WE REMEMBER TODAY

We remember George Thorne who died 8th June 1917, he was 19 years old.

He is buried in Metz-en-Couture Communal Cemetery British Extension and is remembered on old Whittington and The Brushes War Memorial.

You can read more about George here https://oldwhittingtonops.com/thorne-george/

OLD WHITTINGTON WAR MEMORIAL AND JOSEPH SYDDALL

I visited Chesterfield Museum today to see the original pencil drawing by Joseph Syddall of his design for the War Memorial in Old Whittington. I found an extra surprise as they also have a photograph of the war Memorial when it was originally Dedicated together with an Order of Service from the Unveiling and Dedication ceremony on February 20th 1921. 

Thank you to Anne Marie Knowles for the information.

I was allowed to take photographs of these items and these can be seen at https://oldwhittingtonops.com/old-whittington-war-memorials/ or https://oldwhittingtonops.com/joseph-syddall/

Photo courtesy of Chesterfield Museum

WE REMEMBER IN JUNE

The following men who died in WW1 during June and are remembered on Old Whittington and The Brushes War Memorial.

George Thorne                             Died 8th June 1917

John T Bunting                            Died 14th June 1916

Thomas Mason                            Died 15th June 1917

John Smith                                   Died 19th June 1915

Joseph Thurman                          Died 28th June 1918

The Soldier

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England. There shall be

In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,

A body of England’s, breathing English air,

Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

A pulse in the eternal mind, no less

Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,

In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)