Sunday School teachers buried in compost heap

[beresford69]

Yesterday my local vicar told me about this stone memorial plaque. He unearthed if from the bottom of a compost heap in his back garden about twenty years ago and it’s propped up at the war memorial in the church in Summerstown, south-west London. It commemorates three Sunday School teachers who were killed whilst serving in 1st/23rd Battalion, The London Regiment. Apparently it was originally in a neighbouring church hall building, demolished in the seventies, which was where they taught their classes. Somehow in the move, it got neglected and literally buried.

We are hoping to get it cleaned up and remounted in time for the centenary and as a starting point would like to find out something about the circumstances of the threesome’s service and deaths. All died in different battles and have no known grave.

I’ve noticed that some members have access to the 1st/23rd Battalion War Diaries and obviously this would be a good way of getting the bigger picture at a certain time.

I would be very grateful if anyone could share the relevant sections with me. William Mace (2104) died on 26th May 1915 and is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial. James Crozier (2171) died on 1st October 1915 and is on the Loos Memorial. Albert Gibson was killed on 9th December 1917 (703615) and is remembered on the Arras Memorial. The first two lived in neighbouring streets and I wonder if their service numbers being so similar is a sign that they joined-up together?

Thank you very much.

Geoff

[ralphjd]

James Jenner Crozier enlisted Clapham resided Tooting; Albert Lawrence Gibson born Wimbledon enlisted Clapham resided Earlsfield; His papers have survived on Ancestry under his original number; William Alexander Mace enlisted Clapham resided Lower Tooting. Ralph.

[ralphjd]

Just a small point have you informed the national inventory of war memorials at the I W M of this "find" if they do not know already, they will be very interested in it and its whereabouts. Ralph.

[Kath]

Well done, Geoff.

Kath.

[sotonmate]

You can download the complete digital War Diary for 1/23 Londons,part of 142 Brigade of 47 Division,from the Discovery database at the National Archives website,for 3.36. It runs from March 1915 to Apr 1919.

Sensational header to your thread !

[ralphjd]

Must agree Sotonmate, certainly grabs your attention.

[centurion]

Interesting item but it was the thread title that grabbed the eye. I can remember one Sunday School teacher from the more recent past (1950s) who many of her pupils (marched to class by pious parents) would dearly loved to have buried in a compost heap, preferably alive. Mind you she'd have soured the compost!

[beresford69]

Just a small point have you informed the national inventory of war memorials at the I W M of this "find" if they do not know already, they will be very interested in it and its whereabouts. Ralph.

Ralph,

Many thanks for your interest. The War Memorials Trust are aware of this but I will definitely also be in touch with the IWM. We are going to have to raise a bit of money from somewhere to help with this project but its got a good little local angle and is I think well worth doing.

Geoff

[ralphjd]

Well done, could not agree more. Ralph.