wanted - photos nationwide

[jlang]

I will take a photograph next time I am in Dunblane, unless some else does as I don't go there very often.  Please could you detail your needs for Edinburgh as I go there from time to time.

 

Jim

[Jim Strawbridge]

Temptage :- quote  "There is also another one who might not fit your criteria, but it would be a pity if she wasnt included. Jenny Ekman. A Norwegian who was killed while serving as a Stewardess onboard the SS Luna, a Swedish ship when it was hit by a torpedo. She is also buried in Grimsby Scartho Road Cemetery. Until I found the Abigal Emerson grave, Jenny was the ONLY civilian killed in WW1 to be buried in GSRC".

 

Tony, She is already one of mine and you kindly, in the past, provided a photograph of her headstone. But I wouldn't expect you to remember for as we get older the "little grey cells" thin out a little.

[Jim Strawbridge]

18 hours ago, jlang said:

I will take a photograph next time I am in Dunblane, unless some else does as I don't go there very often.  Please could you detail your needs for Edinburgh as I go there from time to time.

 

Jim

 

Thank you. I need a photograph of the grave of Andrina Grierson Menelaws, VAD, died 30th October 1918, aged 41, and buried in Newington Cemetery, Edinburgh (sorry, plot number not known).

 

Also a photograph of the grave of Frances Marion Money, VAD, died 20th December 1919, aged 31, and is buried in Dean 2d Cemetery, Edinburgh (plot unknown).

Edited 14 March , 2020 by Jim Strawbridge

[temptage]

3 hours ago, Jim Strawbridge said:

Tony, She is already one of mine and you kindly, in the past, provided a photograph of her headstone. But I wouldn't expect you to remember for as we get older the "little grey cells" thin out a little.

 

Did I indeed!!!! lol

 

I thought I had either put a topic on about her or at least told someone about her, but prior to posting yesterday I made a search on GWF for her name and nothing came up, so added her anyway.

[Jim Strawbridge]

On 20/02/2020 at 10:44, Jim Strawbridge said:

 

CHADDERTON  -  Mabel DRINKWATER, nurse, died 29th November 1915 and is buried in grave 70, plot N5, Chadderton Cemetery, Middleston Road, Chadderton. A photograph of her grave marker required.

 

HALIFAX  -  Annie Elizabeth KERSHAW, VAD, died 6th February 1919 is buried in plot 82N, St. Matthews Cemetery, Lightcliffe, Halifax. A photograph of her grave marker required.

 

(assumed Halifax, Yorkshire rather than Halifax, Nova Scotia).

 

ps.  yes, I have Boue-Blandy

 

Hello Ralph, Both sets of photographs safely received with grateful thanks, Jim

[ralphjd]

Jim. Who do you have in HEALEY ? presume Healey as in Rochdale or am I wrong ? Ralph.

[Jim Strawbridge]

22 hours ago, ralphjd said:

Jim. Who do you have in HEALEY ? presume Healey as in Rochdale or am I wrong ? Ralph.

 

My requirement is a photograph of the grave of Effie Rosa Downes GUNTON, VAD, who died in March 1917 and is buried in Christ Church churchyard, aged 39.

 

Yes, it is the Healey near Rochdale.

[ralphjd]

Jim. Will do what I can under the current circumstsnces. Ralph

[PRC]

@Jim Strawbridge

 

I don't know if your mail box is full or you've turned it off - I was just trying to PM you but I get the notification that you can't receive messages.

 

What I was trying to send you was:-

 

Jim,

 

My Covid-19 project is to step up transcription of the Norfolk newspapers from the Great War. In the last few days I've come across one in memoriam notice for a munitions worker.

Is this someone you are aware of?

 

Eastern Daily Press Wednesday 11th April 1917.

IN MEMORIAM

 

OVERTON – In ever loving memory of Ethel, the dearly loved daughter of Robert and Anna Overton, of 12, Midland Street, Norwich, who died through inhaling poisonous fume, whilst engaged on war work, April 11th, 1916, aged 32.

 

We think of her in silence,

No eye can see us weep,

But deep within our hearts

Her memory still we keep.

 

                              Father and mother

 

OVERTON – In ever loving memory of our dear sister Ethel, who died through inhaling poisonous fumes whilst engaged on war work, April 11th, 1916, aged 32.

 

Dear is the spot where our sister is laid,

Sweet is her memory that never shall fade;

Fond is the hope that again we shall meet,

Kneeling together at Jesu’s feet.

-        From Edith, Anna, Florrie, and George.

 

The death of Ethel A. Overton, aged 32, was recorded in the Norwich District in Q2 of 1916.

 

I'm also going to be a pain and ask you if these column filler press agengy stories come within the scope of your project.

 

Eastern Daily Press Monday 9th April 1917.

 

COTTAGE GARDEN TRAGEDY

 

WOMAN AND CHILD KILLED BY AEROPLANE.

 

An officer of the Royal Flying Corps, in descending on Saturday morning at Walsall in to a garden fronting cottages, collided with Fanny North, an elderly woman carrying an infant, and killed both. The aviator was not seriously injured, but the machine was badly damaged.

 

Eastern Daily Press Wedmesday 11th April 1917.

 

WALSALL AEROPLANE ACCIDENT.

 

WOMAN AND CHILD KILLED.

 

At an inquest at Walsall yesterday on Mrs. Frances North (62), and her grandchild, Edna May Vass, aged 10 months, who were killed by an aeroplane, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and expressed sympathy with the relatives and with Lieut. Mann, Royal Flying Corps, who is in hospital and is expected to recover. The mother of the baby, whose husband is with the artiilery in France, and who had her arm in bandages, said she was carrying the child and was standing with her mother watching the aeroplane when she was suddenly knocked down. Her mother and her child were killed, the former being partly under the aeroplane. It was stated the pilot ran into a thick mist, and when descending his engine suddenly failed. He expressed his deep sorrow with the relatives of the deceased.

 

The death of a Frances A. North, aged 62, was recorded in the Walsall District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1917.  In the same quarter and District there is a death registered for an Edna M. Vass, aged under 1.

 

Regards,

Peter

 

[Jim Strawbridge]

21 hours ago, PRC said:

@Jim Strawbridge

 

I don't know if your mail box is full or you've turned it off - I was just trying to PM you but I get the notification that you can't receive messages.

 

What I was trying to send you was:-

 

Jim,

 

My Covid-19 project is to step up transcription of the Norfolk newspapers from the Great War. In the last few days I've come across one in memoriam notice for a munitions worker.

Is this someone you are aware of?

 

Eastern Daily Press Wednesday 11th April 1917.

IN MEMORIAM

 

OVERTON – In ever loving memory of Ethel, the dearly loved daughter of Robert and Anna Overton, of 12, Midland Street, Norwich, who died through inhaling poisonous fume, whilst engaged on war work, April 11th, 1916, aged 32.

 

We think of her in silence,

No eye can see us weep,

But deep within our hearts

Her memory still we keep.

 

                              Father and mother

 

OVERTON – In ever loving memory of our dear sister Ethel, who died through inhaling poisonous fumes whilst engaged on war work, April 11th, 1916, aged 32.

 

Dear is the spot where our sister is laid,

Sweet is her memory that never shall fade;

Fond is the hope that again we shall meet,

Kneeling together at Jesu’s feet.

-        From Edith, Anna, Florrie, and George.

 

The death of Ethel A. Overton, aged 32, was recorded in the Norwich District in Q2 of 1916.

 

I'm also going to be a pain and ask you if these column filler press agengy stories come within the scope of your project.

 

Eastern Daily Press Monday 9th April 1917.

 

COTTAGE GARDEN TRAGEDY

 

WOMAN AND CHILD KILLED BY AEROPLANE.

 

An officer of the Royal Flying Corps, in descending on Saturday morning at Walsall in to a garden fronting cottages, collided with Fanny North, an elderly woman carrying an infant, and killed both. The aviator was not seriously injured, but the machine was badly damaged.

 

Eastern Daily Press Wedmesday 11th April 1917.

 

WALSALL AEROPLANE ACCIDENT.

 

WOMAN AND CHILD KILLED.

 

At an inquest at Walsall yesterday on Mrs. Frances North (62), and her grandchild, Edna May Vass, aged 10 months, who were killed by an aeroplane, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and expressed sympathy with the relatives and with Lieut. Mann, Royal Flying Corps, who is in hospital and is expected to recover. The mother of the baby, whose husband is with the artiilery in France, and who had her arm in bandages, said she was carrying the child and was standing with her mother watching the aeroplane when she was suddenly knocked down. Her mother and her child were killed, the former being partly under the aeroplane. It was stated the pilot ran into a thick mist, and when descending his engine suddenly failed. He expressed his deep sorrow with the relatives of the deceased.

 

The death of a Frances A. North, aged 62, was recorded in the Walsall District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1917.  In the same quarter and District there is a death registered for an Edna M. Vass, aged under 1.

 

Regards,

Peter

 

 

Peter, I have just checked and my message box was full. I have undertaken some deletions so messages should get through now. My research and recording has expanded since I started my project. It now includes all woman who died due to the consequences of the war. I have a fairly comprehensive list of munion workers but the one that you have mentioned (Ethel Overton) had escaped me. Frances North will be added, too. I have added both and will start researching them. I am most grateful to you for pointing them out to me, Regards and keep safe, Jim

[PRC]

16 minutes ago, Jim Strawbridge said:

I have a fairly comprehensive list of munion workers but the one that you have mentioned (Ethel Overton) had escaped me.

 

Once the County Archive is re-opened I see if I can track down a coroners inquest in the local newspapers and a place of burial from the Norwich cemetery registers.

Cheers,

Peter

 

[Jim Strawbridge]

34 minutes ago, PRC said:

 

Once the County Archive is re-opened I see if I can track down a coroners inquest in the local newspapers and a place of burial from the Norwich cemetery registers.

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

That would be helpful. Thank you.

[GraemeClarke]

Jim

 

I have researched North and Vass.

 

Frances Ann NORTH

and

Edna May VASS

Died in England on Monday 7 April 1917

 

 

     Frances Ann North (62 years) resided at 5, Brewer Street, Ryecroft with her daughter, Louisa Vass (25 years) and her child Edna May Vass (10 months) at the time of this incident.

     Frances Ann was the daughter of Thomas and Harriett (née Roach) North of 23, Brewers Cottage, Rushall and later of 51, Mount Pleasant, Walsall, her father, who passed away in 1889, being an iron caster and later a ‘snuffer maker’. Harriett passed away in 1905.

     Frances had two children, Thomas and Louisa North, there being no mention of a marriage. At some stage the family moved to 5, Brewer Street, Walsall and Louisa married Arthur Vass at Walsall in 1915, her husband serving as a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery during the war.

     At about 11am on Monday 7 April 1917 Frances and Louisa were at home when they heard the sound of an aircraft. It is now known that the pilot was Second Lieutenant Thomas Sidney Lanyon Mann, 43 Reserve Squadron, Royal Flying Corps in an Avro 504 serial number A533, based at Ternhill Heath, Market Drayton. Both rushed out to see the aircraft.

     Second Lieutenant Mann was obviously in some difficulty and the aircraft crashed in a garden at the front of the house killing both Frances and Edna.

     The pilot was badly injured in the head and rushed to Walsall Manor Hospital as was Louisa who injured her arm.

     Whilst in hospital the pilot stated,

    “All went well after take-off until around 11am, when I ran into a thick mist. I was then about 4000ft high, so I descended (on account of the mist) to about 400 to 500ft when suddenly my engine petered out… I circled several times and tried to make for open country but I failed… the bi-plane crashed to earth. I should think then I was about 100ft high and I waved at them to get out of the way.”

     An inquest into the matter was conducted at Walsall Hospital on Tuesday 8 April 1917, the coroner, Mr. John Flockhart Addison, presiding. The Royal Flying Corps were represented by Captain A.F.K. White, Sussex Regiment attached Royal Flying Corps.

     The first witness was Louisa Vass. She stated that at about 11am on Monday 7 April 1917 both she and her mother were in the kitchen of their house when they heard the sound of an aircraft. They went outside to look at the aircraft and then Louisa returned to the kitchen and rejoined her mother holding her child. As they watched they saw the aircraft they saw it descending and Louisa heard someone shout “run”, this now believed to be the pilot.

     She stood transfixed as the aircraft crashed. She then told the court that she was knocked down, her child was flung from her arms, and she then found herself pinned under the aircraft’s wing.

     The next witness was Thomas Deakin, the licensee of ‘The Royal Exchange’, Mill Street, Walsall. He told the court that he had seen the aircraft circle the town four times and then drop. He ran to the scene and saw the wreckage of the aircraft in a garden. The pilot was bleeding from a wound to his head and semi-conscious. The witness helped the pilot out of some wire in which he was entangled and he was taken in a lorry to the hospital. In cross examination he stated that the aircraft fell nose first but not in a steep descent.

     Mrs. Kate Beebee of 15, Mill Street, Walsall told the court that the aircraft’s engine stopped and then it fell to earth. She ran to the garden and picked up the child which was not quite dead. She saw some railwaymen removed Louisa from underneath the wreckage.

     Police Sergeant Sheppard, the Coroner’s Officer, informed the court that he had interviewed the pilot who was too ill to attend the court. He had been informed that the pilot had taken off at 10.15am. About 11am he had run into a thick mist and had descended about 400 or 500 feet. His engine then ‘petered out’ and he circled several time looking for a landing spot. He failed to do so and the aircraft crashed. He stated that he saw several people in the area and had waved his hand in an effort to warn them.

     Doctor O’Meara, who examined the child, stated that death was due to a fractured skull.

     Doctor the Right Honourable Heashae, the lady house surgeon, stated that Frances’s injuries consisted of a deep scalp wound at the back of the head, fracture of the neck and spine, fracture of the lower jaw, fracture of the skull, broken ribs and a broken thigh. Death was due to the broken neck.

     The Coroner stated that he could see no useful purpose for adjourning the inquest, bearing in mind the officer’s evidence, and proposed to close the inquest that day. A verdict of ‘accidental death’ was returned.

     According to newspapers, the military bore the expense of the funeral which took place at Rushall on Saturday 14 April 1917, followed by an internment in Rushall Prish cemetery (St. Michael the Archangel).

     Other documents, however, suggest that the Ryecroft community, under the Reverend Dawson, organised a fund which raised a sum of £8, this being paid to her in instalments. The Council also helped. The Mayor, Mr. S.M. Slater, who had lost his wife in the Zeppelin raid, personally ordered the cost of the funerals at Rushall Church, some £11:10s, to be paid through the War-Aid Fund.
     Curiously, the headstone only mentions Frances and Edna in passing, the headstone being dedicated to Thomas and Florence North, Frances’s son and daughter in law.

     Frances’s son, Thomas, served in a Trench Mortar Battery during the war and prior to enlisting was employed by the Home and Colonial Stores, Bradford Street, Walsall.

     Arthur Vass enlisted in the Army during September 1916 and was wounded and gassed in his service. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a currier at Messrs. Price, Bank Street, Walsall.

 

 

 

     Second Lieutenant Thomas Sidney Lanyon Mann was born on Wednesday 26 September 1888 at Crediton, Devon. (The Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate, however, incorrectly records his year of birth as 1886).

     Prior to the war he was employed as an electrical and mechanical engineer for the British Westinghouse Company, Manchester and later for a firm in London.

     He obtained his certificate on Monday 5 February 1917 at Birmingham Military School flying a Maurice Farman biplane. He had, therefore, only been flying solo for a month at the time of the accident.

     Thomas was promoted to Lieutenant on Monday 1 April 1918 but pronounced unfit for further service in the Royal Air Force on Wednesday 17 July 1918.

 

 

Edited 7 May , 2020 by GraemeClarke

[GraemeClarke]

Jim

 

I assumed you were only interested in female military deaths.

 

I have this

 

Mary Julie SLATER

Lady Mayoress

Died in England on Sunday 20 February 1916

 

     Mary was born in Handsworth, Birmingham the eldest daughter of C.T. Saunders, a solicitor, and was educated at Handsworth Ladies College. Her grandmother was a native of Bremen who came to England in about 1830.

     Mary was married to Samuel Mills Slater of ‘The Elms’, 3, Bescot Road, Walsall in 1889, Samuel being a solicitor in the town. They had five children.

     An accomplished painter, Mary was instrumental in forming a number of health societies in different areas, and was honorary secretary of the Children’s League of Pity and the Association for the Help of the Blind for many years. After the outbreak of war she was very active in the local Red Cross Society.

     On Tuesday 9 November 1915 her husband was elected Mayor of Walsall for the year and she assumed the duties of Mayoress.

     On the night of Monday 31 January 1916 nine German Zeppelin airships of the Imperial German Navy set out from their bases on the north west coast of Germany to bomb targets in English Midlands, and South. Two Zeppelin, the L.21 and L.29, bombed the Black Country resulting in the death of Mary.

     The L.21 was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Max Dietrich who became hopelessly lost in his quest to find Liverpool. He eventually dropped three bombs on Tipton, five on Lower Bradley, several bombs on Wednesbury and then flew over Walsall at about 8.15pm.

     Eight bombs were dropped, four explosive and four incendiary.

     His first bomb landed on Wednesbury Road Congregational Church, on the corner of Wednesbury Road and Glebe Street. The bomb struck the centre of the roof virtually destroying the building. Only one person was killed, Thomas Merrylees, aged 25 years.

     An incendiary bomb was then dropped in the grounds of the General Hospital and two explosive bombs were dropped in Mountrath Street, Walsall. An explosive bomb landed right in Walsall town centre, outside the Science and Art Institute in Bradford Place.

     At that moment Mary was travelling as a passenger on the Number 16 Tram in Bradford Place in company of her sister and sister in law. A bomb dropped close to the tram and she suffered severe chest and abdominal wounds. She was taken to Walsall Hospital by taxi and succumbed to shock and septicaemia at 5.40pm on Sunday 20 February 1916.

     At an inquest held at Walsall Hospital on Tuesday 22 February 1916 her husband, the Mayor, gave evidence to the Coroner, Mr. James Flockhart Addison, of what he was told by his wife. He stated that his wife had sat behind the driver and that the lights in the tram had either gone out or been turned out. At that point she was hit but managed to vacate the tram. She was insistent that she was hit in the tram and not as she was leaving it.

     Medical evidence was heard that Mary had severe wounds in the chest and abdomen from shell splinters. A verdict in accordance with the evidence was returned.    

     Mary was buried in Walsall Ryecroft Cemetery, Walsall in Grave 21.1.240A on Thursday 24 February 1916.

     The Walsall Cenotaph now stands in the spot where Mary was mortally wounded. A memorial to Mary stands in the first floor landing of the Council House, paid for by the Walsall Children’s Country Holiday Home Trust.

     Four people were killed in the air raid and fourteen injured.

     Her son, Percival, was a Lieutenant in the 1/6^th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment and was wounded in the arm by gun shot on Friday 13 October 1915 during an attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt.

     The driver of the tram was Richard Sweeney who died in the war and is commemorated on the Walsall roll of honour.

     Newspapers reported that two men, who had alighted from the tramcar, were also fatally wounded. These were Frank Thomas Linney, aged 36, of 12, Perry Street, Wednesbury and Charles Cope, aged 34 years, of 87, Crankhall Lane, Wednesbury.

     Total casualties for the raid this night were 67 killed and 117 injured.

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

 

Edited 9 May , 2020 by GraemeClarke

[GraemeClarke]

Elizabeth STREET

Died in England on Thursday 10 February 1916

 

 

     On the night of Monday 31 January 1916 nine German Zeppelin airships of the Imperial German Navy set out from their bases on the north west coast of Germany to bomb targets in English Midlands, and South. Two Zeppelin, the L.21 and L.29, bombed the Black Country resulting in the death of Mary.

     The L.21 was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Max Dietrich who became hopelessly lost in his quest to find Liverpool. He eventually dropped three bombs on Tipton, five on Lower Bradley, several bombs on Wednesbury and then flew over Walsall at about 8.15pm.

     Eight bombs were dropped, four explosive and four incendiary.

     Following the raid, concerns were heightened and air raid sirens were sounded.

     Elizabeth, aged 71 years, was an inmate of the Union Infirmary (a work house), Pleck Road, Walsall, died from apoplexy due to the excitement caused by the blowing of a siren on Thursday 10 February 1916.

     She was buried in Ryecroft Cemetery, Walsall in Grave 35.5.179 during Wednesday 19 February 1916.

     Nothing is now apparent at the grave site.

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

[Jim Strawbridge]

Thank you, Graeme, I am most grateful for your help. Your comprehensive reports about the women are brilliant and well researched. 

[RevTony]

Hello Jim

 

I am a newcomer to the site and came across your thread/requests. Apologies if I break any protocols.

 

I am attempting to research the life and death of Nurse Hilda Moorby, VAD, buried at Waltonwrays Cemetery, Skipton, North Yorkshire. 

 

She is buried in the parish and I have been tending her grave. 

 

I have managed to collect some information from CWGC, Craven War Dead, and IWM Lives of the First World War. 

 

I was wondering whether you had a photograph of her original headstone (if there was one) or whether you can shed any further light on her life or burial. 

 

I am aware that she died of bronco-pneumonia and that she had a younger brother, William, who is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

 

I would be very grateful to receive any further information.  

 

Many thanks Jim, 

 

Tony 

[BarbaraG]

Assume you also have VAD Record Card..

 

https://vad.redcross.org.uk/Card?sname=Moorby&id=153510&first=true&last=true

[RevTony]

2 hours ago, BarbaraG said:

Assume you also have VAD Record Card..

 

https://vad.redcross.org.uk/Card?sname=Moorby&id=153510&first=true&last=true

Hello Barbara

Yes I have, thank you. I initially found it through the IWM site, but thank you for your help and interest.

Tony 

[BarbaraG]

There are several refs. on this thread - 2018 / 2019

 

Details on the 'In From the Cold Project' may be worth a look... Chris Harley would be the person to contact. 

Try a search on this Forum and there are details from 15 November 2018 re. Headstone.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/forum/68-possible-non-commemorations/

 

Edited 4 June , 2020 by BarbaraG

[Jim Strawbridge]

11 hours ago, RevTony said:

Hello Jim

 

I am a newcomer to the site and came across your thread/requests. Apologies if I break any protocols.

 

I am attempting to research the life and death of Nurse Hilda Moorby, VAD, buried at Waltonwrays Cemetery, Skipton, North Yorkshire. 

 

She is buried in the parish and I have been tending her grave. 

 

I have managed to collect some information from CWGC, Craven War Dead, and IWM Lives of the First World War. 

 

I was wondering whether you had a photograph of her original headstone (if there was one) or whether you can shed any further light on her life or burial. 

 

I am aware that she died of bronco-pneumonia and that she had a younger brother, William, who is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

 

I would be very grateful to receive any further information.  

 

Many thanks Jim, 

 

Tony 

 

As you will probably know, the CWGC changed their criteria for commemorating war dead allowing VADs who worked under military rules to be included. Interested parties could submit names for consideration. That is what happened re Hilda Moorby and I have a note that her grave was accepted in September 2018. To answer your question, I don't think that there could have been an original headstone. The CWGC is not in the habit of removing existing headstones from graves and either carry on with the existing headstone as the marker (this is normal) or, as sometimes happens, adding their headstone so that the grave has two. This latter is unusual but not unheard of. It is very unlikely that they would take an original one away just to substitute it with one of their own. Two reasons :- a) what would they do with the original as it would be of no use to them and b) the grave is likely to have been a private purchase and they could not do anything harmful to it without permission of the original purchaser's descendant's permission. The CWGC would have consulted the parish Burial Register and identified exactly where the grave was so that they could put it in the right place. As this was only a couple of years ago I would have thought that someone from your church would have been involved and remembered if there was a previous marker or not. I hope that this helps.

[BarbaraG]

Jim, would you know who researched the location of her grave for Chris, as application wouldn't have gone ahead without that having been established.

[RevTony]

4 hours ago, Jim Strawbridge said:

 

As you will probably know, the CWGC changed their criteria for commemorating war dead allowing VADs who worked under military rules to be included. Interested parties could submit names for consideration. That is what happened re Hilda Moorby and I have a note that her grave was accepted in September 2018. To answer your question, I don't think that there could have been an original headstone. The CWGC is not in the habit of removing existing headstones from graves and either carry on with the existing headstone as the marker (this is normal) or, as sometimes happens, adding their headstone so that the grave has two. This latter is unusual but not unheard of. It is very unlikely that they would take an original one away just to substitute it with one of their own. Two reasons :- a) what would they do with the original as it would be of no use to them and b) the grave is likely to have been a private purchase and they could not do anything harmful to it without permission of the original purchaser's descendant's permission. The CWGC would have consulted the parish Burial Register and identified exactly where the grave was so that they could put it in the right place. As this was only a couple of years ago I would have thought that someone from your church would have been involved and remembered if there was a previous marker or not. I hope that this helps.

Thanks Jim, that does indeed help. I wasn't sure what the general policy was regarding CWGC headstones. We have a fairly small congregation at present and the ones that I have been able to speak too over the last few weeks were unaware of Hilda. Many thanks for your prompt response. RevTony    

[RevTony]

5 hours ago, BarbaraG said:

There are several refs. on this thread - 2018 / 2019

 

Details on the 'In From the Cold Project' may be worth a look... Chris Harley would be the person to contact. 

Try a search on this Forum and there are details from 15 November 2018 re. Headstone.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/forum/68-possible-non-commemorations/

 

That's great, thanks Barbara. 

[Jim Strawbridge]

20 hours ago, BarbaraG said:

Jim, would you know who researched the location of her grave for Chris, as application wouldn't have gone ahead without that having been established.

 

I am the wrong person to ask. Try Chris. But I don't really understand why you are asking. No one is doubting that the CWGC marker is in the right place. If they knew she was buried in that churchyard but not the exact spot then they would have placed either a screen wall or a headstone reading "In this cemetery lies etc".