Love God, Serve People, Make Disciples
The history below was published by Peter Clements on 4th September 2018. He says: More information regarding most of those named on this WW1 Memorial is available from Saltash Heritage: but, constructive criticism and additional information, especially about those not yet identified, would be very welcome.
Inscribed on the Cenotaph:
TO THE HONOURED DEAD1914 – 1919“YE THAT LIVE ON MID ENGLISH PASTURES GREEN,THINK OF US AND WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.”
Son of John and Annie Bligh, of Trehan, St. Stephens-by-Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Cologne Southern Cemetery. Germany.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
More than 1,000 Allied prisoners were buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery during the First World War. In 1922 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries at Kassel, Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne. Over the course of the following year, graves were transferred to Cologne Southern Cemetery from over 180 different burial grounds in Hanover, Hessen, the Rhine and Westphalia. There are now almost 2,500 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in the Commonwealth plots at Cologne.
There are 40 Frederick Bond’s ‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – none of who seem to have any obvious connection to St. Stephens-by-Saltash Parish or the Borough of Saltash.
Son of the Rev. Claude C. C. and Millicent P. Bosanquet, of The Vicarage, St.Stephens-by-Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Amara War Cemetery. Iraq.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Amara was occupied by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 3 June 1915 and it immediately became a hospital center. The accommodation for medical units on both banks of the Tigris was greatly increased during 1916 and in April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed there. Amara War Cemetery contains 4,621 burials of the First World War, more than 3,000 of which were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice. 925 of the graves are unidentified. In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it. Plot XXV is a Collective Grave, the individual burial places within this are not known.
From Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919Transcription:- Residence St. Stephens-by-Saltash, enlisted Saltash. Killed in Action.
‘Remembered with Honour’ A.I.F. Burial Ground, Flers, Somme, France.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The great majority of the graves in A.I.F. Burial Ground date from the autumn of 1916. There are now 3,475 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 2,263 of the burials are unidentified. The cemetery also contains 170 French and 3 German war graves. Casualty Details: UK 2815, Canada 67, Australia 417, New Zealand 89, South Africa 27, Germany 3, France 164, Total Burials: 3580.
Son of John Henry and Mary E. Callaghan, of Burraton Cross, St. Stephen’s, Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ on the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Palestine: and on the Burraton Methodist Chapel, Saltash War Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The port of Alexandria was an important hospital center during later operations in Egypt and Palestine and was much used by hospital ships and troop transports bringing reinforcements and carrying the sick and wounded out of the Egypt and Palestine theatres of war. Most of the burials were made from the Alexandria hospitals. The cemetery continued in use until December 1919 but later, some graves were brought in from small burial grounds in the western desert. There are now 1,700 First World War burials in the cemetery.
The 1901 Census indicates he was the son of John Henry and Mary E. and brother of Arthur Francis Callaghan, of Burraton Cross, St. Stephen’s, Saltash. And that he was born in 1894.Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 Transcription shows he was born in Saltash and that he was killed in action.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guislain, Nord, France: and on the Burraton Methodist Chapel, Saltash War Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Villers-Guislain was occupied by Commonwealth forces from April 1917 until the German counter attacks (in the Battle of Cambrai) at the end of November 1917. The great majority of the graves in this cemetery are those of officers and men who died in April 1917, November-December 1917, March 1918 and September 1918. The cemetery now contains 732 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 350 of the burials are unidentified.
Son of William and Sarah Mary Chenery, of 23, Homer Park, St. Stephen’s, Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Plymouth Naval Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
HMS Indefatigable was sunk on 31 May 1916 during the Battle of Jutland; she was hit several times in the first minutes of the “Run to the South”, the opening phase of the battlecruiser action. Shells from the German battlecruiser Von der Tann caused an explosion ripping a hole in her hull, and a second explosion hurled large pieces of the ship 200 feet (60 m) in the air. Only three of the crew of 1,018 survived.
Son of William and Martha Claydon, of Glastonbury; husband of Maria Claydon, of Coombe Farm, St. Stephens-by-Saltash, Cornwall.
In March 1915, H.M.S. Goliath was part of the Dardanelles Campaign, in April in support of the landings at Gallipoli. On 13 May 1915 Goliath was sunk in Morto Bay off Cape Helles by three torpedoes from the Ottoman destroyer Muâvenet-i Millîye. Out of her crew of 750, 570 were killed when she sunk.
Son of John and Margaret Coles, of 3, Tavy View, Burraton, Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial: and on the Burraton Methodist Chapel, Saltash War Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, often referred to simply as the Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave. Between October 1914 and September 1918 hundreds of thousands of servicemen of the British Empire marched through the town of Ypres’s Menin Gate on their way to the battlefields: many did not return.
Husband of Linda Cook, of Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ in the Granezza British Cemetery: and on the Burraton Methodist Chapel, Saltash War Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Italians entered the war on the Allied side, declaring war on Austria, in May 1915. Commonwealth forces were at the Italian front between November 1917 and November 1918. The front was comparatively quiet until the Austrians attacked in force in the Battle of Asiago (15-16 June 1918). The Allied line was penetrated to a depth of about 1,000 meters on 15 June but the lost ground was retaken the next day and the line re-established. The Granezza British Cemetery is one of five Commonwealth cemeteries containing burials relating to this period. It contains 142 First World War burials.
The 1911 Census shows he was born in 1982. In 1911 he was single, age 19, occupation Seaman Navy Service, living with his parents at Skinhan Cottage, Pill, Saltash. St. Stephens Parish.
‘Remembered with Honour’ in Fredrikstad Military Cemetery. Norway.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
HMS Marmion was accidentally rammed by another Royal Navy Destroyer on 21 October, 1917 when the two were escorting a convoy across the North Sea. HMS Marmion foundered after attempts to take her under tow failed.The Fredrikstad Military Cemetery contains a total of 82 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 51 of them unidentified.
There are 4 Samuel Crook’s and 2 Crook’s with the first initial S ‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – none of who seem to have any obvious connection to St. Stephens-by-Saltash Parish or the Borough of Saltash.
Son of Alice Daymond, of 15, Russell Terrace, Cross Park, Saltash, Cornwall, and the late John Thomas Daymond.
WW1 Naval Casualties Transcription shows he was born 15th September 1870; that he was killed or died as a direct result of enemy action and that his widow was Rhoda, Elizabeth of 31 Homer Park Saltash.The 1911 Census shows that in 1911 he was a Naval Pensioner Caretaker Homer Park, married, age 40, address 31 Homer Park St Stephens Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ in Plympton (St. Mary) Churchyard.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
HMS Ariadne was a Diadem-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. Launched in 1898. In March 1913, she was converted to a stokers’ training ship. In 1917 she was a minelayer assigned to the Nore Command. HMS Ariadne was torpedoed and sunk off Beachy Head by a German submarine on 26 July 1917.
Son of the Rev. H. J. Dyer and Mary Dyer (nee Teitgen); husband of Ella Mabel Dyer (nee Hills), of 30, Sutherland Terrace, Ebury Bridge, London. Born at Kilmarnock.From Saltash Town Council’s Website Visitors Book:-I have just found my Grandad on your Great War memorial – H H Dyer – do you want any info re his service, or do you have info on him. I have only just discovered that he lived in Saltash when he was called up. Peter Dyer 12/12/12.On 14 Sep 2016, at 18:52, Peter Dyer emailed:-66228 Herbert Henry Dyer (Bert ) was conscripted in March 1917 aged 33. Had been medically unfit until then, and had a wife and 2 small children. He became an Air Mechanic and was trained to work with Observation Balloons. Shipped out to Salonika with 22 Balloon Company, 16 Wing Royal Flying Corps. On 1st April, he became Private 1st class in the RAF. At the time he was dying of Malaria and Dysentery as were thousands of servicemen on the Salonika front. He was shipped for home but ended his days in a Hospital in Malta where he is buried. I am sure this is much more than you needed, but I like to tell people about this forgotten Front. I seldom find anyone who has heard of The British Salonika Force. Regards, Peter Dyer.
‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Son of James and Jane Edgcombe, of St. Stephen’s, Saltash; husband of Nellie Edgcombe, of 17, Alfred Rd., Ford, Devonport.
‘Remembered with Honour’ on Plymouth Naval Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
While patrolling on the first full day of the war, HMS Amphion and her escort of destroyers encountered and sank the German minelayer, SMS Königin Luise, but not before the German minelayer had laid many of her mines. While returning from patrolling the following morning, HMS Amphion accidentally struck a mine on 6 August 1914 off the Thames Estuary and sank with the loss of 132 crewmen killed. She was the first ship of the Royal Navy to be sunk in the First World War.
There are 5 Frederick Gorman and 6 Gorman with the first initial F. ‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – none of who seem to have any obvious connection to St. Stephens-by-Saltash Parish or the Borough of Saltash.
Son of Levi and E. Harris, of Trematon, Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ in the Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension. Somme, France: and on Trematon ‘Roll of Honour’.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Aveluy village was held by Commonwealth forces from July 1915 to 26 March 1918. The extension to the communal cemetery, begun by the French who held this part of the line previously, was continued by our units and field ambulances from August 1915 to March 1917and now contains 613 burials and commemorations of the First World War.
His Service Certificate shows his name as Robert Heath alias Robert McIleen and that he was born on 20th August 1875 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.The 1891, 1901 & 1911 Census forms show he was a Buenos Ayres, S. America, naturalised British Subject.He married Margaret Lucy Rickard in December 1904 at Devonport and he signed her 1911 Census form as Robert McIlveen Heath. R.N.St. Stephen burial records show that he was buried there on 9th March 1918 age 42. Address at death given as 28 Home Park, Saltash. (I can’t find a Headstone.)
Not ‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Son of John and Emma J. Hodder, of 3, King’s Cottages, Burraton, Saltash, Cornwall.‘Remembered with Honour’ in St. Stephen’s-by-Saltash (St. Stephen) Churchyard.His Grave Curb-stone says, In loving memory of Edgar James beloved eldest son of J & B Hodder who died Sept 15th 1916 Aged 24 Years.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(On the other side of his Grave Curb-stone is a memorial to his younger brother Stoker 2nd Class. William George Hodder.)
Son of John and Emma J. Hodder, of 3, King’s Cottages, Burraton, Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
HMS Defence, was lost at the Battle of Jutland, 31st May -1st June 1916. She blew up whilst under heavy fire from the German battleship “Friedrich Der Grosse”. All of her complement of 904 men was lost with her.
(On a side of his brother Gunner Edgar James Grave Curb-stone in St. Stephens-by-Saltash Churchyard there is a inscription in memory of William George Hodder saying:-Also of William George beloved and youngest son who lost his life in the Battle of Jutland May 31st 1916 Aged 19 Years.)
Brother of Ida Hodge, of Antony Passage, St. Stephen’s, Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Flanders, Belgium.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Lijssenthoek was in a good strategic position to set up a medical center for treating wounded from the Ypres Salient battlefields.Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery is the resting place of 10,755 casualties of the First World War. All but 41 of the burials were for casualties who died while being treated at the medical facilities. The other 41 were after the war.re-burials from isolated burial sites and a local Churchyard.
Husband of Hilda Mary Hodge, of 130, Fore St., Saltash, Cornwall.Remembered with Honour’ on the Plymouth Naval Memorial: and on the War memorial in St. John’s Chapel inside St. Nicholas & St. Faith Church Saltash.
Son of Robert and Emily Jane, of I, Baden Terrace, Saltash Passage, Devonport.Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 Transcription show he was born and resided at St. Stephens-by-Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial. Pas de Calais, France.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Vis-En-Artois Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period between the 8th August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.
The Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 Transcription shows he was born at Burraton, Saltash, resided in Saltash and enlisted at Liskeard.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Harbertonford (St. Peter) Churchyard.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
KITT JAMES M. on the St. Stephens-by-Saltash War Memorial. Martin Kitt on the Trematon Sunday School and Trematon ‘Roll of Honour’.Martin J or Martin James in other references.From Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 Place of Birth St. Stephens-by-Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guislain.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The great majority of the graves in this cemetery are those of officers and men who died in April 1917, November-December 1917, March 1918 and September 1918. The cemetery now contains 732 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 350 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to seven casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate casualties whose grave could not be found. After the Armistice graves were brought in from the battlefields.
Son of Thomas and Lucretia Kitt, of Notter Cottage, Hatt, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Plymouth Naval Memorial .‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Son of James A. and Elizabeth Knight, of Forder, St. Stephen’S, Saltash.
The Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 shows he was born in St. Stephens, resided in St. Stephens and enlisted in Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Thiepval Memorial.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme battlefields bears the names of 72,194 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces.These men died in the Somme battle sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave.Over 90 percent of those commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial died in the 1916 Battles of the Somme between July and November 1916
Husband of Clara Marks, of Trehan House, Trehan, St. Stephens, Saltash.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Plymouth Naval Memorial: and also on the War Memorial at Burraton Methodist Chapel, Liskeard Road, Saltash.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
H.M.S. Pheasant was lost with all hands when taking her turn as part of the “Hoy Patrol”. She left Scapa Flow at 0530 on the 1st March 1917 to patrol west of the anchorage, and at 0610, men aboard trawlers reported an explosion. Black smoke was observed to the north west. The Grouse went to find the source of this blast, variously reported as two or five miles off, but found nothing. An hour later, a routine trawler sweep for mines found oil and flotsam and the body of a crew member. As she steamed down the west side of Hoy at full speed, H.M.S. Pheasant struck a mine that had been laid on January 21, 1917 by German submarine U 80.
From Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 Transcription. Private, 79887, Labour Corps Formerly 41391 Devon Regt.Son of Emma Moorshead, of 13, Brookdown Terrace, St. Stephen’s, Saltash, Cornwall, and the late John Moorshead.
‘Remembered with Honour’ St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city. Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross and one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension, where the last burial took place in April 1920. The cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, ten of them unidentified.
WW1 Naval Casualties Transcription shows his Mother. Carriel; of 2, Limberley Cottages, Lower Burraton, St Stephen by Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ and buried in Landrake (St. Michael) Churchyard.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
On 22 December 1917, H.M.S. Valkyrie was part of the escort for a convoy to the Netherlands when she struck a mine. Twelve men were killed, with seven more men, including Edward Francis Ough, died of wounds during the next few days.
Date of Birth 1 Jan 1876 at Forder, Saltash.Sister:- Jane Heath, 9 Albert Villas, Burraton, Saltash, ‘Remembered with Honour’ Londonderry (or Derry) City Cemetery.
On October 2nd, 1917, HMS Brisk hit a mine laid by the German submarine U-79: South West of Bull Point, County Antrim. From her complement of 141, 32 persons were killed. Her bow was blown off, but the main part of the ship was saved. A new bow was made and she continued in service.
Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919 Transcription shows he was born in Saltash, resided in in Saltash, that he enlisted in Liskeard and was killed in action.
‘Remembered with Honour’ La Targette British Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast: and on the War Memorial at Burraton Methodist Chapel, Liskeard Road, Saltash.‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
La Targette British Cemetery, formerly known as Aux-Rietz Military Cemetery, was begun at the end of April 1917 and used by field ambulances and fighting units until September 1918. Sixteen graves were brought into the cemetery from the immediate neighborhood after the Armistice and a further 26 sets of First World War remains were added during the Second World War. The cemetery contains 638 First World War burials, 41 of them unidentified.
Son of James Frederick and Sarah Ann Toull, of Staddon Cottage, Burraton Cross, Saltash, Cornwall.
‘Remembered with Honour’ Gorre British and Indian Cemetery. Pas de Calais, France. ‘Commemorated in perpetuity’ by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The chateau at Gorre was occupied early in the war by troops from the United Kingdom and India and the cemeteries, in the south-east corner of the chateau grounds, were begun in the autumn of 1914.. The cemetery was used by units holding the sector until April 1918. There are now 934 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 41 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to four servicemen whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.
Victim of a gun accident on-board S.S. Ascanius.1891 census : Aged 7, living with his parents, Thomas and Harriett, in Buckland Monachorum, with siblings John. Thomas, Henry and Emmanuel. His father was an agricultural labourer, his mother a general domestic servant.1901 census: Aged 17 on board HMS Impregnable, Training Ship for Boys, at Hamoaze, Devonport. 1911 census: Aged 27 Able Seaman on board the Armoured Cruiser HMS Devonshire at Devonport.
S. S. Ascanius was a ‘Troop Ship’ engaged on ferrying troops from Australia to Europe.
