WEEFORD
WAR MEMORIAL
World
War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright
© Ian Taylor 2022
The
memorial stands in the grounds of St Mary the Virgin Church, Weeford
Road, Weeford, Lichfield, Staffordshire. It takes the form of a stone
crucifix surmounting a stone plinth that bears the inscription in reliefv
on a three sides of the tiered base with an additional white stone plaque
bearing the World War 2 inscription. There are nine names listed for
World War 1 and four for World War 2. The names are listed in full plus
rank and regiment for World War 1.
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY
OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO
GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR
KING & COUNTRY IN THE GREAT
WAR 1914-1919
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN
THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY
DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
ST JOHN 15.13
KENDRICK |
Arthur
Percy |
Lieutenant,
1st Battalion, Kings African Rifles. Died of wounds 9 October
1917. Aged 24. Son of Edward Kendrick, of Weeford House. Buried
in IRINGA CEMETERY, Tanzania. Plot II. Row B. Grave 5. |
BENNETT |
David |
Staffordshire
Yeomanry possibly
David BENNETT, Private 50648, Imperial Camel Corps formerly 300367,
Hussars. Died of wounds in Egypt 27 March 1918. Aged 26. Resident
Salisbury, enlisted Stafford. Son of Mr. G. H. and Mrs. L. Bennett,
of Fryencourt Cottages, Fordingbridge, Hants. No known grave.
Commemorated on JERUSALEM MEMORIAL, Israel and Palestine (including
Gaza). Panel 7. |
CROOME |
John |
Private
22986, 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. Killed in action in
the Balkans 2 September 1918. Aged 37. Born Stransham, Worcester,
enlisted Winchester. Son of William and H.M. Croome, of Weeford,
husband of Ada Croome, of Ferndale Villas, Westcott Road, Berkshire.
Buried in KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY, Greece. Plot C. Grave 652.
|
FAULKNALL |
Lewis
Arthur |
[Listed
as Arthur Lewis Faulknall on CWGC and SDGW] Gunner 76206, 135th
Battery, 32nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action
2 November 1914, just 2 months after his 18th birthday. Born Tamworth,
Staffordshire, enlisted Litchfield, Staffordshire. Buried in WULVERGHEM-LINDENHOEK
ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot V. Row
E. Grave 24. |
HUGHES |
George |
Private
36913, 4th Special Reserve Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.
Killed in action 10 April 1918. Born Bridgnorth, Salop, resident
Weeford, Staffordshire, enlisted Lichfield, Staffordshire. No known grave. Commemorated
on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 6. |
LAKIN |
Harry |
Private
8439, 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. Killed in action
26 October 1914. Born Moneymoor, Staffordshire, resident Canwell,
Staffordshire, enlisted Lichfield, Staffordshire. No known grave. Commemorated
on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel
35. |
ROBINSON |
Edgar
John |
Private
29398, 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment formerly 17221,
King's Ropyal Rifle Corps. Killed in action 13 May 1917. Aged
22. Born Birmingham, resident Weeford, Lichfield, enlisted Lichfield,
Staffordshire. He had only enlisted 8 months earlier and previously worked
as a blacksmith for his father at Weeford cottages. Buried in
ALBUERA CEMETERY, BAILLEUL-SIRE-BERTHOULT, Pas de Calais, France.
South Row C. Grave 23. |
RUSSELL |
Tom |
Sapper
Royal Engineers, definitely not Thomas Russell Roberts who was
born, resident and enlisted Cornwall. There was a T Russell, Sapper
658, 1st/1st/East Riding Field Company, Royal Engineers, aged
20, admitted 1916 to 4th Stationary Hospital, discharged 15 September
1916. There was also a Thomas S Russell, Sapper WR126702, Railway
Troops Department, Royal Engineers enlisted 23 February 1909,
discharged 1 May 1919, aged 32, under Para 392 xvi a Wounds, issued
Silver War badge B330601. |
WILLIAMS |
Sidney
James |
Private
240226, 6th Battalion, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire
Regiment). Died of wounds 7 June 1917. Aged 27. Born Talybont,
Brecon, resident Weeford, Staffordshire, enlisted Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Son of Gwen Williams, of 35 Cockspur St, Birchmoor, Tamworth,
Staffordshire. Buried in NOEUX-LES-MINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas
de Calais, France. Plot I. Row T. Grave 17. |
1939-1945 |
DONALDSON |
Thomas
Eric Kirwan |
Commander,
H.M.S. Kongoni, Royal Navy. Died from illness 26 October 1943.
Aged 44. Born 28 May 1899. Son of Walter and Claribel Donaldson;
husband of Muriel Jean Donaldson, father of Peter Donaldson,
of Lichfield, Staffordshire. In the 1901 census he was aged
1, born Richmond, Surrey, son of Walter Kirwan and Claribel
Donaldson, resident 15, Sillwood Road, Brighton, Sussex. Enlisted
in Royal Navy May 1912. Acting Sub-Lieutenant 15 July 1917,
Sub-Lieutenant 5 March 1918, Acting Leiutenant 15 December 1919,
Lieutenant 15 March 1920, Lieutenant Commander 15 December 1927,
Commander (Retired) 28 May 1939. Served at the Battle of Jutland
1916. Married 31 July 1926. On 16 December 1927 he was discharged
from the Navy being medically unfit, chronic dyspepsia, but
fit for service in an emergency. Buried in Durban (Stellawood)
Cemetery, South Africa. Block F. Grave 41.
Extract
from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index
1944:
DONALDSON Thomas Eric Kirwan of Stablecourt
Swinfen Hall Lichfield died 26 October 1943
on war service Probate Llandudno 13 April to
Muriel Jean Donaldson widow and Ivor Brassey Burnand solicitor.
Effects £1049 5s. 2d.
|
RAWLINS |
Alfred
Dennis |
Private
5734532, 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers. Died
4 July 1944. Aged 19. Son of Alfred and Constance Rawlins of
Weeford, Staffordshire. Buried in LA DELIVRANDE WAR CEMETERY,
DOUVRES, Calvados, France. Plot VII. Row L. Grave 5.
Extract
from Lichfield Mercury - Friday 4 August 1944, page
7:
WEEFORD
PRIVATE
KILLED IN FRANCE
It has now heen officially reported that Dennis Rawlins, a former
Weeford boy, has been killed in action. Dennis, who was 19 years
of age, was a private in the King's Own Scottish Borderers.
In a letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Rawlins, of
Barrack Lane, Weeford, his padre wrote: "We have laid him
to rest in the garden of an old French house; the grave has
been marked with a cross. His comrades laid roses upon it and
we held a short service at which we specially asked God to comfort
you. Dennis was well liked and popular. He did a good job."
His
old friends and neighbours in Weeford, while offering their
heartfelt sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins in the loss of a
son, look also with grateful pride upon the memory of one who
made the supreme sacrifice in his country's service.
|
SPROSTON |
Sidney |
Private 5251503, 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps
(A.A.C.). Killed in action in Western Europe 7 April 1945. Aged
22. Born and resident Staffordshire. Son of Cecily Sproston of
Coventry. Buried in BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY, Niedersachsen, Germany.
Plot 15. Row F. Grave 1. |
SALT |
Walter
Henry |
Chief
Petty Officer D/J 76147, H.M.S Ardent, Royal Navy. Died at sea
8 June 1940. Aged 40. One of 152 to have died when his ship was
sunk. Born 21 September 1899 in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Baptised
at St Chad's in Lichfield in 5 November 1900. Son of Henry and
Sarah Salt; husband of Ethel E. Salt, of Pontypridd, Glamorgan.
In the 1911 census he was aged 11, born Curborough, Staffordshire,
at school, son of Henry and Sarah Salt, resident Green Lane, Burntwood,
Lichfield, Ethal and Woodhouses, Staffordshire. In the 1921 census
he was aged 21, born Lichfield, Staffordshire, an Able Seaman,
Royal Navy, at sea aboard Torpedo Boat Destroyer, at sea in Baltic,
Atlantic, Irish Waters. No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH
NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 36, Column 3. |
Last
updated
19 December, 2022
|