Salisbury Cathedral cloister

[seaJane]

Photographs taken yesterday (11 May).

General view, and the replica cross of "Captain Francis (Toby) Dodgson (brother of Guy Dodgson), killed at Contalmaison, Battle of the Somme, 10 July 1916. The original cross was stolen from these cloisters in 2015". (Toby Dodgson was of the Yorkshire Regiment and is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No.2).

 

For those interested I also have photographs of the other crosses along the wall, and will be happy to send originals on request. Inscriptions as follows.

• This cross marked the grave in the Military Cemetery, Caudry, France, of Capt. Guy Dodgson, Herts. Regt., who died of wounds in casualty station Nov 14th 1918. Youngest son of the late Henley F. Dodgson and Mrs Hamilton Fulton.
• This cross marked the grave in Cairo Cemetery of Captn Charles Basil Mortimer Hodgson, 3rd Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt. Died in hospital Cairo April 1st 1918 of wounds received in Palestine. Husband of Mary Alice Carpenter, daughter of the Archdeacon of Sarum.
• This cross was placed over the grave of Colonel Frank A. Symons C.M.G. D.S.O. M.B. Army Medical Service who was killed in action at Athies April 30th 1917. Buried in St. Nicholas Cemetery Arras May 1st.
• This cross marked the resting place in Belgium, of No. 318. Gnr. G.A.K. Buskin 1st Field Artillery Brigade Australian Imperial Force Killed in Action 3rd November 1917.
• This cross marked the grave in Port Said Cemetery of Capt. Christopher Ken Merewether who died in hospital at Port Said Dec. 20th 1917 of wounds received in action in Palestine aged 27. Only child of Canon Wyndham A.S. Merewether. [Wiltshire Regiment]
• This cross marked the place where Lt J.P,M. Carpenter son of the Archdeacon of Sarum was killed near Flers at the Battle of the Somme and was afterwards moved to his grave in Bullecourt Cemetery. [Royal Field Artillery]

 

[Sepoy]

The original cross shortly before the theft.
From memory, it had been taken previously and either returned or found.
I just cannot get over the mentality of some people.

Sepoy

 

[seaJane]

Thank you for the picture. In a way I regret that they didn't carve a replacement plaque but I suppose the starkness of the modern statement should be a disruption.

 

As you say - why? What for?

[Keith Woodland]

I saw these crosses on Monday the 13th and was going to post but when I got home I found this thread. What intrigued me is how it taken out of the cloisters? It could hardly be hidden under a coat and must have been at a very quiet time. Anyone offered such an item or seeing one for sale should take care. Nothing surprises me about human nature.