Photo: James Pasby
Buried in this Churchyard
9261 Private
J. Cree
Royal Fusiliers
17th January 1917 Age 19
Son of William and Elizabeth Jane Cree, of II, Craddock St., Shildon.
The Durham County Chronicle 25/01/1917 reports:-
PRIVATE JOHN CREE'S BURIAL AT SHILDON
Touching Address at the Funeral Service
The death of Pte. John Cree, of Cradock-Terr., New Shildon, which occurred in the Stockport Hospital on Wednesday week, evoked much sympathy for the bereaved parents, for deceased, who had been invalided home from France was within a few days of his twentieth birthday when he passed away.
He joined the Royal Fusiliers, along with George Urwin and Ed. Crooks, other two Shildon young men, just before Christmas, 1915, and did the biggest part of his training at Edinburgh. He was able to get down home now and again, and so, after donning khaki, he was often seen in the town.
He was a member of the Shildon P.M. Church and choir, and as a young man he was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.
The funeral on Saturday afternoon at All Saints' Churchyard was, despite the snowstorm, attended by a large and representative gathering. A service was held in the Primitive Methodist Church, St John's-rd., and the Rev. John Brewis officiated both here and at the graveside. The Shildon and New Shildon choirs were present, under the leadership of Mr. J. J. Forbes, and sang the hymns "Nearer, my God, to Thee", "For ever with the Lord", and at the graveside, "God moves in a mysterious way". Mrs. R. Elliott was at the organ and played "O Rest in the Lord" as the mourners entered the church.
In the course of the touching address the Rev. J. Brewis said: There are some circumstances under which the wisest attitude is silent acquiescence. Happily, we have this assurance that things are not dealt out with a cold, careless chance, nor are we victims of a mute impersonal fate. We have a Father to whom our human love and sorrow are sacred.
That a young man in the flower of manhood should be allowed to be cut down is an enigma to human experience. Old age is a field white unto harvest. An old man's work is done, but how pathetically different when a young man dies. It is just as if a gardener went into his garden and, seeing a tree full of blossom, prophetic of much fruit, without a word of explanation, cut it down. We cannot understand many of the mysteries of this life, but God is too wise to err in His dealings with us.
We are following a young man to his grave with infinite reverence. We thank God because he was born into a Christian home, and in that home he made the decision to live for, and serve his Lord and Master Jesus Christ. A soldier's life was far from his thoughts, but he could not resist the call of King and Country. He made a noble response. He was not a shirker. He felt that his country needed him, and he responded to the call.
After a course of training he went into the trenches, and the exposure to the weather and other things brought on the disease which has terminated in his early death. We thank God for his life. He bore his suffering nobly, and no word of complaint passed his lips. He realised the presence of God more and more.
He has entered the Eternal Home where war never comes. We think of those who are left behind. He was their only child. They lived for him and worked for him, and their hopes are blighted. May God sustain them in this their day of loneliness, and may we so live that when we, too, come to the end it may be just the opening of the door into life eternal.
The chief mourners were Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Cree, father and mother; Miss Rose Cree, Miss E Peacock, Mr. and Mrs. M. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. T. Cree and family, Mr John Cree (Eastgate), Mr. and Mrs. Askew, Mrs. Sheldon (Darlington), Mrs Priestley, Coun. and Mrs Spensley, Mr. and Mrs. R. McDowell, Mr. G. McDowell, Mr Askew (Darlington), Miss E. McDowell, Mr T. McDowell, in addition to many other relatives and friends.
The coffin, which was covered by a Union Jack, was carried by soldiers in charge of Bandmaster Hy. Gibbon, and the 1st Shildon Troop B.P. Scouts were present, and two of the boys sounded the "Last Post" at the graveside.
A number of wreaths were laid on the grave, including one from the cashier's staff at the N.E.R. Works.
John Cree is remembered at Shildon on S122.02, S122.03, S122.13 and S122.15
