Walkhampton - the War Memorial

WALKHAMPTON - THE WAR MEMORIAL

Walkhampton War Memorial

The church is some distance from the centre of Walkhampton but the War Memorial has been placed at the very heart of the village so that everyone who has business there sees it and is reminded of its purpose on a daily basis.

The Memorial consists of a simple granite cross supported by a triple plinth; names and inscriptions are inscribed on the top two levels of the plinth.

1914 - 1918 DEDICATION

"TO THE VALOUR AND DEVOTION OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919, I STAND TO BEAR PROUD AND LASTING WITNESS."

PLEASE NOTE On this memorial, the names are not engraved in alphabetical order, nor is there uniformity in the manner of carving each name
B. A. GILL	Lieutenant Basil Every Gill, Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Thomas Husband and the late Beatrice Gill (née Every) of Ward House, Walkhampton. Born in Stoke Damerel in the December Quarter of 1893. Killed in Action 18 October 1916 aged 23.
T. ATWILL	299 Private Thomas Alfred Atwill (aka Thomas Arthur Atwell) of the 10th Battalion, the Australian Infantry Force. Son of Thomas and Sarah Atwill ( his father, a gunnery Sergeant was born in Meavy); brother of Percy and Leslie Atwill (see below). Born in Dover, Kent in the June Quarter of 1875. Killed in Action 19 May 1915 aged 40.
P. ATWILL	1508A Private Percy Gerard Atwill of the 13th Battalion, the Australian Infantry Force. Son of Thomas and Sarah Atwill ( his father, a gunnery Sergeant was born in Meavy); brother of Thomas Atwill (see above) and Leslie Atwill (see below). Born in Cardiff in the March Quarter of 1888. Killed in Action 27 August 1915 aged 27.
L. H. ATWILL	57203 Private Leslie Hyde Atwill of the7th Army Cycle Corps, attached to the 13th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. Son of Thomas and Sarah Atwill ( his father, a gunnery Sergeant was born in Meavy); brother of Thomas and Percy Atwill (see above). Born in Cardif in the September Quarter of 1892. Died 30 January 1917 aged 24.
R. W. CREBER	(After his name on the stone memorial, we seem to see the initials "RM" - in fact Richard Creber was awarded the MM - the Military Medal.) 21662 Private Richard William Creber of the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Believed to be the son of William and Elizabeth Creber but this is not yet confirmed. Born in Walkhampton in the March Quarter of 1897. Died 26 October 1917 aged 20. Awarded the Military Medal - gazetted 9 July 1917.
A. J. WILLIAMS	1355 Driver Arthur John Williams of the 1st/3rd Devon Battery, the 4th Wessex Battalion of the Royal Field Artillery. Son of Arthur and Mary Williams (née Staplin) of Upperton Farm, Bickleigh, Roborough. Born in Walkhampton in the December Quarter of 1895. Died 3 February 1916 aged 20. Buried in Barrackepore.
N. J. STEPHENS	(His name is spelt STEVENS in the CWGC records) K/23975(Dev) Stoker 1st Class Norman James Stephens of the Royal Navy, HMS Delphinium. His parents are not yet confirmed but he is believed to have been born in Aston in the December Quarter of 1892. Died 9 July 1918 aged 25. (His number indicates that he enlisted at Devonport but his connection with Walkhampton is not yet known.)
A. EVA	26259 Private Alfred Eva of the 7th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Son of Henry and Rosie (Rosina) Eva (née Williams), of Hill Farm, Granite Works, Princetown; husband of Maria Ann Eva (née Lillichap), of Stephens Cottage, Colebrook, Plympton. Born in the March Quarter of 1888. Died 2 April 1918 aged 33.
T. WORTH	21214 Private Thomas Worth of XIX Corps Cyclist Battalion, the Army Cyclist Corps. Son of John and Mary Jane Worth (née Eva) , of 11, Hill Cottages, Princetown. Born in Walkhampton in the March Quarter of 1898. Died 29 October 1918 aged 20.
NORMAN GILES	260102 Sergeant Norman Giles of the 7th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall's Light infantry. Son of Henry and Sarah Ann Giles (née Barnicoat), of Southside, Walkhampton. Born in Walkhampton in the June Quarter of 1891. Died 2 April 1918 aged 27.
Wm. J. CANN	24203 Private William John Cann of the 10th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John and Emma Cann (née Weeks), of Welltown, Walkhampton. Born in Walkhampton in the September Quarter of 1897. Died 16 October 1918 aged 21.
FRANK H. HEXT	(The second initial "H" seems to be a mason's error. Both GRO and Regimental records list him as "Frank R. Hext".) 24815 Private Francis ("Frank") Rook Hext of the 10th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Son of Thomas and Rosina Hext (née Rook), of 3, Hill Cottages, Princetown; brother of William (see below). Born in Walkhampton in the June Quarter of 1888. Died of wounds 2 May 1917 aged 29.
Wm. HEXT	24172 Private William Hext of the 10th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Son of Thomas and Rosina Hext (née Rook), of 3, Hill Cottages, Princetown; brother of Frank (see above). Born in Walkhampton in the September Quarter of 1894. Killed in action 2 November 1916 aged 22.
Ed. COOPER	474170 Rifleman Edwin Cooper of the 12th Battalion, the London Regiment (The Rangers). Son of William and Sarah Cooper (née Hext). Born in Walkhampton in the June Quarter of 1895. Died 16 October 1917 aged 22.
J. H. FRENCH	315062 Private John Henry French of the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Samuel and Elizabeth French (née Cole). Born in Walkhampton in the December Quarter of 1879. Died 26 October 1917 aged 37.
F. C. EASTERBROOK	24175 Private Frederick Charles Jake Easterbrook of the 10th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. Son of the late Charles Jake Easterbrook and Charlotte Easterbrook (née Tribble). Born in Walkhampton in the September Quarter of 1888. Died 2 May 1919 aged 30. Buried in the churchyard at Princetown.

1939 - 1945 DEDICATION

TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE

1939 - 1945

K. W. BROWN	2389035 Signalman Kenneth William Brown of 52 A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery Signals Section, the Royal Corps of Signals. Son of Frederick and Frances M. Brown (née Palmer), of Yelverton, Devon; husband of Sylvia M. Brown, of Yelverton. Born in the December Quarter of 1922. Died 17 August 1943 aged 20.
H. COWLING	Additional information kindly supplied by family member Vic Cowling: 526616 Sergeant Henry Cowling of the RAF, 217 Squadron. Son of Henry and Ethel Eliza Cowling (née Maddock). (His father was stationmaster at Princetown) . Born in Walkhampton in the March Quarter of 1908. Died 15 February 1941 aged 33.
S.W.CHAPPLE	D/K 30290 Stoker 1st Class Silas William Chapple of the Royal Navy, HMS Drake. Son of George and Rose Chapple; husband of Ella Helena Chapple (née Parkin), of Walkhampton. Born in Walkhampton in the March Quarter of 1893. Died 22 February 1942 aged 49. Buried in the churchyard at Walkhampton.
L. G. GLIDDON	(The second initial "G" seems to be a mason's error. Both GRO and Naval records list him as "Leslie J. Gliddon".) D/KX 91416 Stoker 1st Class Leslie John Gliddon of the Royal Navy, HMS Matabele. Son of Benjamin and Edith Gliddon (née Davey). Born in Walkhampton in the December Quarter of 1918. Died 17 January 1942 aged 23. Commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
C. T. LEACH	Leading Cook Charles Thomas Leach of the Royal Navy, HMS Cromer. Thomas and Elizabeth Leach (née May), of Walkhampton. Born in Walkhampton in the December Quarter of 1918. Died 9 November 1942 aged 24. Commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
R. F. J. MARTIN	D/JX 155501 Able Seaman Robert Frederick John Martin of the Royal Navy, HMS Gloucester. Son of Edgar and Bessie Martin (née Knott), of Walkhampton, Born in Walkhampton in the March Quarter of 1922. Died 22 May 1941 aged 19. Commemorated on the Plymouth War Memorial. In addition, a square granite vase is placed on one of the "steps" of the memorial. It carries the words: In loving memory of our beloved son Robert F. J. Martin, RN, HMS Goucester.
T. F. RIDDLER	FAA/FX. 76494 Petty Officer Airman Thomas Frank Riddler of the Royal Navy, HMS Ark Royal. Son of Frank and Annie Riddler (née Pearse); husband of Gertrude Riddler, of Launceston, Cornwall. Born in Walkhampton in the September Quarter of 1916. Died 3 July 1940 aged 24.