jim_davies Posted 28 May , 2003 Share Posted 28 May , 2003 Wondered if anyone has come across names being removed from war memorials. I was recently sent a photograph of the plaque on the wall of All Saint's Church, Stamford, Lincs, which clearly showed a deletion. Checked with the person who sent it to me, and it wasn't a photographical blemish, and has apparently been the situation since at least the 1940s (and probably before). So why would someone's name have been removed. I've considered a few possibilities, but none really fit. Any ideas ? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Birch Posted 28 May , 2003 Share Posted 28 May , 2003 Duplication of the name on another War Memorial? Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 28 May , 2003 Share Posted 28 May , 2003 There could be many reasons although I would think the practice is uncommon. Without knowing the circumstances... The name could be duplicated with another on the same memorial (names are often repeated on different village/town memorials due to multiple associations - not unusual). The person could not have died! (There are examples of living people on war memorials) or it may have turned out that the death was not due to the war. Or a mistake by the plaque maker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 28 May , 2003 Share Posted 28 May , 2003 I've heard several instances of soldiers being named on multiple war memorials so although that is a possible answer I am not sure that alone would cause a man's name to be erased. I've also heard of the "missing" coming back to their home village years later. It is hard believe to that families wouldnt have deaths confirmed by the WO but apparently some men stayed in Belgium or Italy or wherever it may have been and just didnt bother getting in touch with their families until they literally turned up on the door-step years later. I cant give any examples but I have definitely read of this although I wouldnt have thought it was a common occurence and I dont know how the men would have got through the demob. I am just wondering if it was more likely that a POW could get lost in the system, and perhaps decide to stay on the farm he had been working in southern Bavaria with Frau ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_davies Posted 29 May , 2003 Author Share Posted 29 May , 2003 Hi guys, Thanks for the ideas. I'm pretty sure that its not a matter of being duplicated on other war memorials. Stamford has it's own main town memorial as well as multiple parish church memorials, so I would imagine there are a number of duplications. I was thinking along the lines of a lad being reported as missing/killed and then resurfacing later on, however I wasn't sure if this actually happened. Signals, if you come across the references to this happening I would love to hear the details. What makes it more interesting, on closer inspection of the photo, it that it appears that it may be a memorial that shows both the fallen and those that served. Something to look into later on in the year when I get home. Thanks, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob HAmilton Posted 30 May , 2003 Share Posted 30 May , 2003 Jim I'm pretty sure that I've seen a reference to a man listed on Brighouse War memorial returning alive and well. I'll look it up next time I'm in the local library and get back to you. Regards Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_davies Posted 31 May , 2003 Author Share Posted 31 May , 2003 Cheers Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob HAmilton Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 Jim I've visited the local library. There is a reference to a missing man who was named on the Brighouse Memorial and who returned but it doesn't say whether his name was subsequently deleted. Interestingly another source names a corporal Eastwood as being named on a list found in Brighouse library of those commemorated but his name isn't on the memorial. Possibly this is the man. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 I have come across a similar thing for WW2 where a man came home after being a POW to find his name on the town memorial. He had been reported Missing KIA in the local press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_McGarry Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 On a similar vein, I have come across a possible hoax name on a war memorial.... On the Doddington (Kent) memorial there is an .. A Midget. I can find no trace of this man anywhere ! Also on the Sittingbourne memorial (kent) the same chap appears twice as Irvin and again as Ervin.. perhaps the same thing has happened on the memorial mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 This is not uncommon at the Runnymede Memorial to RAF Aircrew Reported as Missing in action. A number of Battle of Britain aircrew have been located through aircraft excavations and their remains buried and names removed from the Memorial. Nearly all are buried at Brookwood: there is a small row of 4 graves on the front left of the RAF plot containing P/O Colin Francis, P/O Basil Ramsay, F/Sgt Hugh Ellis and one other whose name escapes me and two others top right Sgt John Brimble and F/Lt Hugh Beresford. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 Having 'done' a few memorials I've come to the conclusion that they are not the most reliable of sources. Spelling mistakes (sometimes quite bizarre e.g. a Herbert Wilkinson named as Henry Wilkinson) and people apparantly missed off are quite common, as are the same name appearing on several different memorials. Mind you, I've never seen a deletion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 3 June , 2003 Share Posted 3 June , 2003 Ian The mention of Sgt John Brimble above reminds me of an odd fact.... He is the only man with two genuine official war graves. The story goes like this. BRIMBLE, John Joseph Sergeant (Pilot) 741563 73 Sqn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Died 14.09.40 when his Hurricane crashed at Chart Sutton, Kent Age 23 Son of William Henry & Emily Annie Brimble of Knowle, Bristol Partial remains of this casualty were recovered on two separate occasions. Those recovered first in 1940 were buried as an unidentified airman in Sittingbourne & Milton (Sittingbourne) Cemetery, Kent. The second set recovered in 1980 were buried in a named grave in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. In 1998 the error was discovered but the two graves have been left undisturbed at the request of the next-of-kin. Therefore, this airman has two graves each now with a named memorial. Sittingbourne Grave: Old Ground W.49 Sorry - Way off topic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Arnold Posted 4 June , 2003 Share Posted 4 June , 2003 While we are off topic!! If my fading memory serves me right I seem to remember a rumpus over a possible deletion on the Worthing (West Sussex) war memorial a few years ago. I didn't get to follow the story through as I was working full time (50 hour weeks the kind of things we do to make ends meet). If anybody knows anything about this one please let me know Regards Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 4 June , 2003 Share Posted 4 June , 2003 Terry, I remember the rumpus when Steve Vizard exhumed John Brimble's remains in 1980. It was after then that the MOD put restrictions on aircraft archeology and you needed a licence. Steve actually recovered John Brimble's cheque book from the site and at one time it was on display at Hendon. I have a photograph of John Brimble and will post it if you are interested. Closer to home to me at the time was when Sgt Ernest Scott of 222 Sqd was recovered from Hollingbourne. The MOD had a bit of a red face about that one on two counts. First of all they had told Andy Saunders it was the site of a crashed Hurricane (wrong it was a Spitfire) and there were no human remains on the site (wrong again). Also they had told the family that Sgt Scott had crashed into the Channel. His brother was less than impressed! Apologies for deviating Pals. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 4 June , 2003 Share Posted 4 June , 2003 Ian Yes please send Brimble pic Thanks Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_McGarry Posted 4 June , 2003 Share Posted 4 June , 2003 You can have a pic of the Grave in Sittingbourne Cemetery if you want Terry... I walk my dog there every day!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 4 June , 2003 Share Posted 4 June , 2003 Steve I would be grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 6 June , 2003 Share Posted 6 June , 2003 Steve, Could you send it to me as well please. Thanks, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith Posted 21 June , 2003 Share Posted 21 June , 2003 I was asked about this missing name some time ago from this war memorial. All that I have been told is that he went missing and then turned up some years after the war and no one seems to have a name. The names on the memorial out side are not in alphabetical order which does not help. There is a bronze memorial inside the Church, so by doing a cross reverence with both memorials, ( that is if the bronze one was done first before the man turned up ? ) it may give up his name. There is a book in Stamford library called Stamford and the Great War 1914-1919, but it does not give any clues cheers Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_davies Posted 22 June , 2003 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2003 Keith, Thanks for posting the picture-its a lot better than the one I have ! Apparently there is a difference of three names from the bronze plaque inside the church to this memorial. Later in the year I'm hoping to spend some time in Stamford, and have a look at the Stamford Mercury's archives. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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