2014....
100 years on from the outbreak of World War 1 we have all remembered the lives broken and sacrifices made. Thoughout the world ceremonies have been performed, statues and memorials erected and in living rooms families have taken time to think of their ancestors; the dusty photos and family heirlooms removed from their safe place of storage.Here at Fallen Heroes WW1 - St Barnabas Memorial I have continued working hard and researching the stories of the 85 men who are named on the church memorial. Scouring all of the resources available to pick out as much detail and information as I possibly can to ensure that each man and his family are remembered.
The men had their names read out at the Tower of London Remembers and the men have been added to the Imperial War Museums digital memorial which can be accessed here.
I was very pleased to make contact with several family members this year, from the UK and the distant shores of Australia. The 85 men really are being remembered all over the world.
The stories of Arthur Mitchell and Frederick William Musgrove have been told. The first two men to give their lives in the October of 1914; the early stages of the war that would be over by Christmas. Both men were seasoned soldiers, having served prior to the onset of The Great War they were experienced men who came face to face with modern warfare at that time.
2015....
My research will continue, I will look out for any new resources that appear over the coming year. I will add to the stories already told should I unearth any more information on the men.Please feel free to contact me should you have any information on any of the men and of course I would love to hear from any family members. As I tell each story I will set up a Family Tree for each man these can be located on www.Ancestry.co.uk. Simply search for the soldiers name using the location of New Whittington and the tree should be available for public access in the search results.
Sadly for the village of New Whittington the year of 1915 was to take its toll and the number of deaths rose this year to 15 lives lost. The first man to be remembered in 2015 will be William Wood who lost his life on 23rd March 1915. William was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Wood of High Street, New Whittington.
The names and dates of death for the men to be remembered in 2015 are as follows -
23.03.1915 William Wood
08.05.1915 Edward Henry Burton
15.05.1915 Ernest Booth
15.06.1915 James Smith
18.06.1915 James Craig
11.07.1915 William Ewart Jacklin
08.08.1915 Ernest Cooper
09.08.1915 Norman Crossdale / Croysdale / Sweeting
09.08.1915 John James Kirk
09.08.1915 Francis Maskery
10.08.1915 John Rushe
17.08.1915 John Henry Belfitt
25.09.1915 Harry Ernest Skevington
25.09.1915 Arthur Wedgwood
06.11.1915 Arthur Heeley
And so for now I will wish you all a very Happy New Year and thank you for all your interest and support in 2014.
