LCpl Arnold Royle 2/4 South Lancs Regt d.7/5/18

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: ROYLE, ARNOLD

Initials: A

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regiment: South Lancashire Regiment

Unit Text: "C" Coy. 2nd/4th Bn.

Age: 21

Date of Death: 07/05/1918

Service No: 201275

Additional information: Son of John and Eliza Royle. Alternative Commeoration - buried in Manchester (General) Cemetery.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Screen Wall.

Cemetery: MANCHESTER SOUTHERN CEMETERY

Curious to see Arnold's commemoration is at a different cemetery to where he actually rests............Whilst seen quite often with overseas burials where the grave could not be found when a cemetery was concentrated to another or if the cemetery was unmaintainable...........but never seen it with a UK burial..........I wonder why this happened?

My own question has been answered in part when I read the cemetery details where I see a number of burials in the near area are commemorated at Manchester Southern Cemetery................still doesn't answer the question why the decision was taken to do this

Edited 7 May , 2005 by Will O'Brien

[Will O'Brien]

& the cemetery details

Cemetery: MANCHESTER SOUTHERN CEMETERY

Country: United Kingdom

Locality: Lancashire

Historical Information: During the First World War, Manchester contained between thirty and forty war hospitals, including the 2nd Western General Hospital and the Nell Lane Military Hospital for prisoners of war. Many of those buried in the cemeteries and churchyards of the city died in these hospitals. During the Second World War, there was a Royal Air Force Station at Heaton Park, Manchester. Manchester Southern Cemetery contains burials of both wars, the majority of them scattered. There are also separate plots for First and Second World War burials, but in neither case are the graves marked individually; instead, each plot has a screen wall bearing the names of those buried there. The screen wall in the Second World War plot also bears the names of 177 servicemen and women whose remains were cremated. Further memorials in this plot commemorate 17 Polish servicemen buried there, and a number of casualties of both wars buried in other cemeteries and churchyards in the Manchester area whose graves could no longer be maintained*. Each plot has a Cross of Sacrifice. In all, 813 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War, including 1 unidentified, and 482 from the Second World War, including 3 unidentified, are now commemorated in the cemetery; there is also 1 non-war service grave. Casualties buried in the following cemeteries and churchyards are now alternatively commemorated in Manchester Southern Cemetery: Ashton-under-Lyne (St Michael) Churchyard Extension Birch-in-Rusholme (St James) Churchyard Blackley (St Peter) Churchyard Bury (Brunswick) United Methodist Cemetery Cheetham Hill (St Luke) Churchyard Eccles (St Mary) Churchyard Eccleston (St Thomas) Churchyard Extension Edgeworth Congregational Chapelyard Manchester General Cemetery Newton Heath (All Saints) Church Cemetery Openshaw (St Barnabas) Churchyard Swinton Unitarian Chapelyard

No. of Identified Casualties: 1309

[Will O'Brien]

Arnold Royle's online MIC index entry can be seen here

[Will O'Brien]

The 1901 census shows the 4 year old Arnold Royle living in the parish of Harpurhey along with his mother Eliza & his father John who was a Commercial Clerk in a Shipping Warehouse

[Ste]

I have come across one casualty fromt he 1/5 South Lancs commemorated 'alternatively' in this way, in a different place to where he is buried. From memory, I think it is the same two cemeteries involved, but I would have to look it up to be sure.

Cheers,

Ste

[John_Hartley]

Very little to add here except that SDGW records that Arnold was born in Harpurhey so he is probably the 4 year old above. Manchester General Cemetery is also in the Harpurhey district.

No mention of him in the National Roll for Manchester or anyone obvious in the employers entries of the City Battalions' Roll of Honour.

At the time, Harpurhey was a well-to-do area to the north of the city centre. Exactly the sort of area John Royle's family would live in.

SDGW records Arnold as having "died" - presumably natural causes. The CWGC info above indicates that bruials in the General Cemetery can "no longer be maintained" and are therefore commemorated on the screen wall at Southern. I don't know why this should be the case as General is still a "working" cemetery.

John