BrentorThe War Memorials

BRENTOR'S WAR MEMORIALS

The War Memorials in North Brentor consist of a Roll of Honour handwritten on paper inside the parish church and a conspicuous stone Memorial in the centre of the village. The sole World War 2 casualty is recorded only on the stone Memorial.

The paper Roll of Honour is topped by the words:

"True love in life, true love in death is tried;

Live then for England - they for England died"

To these words are added the initials "A. C. A" - abbreviating the name of the author - Arthur Campbell Ainger MVO; MA. His published works mainly include school books but he wrote poetry from time to time and these words are part of a longer poem entitled "Hymn for the Royal Flying Corps" written in 1917 and published in The Times in February 1918. This inscription was used on many War Memorials.

The following inscription appears on the stone Memorial:

©Richard J Brine

Brentor - The War Memorial in the village centre

©Richard J Brine

1914 to 1919

JAMES BATTEN	51327 Private James Moore Batten of the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of James Moore Batten and Eliza Jane Batten (née Warne). Born in Mary Tavy in the March Quarter of 1889. Died 13 October 1918 aged 29.
JOHN BATTEN	5002 Acting Corporal John Henry Batten of the 1st/4th Battalion (Territorials), the Devonshire Regiment. Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Ann Batten of Brinsabatch, Whitchurch. Born in Whitchurch in the September Quarter of 1896. Died 17 September 1916 in Mesopotamia aged 20.
ALBERT BICKLE	M/274278 Private Albert Bickle of 1015th Motor Transport Coy.,the Army Service Corps. Son of James and Ann Maria Bickle (née Tredennick). Born in Coryton in the June Quarter of 1887. Died 20 July 1918 aged 31.
WILLIAM BREWER	Not yet confirmed.
STANLEY BROOK	203488 Private Stanley Brook of "D" Coy.,1st Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of the late Henry and Martha Brook of West Black Down. Born in Mary Tavy in 1899. Died 27 October 1916 aged 17. Buried in Brentor United Methodist Cemetery.
HARRY COWLING	75452 Bombardier John Henry Cowling of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Son of John and Melony (sic) Cowling of West Black Down, Mary Tavy. Born in Mary Tavy in the June Quarter of 1897. Died 5 October 1918 aged 21.
GEORGE DOIDGE	K/12459 Stoker 1st Class George Doidge of the Royal Navy, HMS Recruit. Son of John George and Elizabeth Jane Doidge (née Metters) of West Black Down, Brentor; brother of John (see below). Born in Brentor in the March Quarter of 1894. Died 9 August 1917 aged 23.
JOHN DOIDGE	10134 Private John Thomas Doidge of the 8th (Service) Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John George and Elizabeth Jane Doidge (née Metters) of West Black Down, Brentor; brother of George (see above). Born in Mary Tavy in the december Quarter of 1891. Died 10 may 1916 aged 24.
PERCY GOAD	241113 Private Ernest Percy Goad of the 1st Garrison Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment; transferred as 358014 Private Goad of the 801st Area Employment Coy. Son of the late Henry Edwin Goad and Mary Jane Goad (née Palk) of Lydford, Bridestowe. Born in Lydford in the September Quarter of 1891. Died 15 November 1918 aged 27.
SAMUEL HIGGINS	20914 Acting Corporal Samuel Higgins of the 1st Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Samuel and Annie Higgins (née Westlake). Born in Lifton in the June Quarter of 1894. Died 23 April 1917 aged 22.
WALTER HOLWILL MC	10261 Company Sergeant Major Walter James Holwill of the 8th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Husband of Elizabeth Frances Holwill of Moor View, Brentor. Born in St Michael's Mount, Cornwall in the March Quarter of 1873. Wounded near Mametz and evacuated to England. Died of his wounds 22 July 1916 aged 43. Buried in Brentor Churchyard. Awarded the Military Cross. His citation for the Military Cross was published in the London Gazette 27 July 1916.
HERBERT JEFFERY	M/5049 Cook's Mate Herbert William Jeffery, of the the Royal Navy, HMS Indefatigable. Son of John and Eliza Jeffery of East Liddaton near Brentor. Born in Plymouth 16 September 1892. Died 31 May 1916 at the Battle of Jutland aged 21,
FRED MEDLAND	30335 Private Fred Medland of the 4th Battalion, the Labour Corps; transferred as 245574 Private Medland to the 444th Agricultural Company. Son of William and Mary Ann Medland of Brentor. Born in Brentor in the December Quarter of 1890. Died of his wounds 20 October 1919 aged 28 and buried in Brentor United Methodist Cemetery,
CHRISTOPHER POSTLETHWAITE	Lieutenant Christopher Joyce Postlethwaite of the 12th Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment. Son of Doctor Frank Postlethwaite MRCS of Brentor and his wife Emma Elizabeth (née Joyce); brother of John (see below). Born in Perranporth, Cornwall in the March Quarter of 1895. Died 9 January 1918 aged 23.
JOHN POSTLETHWAITE	336 Trooper John Joyce Postlethwaite of the 5th Australian Light Horse. Son of Doctor Frank Postlethwaite MRCS of Brentor and his wife Emma Elizabeth (née Joyce); brother of Christopher (see above). Born in Cumberland in the September Quarter of 1893. Died 2 November 1915 aged 22.
WILLIAM SHORT	29108 Private William Short of the 14th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. Born in the Tavistock area, enlisted in Swansea. Died 19 March 1916.
ROBERT FRENCH SMITH	Robert French Smith was the son of the Rev. Robert Joseph French Smith who was Vicar of Brentor and his wife Emma (née Marriott). His military record is not yet confirmed.
ERNEST WHEELER	2008042 Colour Sergeant Ernest Wheeler of the Rifle brigade; formerly of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Son of John and Mary Wheeler of Rugby; husband of Beata Walters (formerly Wheeler, née Stratton) of Mary Tavy. Born in 1877. Died 26 February 1918 aged 41. Buried in Brentor Parish Churchyard.

1939 to 1945

WILLIAM FRANK WALTER

D/KF 580880 Stoker 2nd Class William Frank Walter of the Royal Navy, HMS Warwick. Son of Bertie and Beatrice Walter (née Colston) of West Blackdown. Born in Brentor in the December Quarter of 1925. Died 20 February 1944 aged 18.