Wooden Cross

[keith]

There is a wooden cross which was brought back from the grave of a soldier killed in the war in one of the churches in Rutland. Do any body know of any others.

Keith

[Chris_Baker]

There is a considerable number of them. Some years ago, the Western Front Association's Memorials Officer started an activity to build up a list. I'll see if we can find anything out about it...back soon.

I even wrote an article about one of them, that appeared in WFA Bulletin. It's in a church not far from where I live. I'll try to get a photo at the weekend.

[Chris_Baker]

By the way, according to CWGC:

VINCENT SLADEN WING

Second Lieutenant

65th Bty. 28th Bde., Royal Field Artillery

who died on

Friday 10 August 1917 . Age 19 .

is buried in La Gorgue Communal Cemetery.

He was Son of John Sladen Wing and Evelyn Beatrix Dundas Wing, of 21, Cheyne Gardens, Chelsea, London. (Just down the road from the National Army Museum and the Chelsea Hospital).

[mordac]

There are a number of wooden crosses that were returned from CEF servicemen's graves to Canada. Most found there way to local churches where they are still on display. It's my understanding the IWGC stopped repatriating crosses on September 1, 1920. I'm looking forward to seeing the list that Chris is going to post to see if it includes those crosses returned to Canada. Thanks.

Garth

[jim_davies]

Keith,

You may want to sent an email & photo attachment of the cross to

Memorials@iwm.org.uk

The Imperial War Museum is apparently compiling a list of battlefield crosses in the UK.

Jim

[Tom Morgan]

There's an article, with quite a few locations of original crosses in the uk, if you click here.

Tom

[Terry Denham]

Here is one in Lindfield Church, West Sussex to Capt G.A.Prideaux Somerset Light Infantry

[Andrew P]

I recall that quite a few also made it back to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

[Mark Hone]

The original grave marker for John Lynn VC, 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, is preserved in St Mary's Parish church in Bury, Lancs. As discussed elsewhere on the forum, this may be somewhat unusual as the original grave in Vlamertinghe Churchyard was lost in later fighting and he is now commemorated by a special memorial in Grootebeek Cemetery.

[michaeldr]

Rupert Brooke died on the eve of the Gallipoli campaign and was buried on the island of Skyros, his grave marked with two wooden crosses. The larger cross which had been placed at the head of the grave was probably made by a ship's carpenter, either from the transport 'Grantully Castle' or from the French hospital ship the 'Duguay-Trouin' on which Brooke had died. The smaller cross at the foot of the grave was from his RND platoon, with the inscription "Lt. R. Brooke. A. Co. 3rd Bn. late RND."

The larger cross had Brooke's name on the face and on the reverse, written in pencil by the interpreter the following Greek inscription

"Here lies

the servant of God

Sub-lieutenant in the

English Navy

Who died for the

deliverance of Constantinople from

the Turks"

These words, minus the reference to the Turks, were incorporated in the inscription on the monument placed over the grave after the war. At that time the larger wooden cross was brought back to England and given to Brooke's mother. Today it may be seen in Rugby cemetery though the pencil lettering has long gone and it now bears the carved inscription "R.I.P. In Memory of Rupert Brooke, Died 23 April 1915, Aged 27 years"

The smaller cross which was left at the grave seems to have been lost.

This from 'Rupert Brooke's Death and Burial' by Peter J. Miller, IWM (1992)

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Charles Fair]

There are 4 in the cloister of Salisbury cathedral including Capt Francis Dodgson (8 Yorks) kia Contalmaison 10 July 1916 (my grandmother's first fiancee, b Serre No 2) and his brother Guy, (1 Hertfordshires) dow Caudry 14 Nov 1918 (b Caudry Mil Cem)

[Northern Soul]

There is one in Finsthwaite Churchyard in S. Cumbria (perhaps two - I can't remember?) but I just can't recall the name and I don't seem to have made a note of it in my files. The cross is actually outdoors adjacent to one of the church walls but seems to have been treated to make it weatherproof. It bears the original aluminium tags. Strictly speaking it should be better looked after than it is.

I also seem to recall that there is a small cross (in a cabinet) inside the church which was fashioned from 'wood from the first pontoon' thrown across some river in Italy during the Allied operations there.

I must go and visit and confirm the details.

Andy.

[paul guthrie]

There are several outdoors in Brookwood Cemetery with aluminum tags still on them. I was amazed they have not been stolen. Paul Rason who took me there may have some details o if you are interested post or email and I will email Paul. They are not fancy ones like some of the ones pictured here I guess they were graves registration issue.

A guess on the river is it was the Piave crossed by 7th Division October 1918 and pontoon is from one of the regiments of that Division. There is a 7th Division Memorial there identical to one I saw on Western Front in Belgium I think.

[Myrtle]

Charles

There are seven battlefield crosses in Salisbury Cathedral cloisters.

In addition to the ones you have mentioned there are two crosses for the following brothers in law.

Captain Basil Mortimer Hodgson, 3rd Queens Royal West Surrey Reg.

Died in hospital in Cairo April 1st 1918 of wounds.

He was husband of Mary Alice Carpenter who was the daughter of the Archdeacon of Sarum

and the sister of :

Lt. J.P.M. Carpenter who was killed near Flers at The Battle of the Somme and was afterwards

moved to his grave in Bullecourt Cemetery.

There is also a cross for Colonel Frank A. Symons CMG DSOMB Army Medical Service

KI A 30th April 1917

Buried at St. Nicholas Cemetery Arras May 1st

There is also one for:

No. 318 Gnr. G.A.K. Buskin

1st Field Artillery Brigade

AIF

KIA 3rd November 1917

The seventh one is for:

Cpl William Herbert Ladd DCM

2nd Bn. Wiltshire Reg.

KIA 21st March 1918

Regards

Myrtle

[Staffsyeoman]

Sorry I can't scan it, but this afternoon in my local Timpson shoe repairers, I spotted a leaflet where they offer a 'memorials' service.

The illustrations on the front cover of the leaflet looked strangely familiar in comparison with designs posted here. No idea what they're made of, but they're dark/blackened.

[Graham-McAdam]

... in one of the churches in Rutland.

Keith - don't be coy, tell us where it is, otherwise its a long search, even in Rutland.

[jim_davies]

Market Overton, perhaps ?

[keith]

Yes Market Overton with it's grade 11 listed War Memorial

Keith

[Marc Thompson]

The original battlefield cross for 2/Lt Denis George Wyldbore Hewitt V.C. 14th Bn (attached) Hampshire Regiment in Hursley Church, Hampshire.

July 31st 1917 :

'For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of a company in attack. When his first objective had been captured he organized the company and moved forward towards his objective. While waiting for the barrage to lift he was hit by a piece of shell, which exploded the signal lights in his haversack, and set fire to equipment and clothes. Having extinguished the flames, in spite of his wound and the severe pain he was suffering, he led forward the remains of the company under very heavy machine gun fire, captured and consolidated his objective. He was subsequently killed by a sniper while inspecting the consolidation and encouraging his men.'

[Mark Hone]

I have discovered another original wooden cross in Bury-that of Lt. Thomas Lines MC DCM, 16th Lancashire Fusiliers, KIA 5th April 1918,who is buried at Quesnoy Farm Cemetery. It is preserved at the Lancashire Fusiliers Regimental museum.

[keith]

Two more from Rutland. Two at Bisbrooke Church both of them from the grave of the Hon. Percy Charles Evans-Freke killed 13th May 1915

Keith

[Kate Wills]

There a four battlefield crosses in the Chapel of St James at Magdalen College Brackley, Northamptonshire, each coming from the graves of former pupils.