Yardley Cemetery Birmingham

[kevan darby]

SPARKBROOK MILITARY FUNERAL

MILITARY FUNERAL

THE LATE SERGEANT MAJOR H. J. NEALE

Considerable local interest was aroused on Thursday when the funeral took place at Yardley Cemetery with full Military honours of the late Sgt Major John Neale, of 3 Benton Road, Sparkbrook.The deceased had a long army career, and retired some twelve years ago having served twenty one years with the 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He enlisted in 1882, and within twelve years had risen through all the non commissioned ranks to the highest possible. He saw a good deal of foreign service and was stationed at various periods at Malta, in India and in Egypt, taking activce part in the fighting at Khartoum under Kitchener. He came from old military stock and was born in Hamilton, Ontario, where his father who served the majority of years with the Kings Royal Rifles and helped qwell the Fenian distrubances, was then stationed and eventually at his own request his father became a pensioner at Chelsea and died there. the deceased eldest son Sgt H. E. Neale, is loyally keeping up the family traditions of the family and is serving with the 1/5th South Staffords in France. He is well known in Birmingham football and cricket circles, and at one time urged by Foster to throw in his lot with the Warwickshire County team.

Sergeant Major Neales period of service expired when his regiment was in India, and he came with his family straight back to Birmingham, where he had many associations. He was called to National Reserve, keeping is old rank. A great believer in military training for the youth of the country, he immediatley became interested in the Church lads Brigade, and the Birmingham Battalion owed much to his advice and careful training methods as Sgt Major. This work of several years duration was purely voluntary. When the Cadets, as they are now styled, were sent to Rhayader for the protection of the great acqueduct, the deceased took charge of the boys, and remained with them until the military authorties that the responsibility such a task involved was to great for the lads of tender years, and replaced them with the National Reservists.

Sgt Major Neale was sent to Liverpool to train a body of 3/5 Kings Own Liverpool Regiment for the purpose of guarding the waterworks, and was attached as Sgt Major to that regiment himself. Scarcly had he arrived with his men at Rhayader than he was taken ill and invalided home. A serious internal complaint rendered an operation at the Queens Hospital necessary, but never rallied, and died on Sunday at the 1st Southern Hospital whence he had been conveyed.Deceased was 52 years of age.

The funeral made an impressive spectable. The coffin, draped in a union jack, was carried on a gun carriage and followed by a squad of men from the deceased Battalion, in charge of Capt Deakin. The cortege, headed by the Birmingham Garrision Band, who rendered the Dead March, first halted at Saint Aidans Church, Small Heath, where a specialservice was conducted by the Rev Chas Newall Long (Vicar), Chaplin to the Birmingham Church Cadets, and an old friend of the deceased. Father long also conducted the committed service at the cemetery, assisted by Chaplin Smith. Deceased fellow comrades acted as bearers, and a volley was fired and the last post sounded over the grave.

The chief mourners were the widow, Master Frank Neale (son), the Misses Doreen and Margerite Neale (daughter), Mr Harold Edmund Pervis Quartermaster Sgt (the Buffs) and Mrs Smith, Mrs H Wilkes, and Mrs A Baggott. It is understood that the church lads Brigade was represented by Major Davison. Among the many foral tributes were special ones from the officers of the Kings Liverpool Regiment, the NCOs and men of the regiment, and Lt G.E. Palfrey 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and Mrs Palfrey Messrs Wheatleys carried out the funeral arrangments.

THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS 1916

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[kevan darby]

photo of Sgt Major John Neale,Royal Warwickshire Regiment, grave

[Alan Tucker]

Hi Kevan

Any chance you could post directions to find this memorial in Yardley. I.e coming in from the roundabout near the Coventry Road side. Where is it in relation to the Cross of Sacrifice or the Great War memorial 'plaques'. Thanks

[kevan darby]

hello Alan

Sgt Neales memorial is in the first plot on the right as you go in to the cemetery, it is about 5 in from the right and is about rows back.

kevan

[Alan Tucker]

Thanks

hello Alan

Sgt Neales memorial is in the first plot on the right as you go in to the cemetery, it is about 5 in from the right and is about rows back.

kevan

[kevan darby]

SPARKBROOK MILITARY FUNERAL

The funeral took place on Saturday last, at Yardley Cemetery of Private Sydney Victor Tabberner, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who died in the 1st Eastern Military Hospital, Cambridge, on Wednesday, the 4th, of pneumonia following severe wounds received in France, at the at of 31. The deceased soldier, who was a native of Aston, attested under the Lord Derby scheme, and joined the Army in 1915, and had been in France two years at the time he received his wounds. He was well known locally, having been an attendant at the Great Western Hotel for some years. the mourners were his brothers Frank who has been a prisoner of war in Germany and arrived in England on Nov 27th last, Arthur Joseph (Oldbury) Harold Thimbleby, and Samuel Roberts (Smethwick) brothers in law. Owing to illness his brother George Tabberner, Vicarage Road, Kings Heath was unable to be present.

The greatest sympathy is felt for the widow and child in their sad bereavement, the widow being the daughter of Mrs Painter, (Shirley) where the deceased was well known and highy respected. The bearers were members of the deceaseds regiment, and the coffin was conveyed on a gun carriage covered with the Union Jack.

The Birmingham News 1918

[kevan darby]

SMALL HEATH AIRMANS FUNERAL

Yardley cemetery was the scene of a very impressive ceremony on Tuesday whren the remains of Lt Wilfred W Meddings, RAF, of Small Heath, the brilliant young airman who meet such an untimely death through an accident, was laid to rest.

Eight officers were in attendance, and a firing party was also present. The Cheif mourners were Mr and Mrs Meddings (Parents), Mrs A. F. Meddings (grandmother) Mr and Mrs J. Hunt, Mr E. Powers and two daughters, Mr Brooks and daughter, and Mr and Mrs J.G Pitt.Mr Price represented the Delta and Excluded Metal Co. The Floral tributes were numerous and most beautiful,prominent among them bering one in the form of a propeller sent from the Delta and Excluded Metal Co., the ill fated young officers father being works manager of the Excluded Metal Co. Another was sent by an officer comrade of Lt Meddings. The funeral arragments were carried out by Messrs W H Painter Ltd.

[kevan darby]

CANADIAN SOLDIER

BURIED AT YARDLEY

Military honours were accorded at the interment of the remains of Cpl Frank Morton Penn, which took place at Yardley Cemetery on Wednesday. Penn was a Birmingham man, but had been in Canada some twelve years with his parents. He was 24 years of age, and enlisted soon after war broke out. After some months training in Canada he obtained his Cpl stripes, and left with the 3rd contingent for training in this country in October last. A few days later he contracted a serious malady, and was admitted into Aldershot Hospital on 11th November, dying there on Saturday. By special request the body was brought to Birmingham, some of the deceased relatives reside in Sparkhill, and the funeral took place from the residence of Mrs G Thompson, 24 Fulham Road. The coffin drapped with the Union Jack, was conveyed to the cemetery on a gun carriage and followed by a number of Royal Engineers. The Birmingham Garrison Band preceded the cortege playing the Ded March, and later at the cemetery hymnal music.Chaplin Smith officiated. The last post was sounded over the grave by a bugler. The chief mourners were Mrs G Thompson (aunt) Miss L Thompson, Miss C Thompson, Miss A Thompson, Miss E Thompson, and Mr William Thompson (counsins). Among the wreaths was one from the captain and ncos and men of the deceased regiment. the funeral arragements were carried out by Messrs Dyson Richards.

The Birmingham News dated 19th Feb 1916

[Mark Hone]

I visited Yardley Cemetery, where my parents and other relatives are commemorated, at the weekend and also looked out for CWGC graves. I was shocked at the state of disrepair into which large parts of the cemetery have fallen. Not only is this due to vandalism and the use of the cemetery as a sanctuary by the homeless (one of whom we disturbed while visiting the family plot) but there has been obvious neglect by the council. There has been considerable subsidence in parts of the cemetery causing gravestones to topple over and large holes to appear at the base of some monuments, such that I half expected to see exposed human remains. The council has also allowed evergreen saplings to grow up in the middle of some graves and the trees have generally been allowed to run riot, further undermining many monuments. It was like visiting an Ancient Roman necropolis. My wife, who doesn't hail from Birmingham, said that it was a disgrace and made a sad contrast with the generally well-cared for CWGC plots in the cemetery.

While there I did locate the Great War soldier commemorated on a family headstone near to that of my relatives, which I mention in an earlier post. Not killed on the Somme as I misremembered but Ernest Walter Buckley, who died on the first day of Third Ypres.

He is:

BUCKLEY, ERNEST WALTER

Initials: E W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Coldstream Guards

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 22

Date of Death: 31/07/1917

Service No: 17099

Additional information: Son of Walter and S. A. Buckley, of 67, Cobham Rd., Bordesley Green, Birmingham.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 11.

Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Also spotted, recorded on a family memorial was Lieutenant Joseph Cecil Smith, RFC, aged 19, KIA 27th July 1917 (according to the memorial-date differs on CWGC database).

SMITH, JOSEPH CECIL

Initials: J C

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Unit Text: 70th Sqdn.

Age: 19

Date of Death: 28/07/1917

Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Smith, of Solihull, Warwickshire.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Memorial: ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL

[Guest VICKY ANGELA]

Thank you for posting the memorial about my great uncles Alfred and Herbert Flavell - I knew they had both died in the Great War, but didn't know the detail of

Victor (Alfred's) demise. and the info about my Great Grandfather Alfred. One day I will visit the cemetery for myself and pay my respects.

Vik

[Guest]

Thanks Kevin for the above post about SECOND LIEUTENANT A.V FLAVELL, OF SMALL HEATH. 

Both brothers have been remembered by our family, my Dad's uncles.    I suspect A.V. Flavell's decision to go into the newly formed RAF may have had something to do with

the death of his younger brother Herbert, in July 1916.   They had both initially signed up to the Birmingham Pals Battalion in 1915 and were deployed in France in November 1915.

Regards

Vik

[Ron Palmer]

On 10/01/2010 at 17:32, kevan darby said:

Hello Tharkin sorry i havent got photos of HUTT, Private, Herbert Henry. 5375, Worcestershire Regiment, and PALMER, Private, Alfred Albert. 7942, Duke of Wellington (West Riding Regiment).

sorry about that, but i do have photos of headstone and screen

Kevan

Thanks for posting this.  Albert Palmer is my great grandfather.  I've found the date he died, Aug 4 1917, but not the place in France.  Do you know how I can find this?  His son, my grandfather also died in WWII and is buried at Douai, I have that information,  and I'd like to visit both sites.

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum.

His CWGC entry  is  here

 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/404336/palmer,-/

 

Michelle 

[Chris_Baker]

On 25/07/2010 at 18:59, Mark Hone said:

I visited Yardley Cemetery, where my parents and other relatives are commemorated, at the weekend and also looked out for CWGC graves. I was shocked at the state of disrepair into which large parts of the cemetery have fallen. Not only is this due to vandalism and the use of the cemetery as a sanctuary by the homeless (one of whom we disturbed while visiting the family plot) but there has been obvious neglect by the council. There has been considerable subsidence in parts of the cemetery causing gravestones to topple over and large holes to appear at the base of some monuments, such that I half expected to see exposed human remains. The council has also allowed evergreen saplings to grow up in the middle of some graves and the trees have generally been allowed to run riot, further undermining many monuments. It was like visiting an Ancient Roman necropolis. ...snip

 

Much improved these last few years. My grandfather is buried there and I had not been in to see him for a couple of years. It seems to be an infrequently visited plot now. The graves are from the 1950s (when I was taken there as a child there were always other visitors and lost of flowers - few now). But I was pleased to see that it has been tidied up, the headstones straightened (some buried deeper to stop any chance of falling over), etc. Well done, Birmingham Council.

[Mark Hone]

Glad to hear this, Chris. I should have posted an addendum when I visited the cemetery a couple of years ago for the dedication of a renovated headstone on our family grave. I did notice that the area around had been much improved since my visit in 2010. Credit where credit's due to Birmingham City Council. 

[Ron Palmer]

On 20/04/2020 at 13:36, Michelle Young said:

Welcome to the forum.

His CWGC entry  is  here

 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/404336/palmer,-/

 

Michelle 

Thank you Michelle, I did see this site earlier, but I cannot work out how to find where he actually died in France.  Is there someplace else that information may be listed?

[Michelle Young]

CWGC did not allow repatriation after 1915. So I would surmise that he died at home, and is remembered at Yardley 

Michelle 

[Ron Palmer]

1 minute ago, Michelle Young said:

CWGC did not allow repatriation after 1915. So I would surmise that he died at home, and is remembered at Yardley 

Michelle 

Hi Michelle,

He was killed in France in 1917 and I believe that his body was not recovered, but I do not not where in France he was killed.

Ron

[Michelle Young]

The commission entry says buried at Yardley. So either the family or the CWGC is wrong as repatriation was not allowed.
Michelle 

 

[Ron Palmer]

I may be wrong, but is there a common memorial for those whose remains were not recovered? Reviewing the grave entry it lists only a plot (E) and no actual grave number.  In any event, do you know how to find records regarding the location of where a soldier was killed? 

[Michelle Young]

I’m reading it that he was wounded in action, returned to the UK for treatment and died in the UK. He was buried somewhere in Yardley cemetery but grave location is unknown. 
Michelle 

[Ron Palmer]

2 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

I’m reading it that he was wounded in action, returned to the UK for treatment and died in the UK. He was buried somewhere in Yardley cemetery but grave location is unknown. 
Michelle 

Thank you.  Can you tell me where you see that?  That was the type of record I've been searching for.

 

Ron

[Michelle Young]

Earlier in the thread on post #13 member tharkin mentions he died at home.
There are similar screen walls at Arnos Vale cemetery in Bristol. 
Michelle 

[GraemeClarke]

Morning Ron,

 

Yardley Cemetery is very difficult sometimes to find a grave. I have found the staff there most helpful in the past

when the CWGC entry has been incorrect.

 

His grave should be at 24494.

 

Here are some (not so good - the sunlight, as always, was in the wrong position) pictures of the memorial,

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

Edited 25 April , 2020 by GraemeClarke

[Chris_Baker]

Albert Alfred Palmer was named as wounded in the War Office casualty list printed in newspapers on 14 May 1915. He died at the War Hospital in Halifax, Yorkshire, on 4 August 1917. His dependent's pension record shows that cause of death was heart failure. There was an entry in the roll of honour printed in the "Birmingham Mail" on 8 August 1917 which says that he died "of sickness".

 

 

Edited 25 April , 2020 by Chris_Baker