication

The clock was placed in this

tower and dedicated to the

glory of God in memory of

the Sandon men who fell in

The Great War 1914-1918

WW1 Roll of Honour

Sandon Roll of Honour - WW1

Sandon Parish

Roll of Honour

These Men of Sandon gave their lives in the cause of freedom

during the Great War 1914-1919.

Pte H. H. Clark. 1st Herts Regiment	Pte W. Goss. Royal Fusiliers	Pte E. Palmer. Royal Fusiliers
Pte S. Clark. 8th Beds Regiment	Pte W. King. Bedford Regiment	Pte G. South. East Surrey Regiment
Pte C. Dowler. 1/7th Middlesex Regiment	Pte H. King. Border Regiment	Pte E. W. Wright. 4th Beds Regiment
Pte H. W. Godfrey. 7th Beds Regiment	Pte W. H. Moody. Bedford Regiment	Pte H. HaggerWood. 1st Beds Regiment
Died from service - W. Davis - C. W. Biggs

The following Men also served their Country

E. Biggs	H. Crouch	J. Izzard	J. Strickland
G. Byatt	H. Dearman	H. Keep	S. Strickland
G. Cannon	H. Dearman	H. Kent	J. Throssell
G. Cannon	H. Field	H. Low	B. Turner
O. Cannon	H. Field	F. Mason	R. Walker
R. Cannon	H. Geaves	F. Mason	H. Ward
H. Clark	J. Geaves	H. Mason	E. Ward
J. Clark	R. Geaves	W. Mason	H. Williamson
M. Clark	H. Graves	L. F. Mean	J. Williamson
N. Clark	R. Graves	W. Rand	G. HaggerWood
S. Clark	H. Hatchett	H. Skeggs	G. Graves

A Clock has been erected in the Church

Tower as a permanent memorial to those who made

the Great Sacrifice.

WW2 Roll of Honour

Sandon Roll of Honour WW2

This Chapel was restored in 1947 in memory

of those who laid down their lives in

the Great War 1939-1945

William Roger Burton

Buried near the wreckkage of his aircraft

at the side of the Amiens Road in France

May 20th 1940 Aged 26 years

Harry Charles Izzard

Killed in action near Dunkirk

May 1940 Aged 33 years

William Church

Lost his life in HM Submarine Grampus

near Malta June 16 1940

Edward William Ward

Of the Suffolk Regiment died as a prisoner

of war at Tambaya Burma October 22nd 1943

Aged 26 Years

Cecil Henry Brown DFC

Flight-Lieutenant RAF

Killed on active service in Germany

September 23rd 1946

May they rest in peace

In addition to the memorials, there are also recorded three grave memorials in the churchyard, two Commonwealth War Graves and an Imperial War Museum's War Memorials Register entry for Private G. South being added to his parent's grave.

C W Biggs - RFA

Biggs, Charles William

Rank: Gunner

Service No: 225406

Date of Death: 07/05/1919

Age: 36

Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery  transfer. to (550363) 654th Agricultural Coy Labour Corps

Grave Reference:

Cemetery:Sandon (All Saints) Churchyard, Hertfordshire

Additional Information: Son of Aaron Cornelius and Sarah Biggs, of Sandon. [2]

W T Davis - Hertfordshire Regiment

Davis, W T
Rank: Private
Service No: 19497
Date of Death: 21/05/1920
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: Hertfordshire Regiment
Grave Reference:
Cemetery: Sandon (All Saints) Churchyard, Hertfordshire
Additional Information: Husband of Frances Davis, of Roe Green, Sandon. [3]

Sadly even though I have visited the churchyard on a number of occasions I have been unable to find the South's gravestone. Looking on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website shows that there are two Private George Souths with connections to Sandon. Either of these could be the individual referenced on the Imperial War Museum's War Memorials Register.

South, George	South, George
Rank: Private	Rank: Private
Service No: 8395	Service No:18/1219
Date of Death: 02/09/1916	Date of Death: 25/04/1918
Age: 28	Age: 37
Regiment/Service: East Surrey Regiment 9th Bn.	Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) 1st/6th Bn.
Panel Reference: Pier and Face 6 B and 6 C.	Panel Reference: Panel 42 to 47 and 162.
Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL	Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of the late William and Mary South, of Mill End, Sandon, Royston, Herts. [4]	Additional Information: Son of Arthur and Alice South, of Sandon, Buntingford, Herts.; husband of Mary South, of 21, Park St., Brighouse, Yorks. Served in the South African Campaign. [5]

However whilst searching the cemetery I did find another couple of interesting gravestones with military connections. The first is an added memorial for two soldier brothers who died within three weeks of each other in WW1

Wallace Frederick and Albert George King

Loving Memory of

Sophia

Beloved wife of

John Edward King

Who passed peacefully away

March 2nd. 1938

Aged 69 years

We miss her most who loved her best

Also her beloved sons

Wallace Frederick King

Killed in action April 23rd. 1917

Aged 24 years

And of

Albert George King

Died of wounds in France

May 16th. 1917

Aged 20 years

We will remember them

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website provides the following details

King, Albert George	King, Wallace Frederick
Rank: Private	Rank: Private
Service No: 27593	Service No: 27811
Date of Death: 16/05/1917	Date of Death: 23/04/1917
Age: 20	Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Border Regiment 1st Bn.	Regiment/Service: Bedfordshire Regiment 1st Bn.
Grave Reference: IV. L. 20.	Panel Reference: Bay 5.
Cemetery: DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN	Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of John Edward and Sophia King, of Slip Inn, Ashwell, Herts. [6]	Additional Information: Son of Mr. J. and Mrs. S. King, of Slip End, Ashwell, Baldock, Herts. [7]

The final interesting gravestone whilst not being in respect of a person who died during or as a result of war, clearly was proud of his membership of the armed services.

Henry

William

Faure

Walker

Late

Coldstream

Guards

of

Sandon

Bury

8 Feb 1911

11 Mar 1990

Henry William Faure Walker was a British officer who served with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in Egypt and Palestine, 1937-1939; he commanded the Guards Depot at Caterham in GB, 1939-1940; he served as a staff officer with 7th Guards Brigade in France and Belgium, 1940 and finally was invalided out of the army in 1945. Two IWM interviews with him are available online which deal with many elements of his military career [8].

[1] IWM Memorials Archive (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/45942)
[2] CWGC Records (http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/364489/BIGGS,%20CHARLES%20WILLIAM)
[3] CWGC Records (http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/364490/DAVIS,%20W%20T)
[4] CWGC Records (http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/813619/SOUTH,%20GEORGE)
[5] CWGC Records (http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3065743/SOUTH,%20GEORGE)
[6] CWGC Records (http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/170104/KING,%20ALBERT%20GEORGE)
[7] CWGC Records (http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/781921/KING,%20WALLACE%20FREDERICK)
[8] IWM INterview (In 1965 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80006432 and in 1983 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80006433)

War Memorial of Kelshall in Hertfordshire

Kelshall is a small village in North East Hertfordshire. It is near the town of Royston. It has a village hall and the local church is St. Faith's.

Church of St Faith, Kelshall, Hertfordshire

The war memorial consists of a memorial granite cross which names the four local men who died in WW1 and two who died in WW2. It is accompanied by a roll of honour within the church, which is a dedication to the forty men of Therfield who fought in World War I and who both returned (36) and were killed in action (4). The memorial cross and roll of honour were unveiled on the 21st December 1919 [1].

On my visit, I could not access the church and therefore I will have to return to photograph and transcribe the memorial plaques.

Kelshall Memorial Cross

To the
glory of God
and in
the men of
Kelshall
who fell
in the
Great War
1914-1918.

W. Batt
S. Kingsley
E. Sole
P. Watson
The World War 1939-1945
J. Hagger
G. Watson

[1] IWM Memorials Archive (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/28505)

War Memorials of Therfield in Hertfordshire

The Church of St Mary the Virgin, in Therfield, Hertfordshire has stood the test of time. The most recent church was completed in 1878 and it replaced a church that had been located here since the 13th Century. When it was replaced, the windows, pulpit and font were removed from the old church and built into the new structure. The tower contains six bells dating from 1597 until 1707.

The war memorial consists of a memorial clock on the Church tower. On accessing the church, there are three memorial plaques. A roll of honour for those who died in WW1, a plaque confirming the clock was placed as a memorial and a personal memorial plaque to the memory of Joseph Thomas.

The memorial was erected in 1919, designed by the clockmakers William Potts & Sons Limited of Leeds and was dedicated on the 8th February 1920 by Revd H R Humphrey [1].

St Mary the Virgin Church, Therfield, Hertfordshire

Therfield Memorial Clock

Plaque 1

This tablet is placed here by the people of Therfield,

in proud memory of her sons who were faithful unto

death, in the great war 1914-1918.

PTE William Andrews

PTE Ernest Badcock

PTE Sidney Batt

PTE Albert Bullard

PTE Sidney Bullard

PTE Thomas Bullard

LCPL William Bullard

PTE Thomas Drage

PTE William Edwards

CPL Victor Fardell

PTE Charles Gatward

PTE Walter Gatward

PTE Joseph Hagger

PTE Thomas Kingsley

PTE Frederick Knights

PTE Francis Leete

PTE Arthur Rayner

PTE Percy Rayner

PTE William Stoten

PTE Ernest Watson

PTE Frederick Watson

Their name liveth for evermore.

Plaque 2

The clock on the tower

was placed there to

perpetuate their memory

Plaque 3

Individual Memorial to Joseph Thomas, Therfield, Hertfordshire

To the memory of

JOSEPH THOMAS

Saddler Corporal 209th Company, Army Service Corps.

Voluntary Soldier in the GREAT WAR 1914

Served with distinction in the

Auxiliary Horse Transport, Salonica.

Where he succumbed to a severe illness

And gave his life for his Country

on FEBRUARY 1st 1917 aged 31 years

interred at the BRITISH CEMETERY SALONICA. Grave No. 794

ERECTED IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE BY HIS SORROWING WIDOW

& CHILDREN AND HIS FORMER EMPLOYERS I. BEER & SONS SMITHFIELD EC

[1] IWM Memorials Archive (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/22621)

War Memorial in Cottered in Hertfordshire

Cottered is a village west of Buntingford and east of Baldock in Hertfordshire. Among those who have held the living of Cottered include the Reverend Anthony Trollope, who was grandfather of the authors Anthony Trollope and Thomas Adolphus Trollope. He was incumbent of Cottered for forty-four years and died in 1806. Cottered also has a blue plaque to the first president of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen, who stayed at The Kennels, country home of James Cantlie.

Cottered's War Memorial is situated in St John the Baptist, a handsome church dating principally from the 15th century with an embattled tower and a lofty spire.

Cottered's war memorial is a Plaque mounted on wood with a crest at the top centre, which appears to be of  the British Legion [1].

Memorial to the dead, St John the Baptist Church, Cottered, Hertfordshire.

[Text on Crest]

British

Legion

[Text]

Remember before God

The men of this parish

Who died in the two world wars

*

1914 ~ 1918

Sidney Barker Samuel Castle

Patrick Seymour Clement Parker

John Pinnock Herbert Wilds

Cecil Charles Smith

*

1939 ~ 1945

Ernest Hayden Percy Hummerston

Fredrerick Jackson

R*I*P

[1] IWM Memorials Archive (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/48427)

War Memorials in Rushden in Hertfordshire

Rushden is a small village in north Hertfordshire. It has two memorial plaques situated in St. Mary's Church.

St Mary's Church, Rushden, Hertfordshire

Plaque 1

The first plaque is located in the porch of the Church and is a dedication to those who served in WW1.

Porch Plaque, St Mary's Church, Rushden, Hertfordshire

To

the Glory of God

and in thankful remembrance

of

Dowler, T.	Chapman, A. E.
Dowler, W.	Chapman, F.
Mearns, J. P.	Draper, H. W.
Skipp, T.	Draper, J.
Chapman, A. T.	Graves, C.
Chapman, F. C.	Lawman, S. C.
Chapman, G.	Chapman, B.
Graves, D.	Draper, E. S.
Stevens, T.	Hills, F.
Tofts, W.

who served

in the Great war 1914 1918.

Plaque 2

Plaque in the nave, St Mary's Church, Rushden, Hertfordshire

To the Glory of God

and in grateful memory of

Albert E. Chapman,

Frederick C. Chapman,

Thomas Dowler,

Walter Dowler,

David Graves,

Thomas Stevens,

Wilfred Tofts,

who gave thier lives in France in the Great War

1914 - 1918.

War Memorial of Odsey in Cambridgeshire

Odsey is a village on the borders of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. It's War Memorial is situated on the roadside of Station Road immediately to the north of Ashwell and Morden Railway Station.

Odsey War Memorial

The memorial is a Stone of Remembrance, made of symmetrical slabs [1].

Odsey

In honour of those who fought

and in memory of those who fell

in the Great War 1914-1919

Fallen

W A Flack DCM 2nd Lieut

G Harradine

W F King

A G King

A C Beale

F T Johns

W J Jackson

E White

1939-1945

W G Bean

S A G Watt Capt HAC

[1] IWM Memorials Archive (http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3564)