question on memorial cross/headstones

[armourersergeant]

Hello,

I recently re-visited Child(e) Okeford in Dorset to replace some photos I lost in a computer crash of Major-General G T Forestier-Walker.

On leaving I noticed a stone, not cwgc, for a Lt Knight, he is also on the village war memorial. I have looked up the CWGC and this is what they have:

KNIGHT, PHILIP CLIFFORD

Initials: P C

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Somerset Light Infantry

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 23

Date of Death: 01/07/1916

Additional information: Son of Alexander and Josephine Knight, of Child Okeford, Dorset.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 2 A.

Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Obviously this would have been a cross of remembrance and not his headstone, as being on the Thiepval memorial he was obviously not found. Given that as a yes, was this very common? (relatively to family commemorations) I have seen plaques and the like but this almost gives the impression he was buried under his stone, or am I missing something obvious here?

regards

Arm

[Will O'Brien]

Arm

Have never seen an example as you have described (seen many commemorated on relatives headstones).

What is the wording on the stone?

[armourersergeant]

It says, as best as I can make out: In ever loving memory of Philip Clifford Knight, Lieut. Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in action at the battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916 aged 24

Strange how many many times my research comes back to the Somerset Light Infantry?!

I have posted the images on Facebook so you can have a look if you want to.

Regards

Arm

[Terry_Reeves]

Arm

I recently found a headstone and "grave" in my local cemetery which reads:

Erected to the memory of Bombadier T Hickman

By the Officers and men of the

4th South Midland Howitzer Battery RFA

Born June 23rd 1895

Killed in action near Petit Pont

April 9th, 1915

Interred at the Convent Le Bizet

He is buried in France with a CWGC headstone, his UK "grave" of course being a memorial.

TR

[armourersergeant]

Thanks Chairman,

I figured that this was not alone in practice. however Chris baker tells me that this officer is not on the roll for the dead on 1st July 1916, which begs a further unexpected question. I guess secondment to staff or perhaps just a simple omission/error?

Regards

Arm

[Ghost]

Arm, what is "the roll for the dead on 1st July 1916"? I do not think I have heard of that before.

Alan

P.S. Like a lot of us older ones, I don't have access to facebook.

Alan

[armourersergeant]

Alan,

My very poor choice of words!

Chris, I assume, has the war diary and the entries at the end of this month do not mention this officer as being killed, wounded etc. on 1st July as stated by the CWGC or the 'headstone'.

Regards

Arm

[Terry_Reeves]

There was a publication in fact - "Soldiers Killed on the First Day of the Somme" by Ernest Bell. It was published in 1977.

TR

[auchonvillerssomme]

Hopefully no one is still solely referencing that book as their source.

[Ghost]

Thanks Terry, Coincidently I came across that book in Brum Lib a couple of days ago, so I figured that must be what arm refered to. As I leafed through it, the very question of has it been updated occured to me. I guess not.

Alan