This month I thought I would focus on the Wilson brothers: Major and acting Lieutenant Colonel Harry Stuart Wilson, Royal Munster Fusiliers and Lieutenant Commander John Skinner Wilson, HMS Indefatigable.
The brothers were killed in action in the same year, John on 31st May, Harry three months later on 9th September 1916. A tragic loss for their parents. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 4
I expect many of you will have seen the fantastic work that has been undertaken on our war memorial over the last few weeks?
Stonemason Jon, of Blackmore and Moody has indeed done a good job. It is now possible to easily read the names of those brave men, and of course, that of Margaret Caswell, the only women whose name appears on the memorial. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 3
Have you noticed the refreshing new look of the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial? It is improving each day I see it.
Jon Tann from Blackwell and Moody Ltd in Winchester is renovating the war memorial.
In the past few weeks, you would have seen Jon kneeling, crouching, stooping by the war memorial on Hursley Road, outside St. Boniface Church. [Read more…] about Renovating Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
“…That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England…”
(Poem by Rupert Brooke)
A heavy tropical rainfall had snarled-up the traffic on the road so my driver took an unfamiliar detour. The narrow road twisted and turned alongside the river and was hemmed in by jungle trees and elephant grass. [Read more…] about There’s Some Corner Of A Foreign Field
I was a teacher at the only school in the world called Montgomery of Alamein, in Winchester. Monty himself performed the naming ceremony.
Each year, in the summer term, I would lead a party of 12 year olds over to Normandy so that they might learn at first hand what the invasion involved. [Read more…] about Montgomery of Alamein School in Winchester
My research on the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial is progressing well. I have found out quite a lot and thought I would share some of this with you all.
My starting point has been a list complied by Martin Edwards (2006) as part of National project by the Royal British Legion to make a record of all war memorials. This list gives full christian names, number, rank, regiment and also information regarding when and where they were killed. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 2
Centenary of World War One 1914 -1918
Commemorations of the Fallen of World War One will start this year and continue through the next four years until the end of 2018. It is not intended that these commemorations are in any way an attempt to glorify war but rather a way of an acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by millions of people, both military and civilian. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial. Can You Help?
On Monday, I went to Southampton on a visit to Southampton Old Cemetery with some of my classmates from Toynbee School in Chandler’s Ford as we were on a history trip. I found out several interesting facts about the cemetery and the area.
The cemetery was built in the 1840s and over the years, it slowly became an area of over 27 acres. [Read more…] about Visit To Southampton Old Cemetery
Yesterday I read about the fun-loving, passionate Linda Read from Chandler’s Ford through Janet’s post.
Linda teachers First Aid for the Red Cross. Actually, I know Linda from my Eastleigh St John Ambulance days – Linda has been a group leader for British Red Cross in Eastleigh for over 20 years. [Read more…] about Red Cross, St John Ambulance And Red Cross Parcel
When you walk along Hursley Road in Chandler’s Ford, outside the Parish Church, do you ever pause and look at the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial? Do you ever read the names on the stones?
Chandler’s Ford resident Hazel Bateman told me this story of the War Memorial at the St. Boniface Church, Parish of Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about Story Of Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
Something that guidebooks to Eastleigh tell you is that the design of the town’s war memorial is “very unusual”.
What provides this distinction is the figure of the Angel of Mons on the top.
However, as far as I know, none of the guidebooks explain why Eastleigh does have an angel [Read more…] about Eastleigh War Memorials
