The churchyard War Memorial Atherington

ATHERINGTON - THE CHURCHYARD WAR MEMORIAL

Atherington War Memorial

©Richard J. Brine

The origin of the cross which forms the upper part of this memorial is not known. It bears a series of carvings, the most striking of which is the sword on the face on which the Great War casualties are recorded. The difference in colouration between the upper and lower parts of the memorial suggest that a much older cross was utilised when the memorial was erected. It stands in a conspicuous place in the churchyard at Atherington mounted on two plinths, the upper of which carries the names. The base of the cross itself appears to have been cleaned and prepared for the application of this dedication:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH

WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918

1914 - 1918 names on the Atherington Memorial

R. RAW (See plaque below)	2nd Lieutenant Rowland Raw of the 9th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers. Son of George H. and Edith S. Raw formerly of South Africa and husband of L. B. May Raw of Churchfield, Witley, Surrey. Born in South Africa July 16th 1864. Died 7 August 1915 aged 31. Mr. and Mrs. Raw lived at Umberleigh House for a time.
J. W. BEER	Corporal John William Beer of the 1st Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John and Mary Beer of Trelane, Atherington and husband of Annie Dendle (formerly Beer) of Wisteria House, Nadder Water, Exeter. Born in 1888. Died 3 June 1918 aged 31.
W. J. HARRIS	Stoker Petty Officer William John Harris of the Royal Navy, HMS Anchusa. Son of William and Ann Harris. Born in Atherington in 1883. Died 16 July 1918 aged 34.
S. DAVIS	Private Samuel Davis. Son of William and Ann Davis of West Down. Born in West Down in 1883. and worked on a farm in Atherington as a carter. All the information we have on his military record comes from this War Memorial.
R. SHORT	Private Robert Short. Eldest son of John and Susanna Short. Born in the March Quarter of 1893 in Umberleigh, Atherington. All the information we have on his military record comes from this War Memorial.
W. H. SHORT	Private William Henry Short of the 9th Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment. Son of John and Susanna Short and brother of Robert (see above) and John (see below). Born in 1899 in Umberleigh, Atherington. Died 21 August 1918 aged 19.
J. SHORT	Able Seaman John Short of the Royal Navy, HM Submarine "G8". Son of John and Susanna Short of Umberleigh, Atherington. Born in 1896 in Atherington. Died 3 January 1918 aged 22. The date given above for John's death may not be correct. The submarine known as G8 sank in the North Sea while on patrol on 14 January 1918. The most likely possibility is that she struck a floating mine.

Plaque in Memory of Roland Raw in the church

The Memorial to Lieutenant Raw inside the church. It reads:

Sacred to the memory of Rowland Raw

2nd Lieutenant 9th Batt. Lancashire Fusiliers

Late of Umberleigh House in this parish

Beloved husband of May

And youngest son of George H. and Edith S. Raw

Born July 16th 1864

Killed in action at Suvla Bay August 7th 1915

"The peace of God which passeth all understanding"

©Richard J. Brine

(Please note that this plaque has not survived the years very well)

Two names appear on a side panel headed 1939 - 1945 and this side of the stone has worn badly so that the names are not easy to read. The first man was a Private Down and we can just see that the second was a Sergeant. But who was "S. H. Squire"?

Second World War names on the Atherington Memorial

1939 - 1945

W. J. DOWN

5620279 Private William John Down of the 1/6th Battalion, the East Surrey regiment. Son of Charles and Ada Gwendoline Millman Down, of Umberleigh. Died 22 November 1944.

S. H. SQUIRE*

*The GRO Register of War deaths for the Armed Services between 1939 and 1945 has no entries under this name. There is an entry for Samuel Lester Squire who was a Sergeant as the memorial inscription says - he is also remembered on the Appledore War Memorial referred to below as the home of his wife. This is the service record of Samuel Lester Squire:

1315832 Sergeant Wireless Operator Samuel Lester Squire (Volunteer reserve) of 202 Squadron, the Royal Air Force . Son of Samuel Lester and Elsie Squire (née Topcott) ; husband of Annie Louisa Squire of Appledore. Born in Exeter in the June Quarter of 1921. Died 15 June 1944 aged 23.

Samuel Lester Squire was a member of the crew of Catalina JN258 of 202 Squadron which accidentally struck high ground as it came in to land at Melilla, Morocco.