Memorial Details
Memorial
Plaque Mortimer 1915 6th N.F. St. Paul
Reference
S9.03
Place
SEATONSLUICE
Map ref
NZ 335766
Original Location
St. Paul's Church, south of bridge over Seaton Burn. In s-w inside corner of Church hall attached to Church.
Present Location
Originally in the old St. Paul's Church.
Which war
1914-18
Dedication, Creation or Publication date
Unveiled 4th October 1916 by Mrs Severn
Memorial Description
Plaque in shape of shield surmounted by an Officer's sword swathed in foliage and with the motto "Quo Fata Vocant" incised on the carved belt. A sheaf of wheat carved in half relief and resting on a sickle crosses the shield at the bottom. The sheaf bears a ribbon around it which bears the quotation, reading from the bottom of the sheaf. The shield is quartered by a flat cross carved in half relief. Superimposed on this, at the top is a small carved rectangle which bears the lines from a poem. In the top left hand quarter is the dedication to Edmund Mortimer. The top right hand quarter is dedicated to the rest of the Battalion who died. In the bottom two quarters are quotations from the Bible. Lettering is in Roman capitals.
Materials used
Marble
Inscription
Top left quarter
Sacred to the beloved memory / of / Edmund Mortimer / 2nd Lieutenant / 6th Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers / who fell gallantly leading / his men in a desperate attack / on St. Julien / in which the Battalion / suffered terribly. / April 26th 1915 aged 35 / This tablet is erected / by his sister Josephine.
Top right quarter
Also to the memory / of / his brave comrades / Officers, Non-Commissioner / Officers and men / 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers / who gave their lives in the same / fighting for their King & Country / & the undying honour of their / Regiment. April 25 - April 28 / the week after they marched / out of Seaton Sluice / on April 20 1915.
Bottom left quarter
"For they rest from their / labours and their works / do follow them".
Bottom right quarter
"Be thou faithful unto death / and I will give thee / a crown of life".
Top centre small panel
"Under the wide and starry sky, / Dig the grave and let me lie. / Glad did I live and gladly die, / And I laid me down with a will. / This be the verse ye grave for me / Here I lie as I'd wish to be; / Home is the sailor, home from the sea, / and the hunter home from the hill".
Sacred to the beloved memory / of / Edmund Mortimer / 2nd Lieutenant / 6th Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers / who fell gallantly leading / his men in a desperate attack / on St. Julien / in which the Battalion / suffered terribly. / April 26th 1915 aged 35 / This tablet is erected / by his sister Josephine.
Top right quarter
Also to the memory / of / his brave comrades / Officers, Non-Commissioner / Officers and men / 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers / who gave their lives in the same / fighting for their King & Country / & the undying honour of their / Regiment. April 25 - April 28 / the week after they marched / out of Seaton Sluice / on April 20 1915.
Bottom left quarter
"For they rest from their / labours and their works / do follow them".
Bottom right quarter
"Be thou faithful unto death / and I will give thee / a crown of life".
Top centre small panel
"Under the wide and starry sky, / Dig the grave and let me lie. / Glad did I live and gladly die, / And I laid me down with a will. / This be the verse ye grave for me / Here I lie as I'd wish to be; / Home is the sailor, home from the sea, / and the hunter home from the hill".
Names
Who commissioned
Josephine Severn, sister of Edmund Mortimer.
Notes
1. The poem by Robert Louis Stevenson is misquoted. The last few lines should be “Here he lies where he longs to be / Home is the sailor, home from sea / And the hunter home from the hill”.
2. The old St. Paul's Church (formerly an early 19thC brewery) which was situated between the present Waterford Arms and the Seaton Sluice Club, is now demolished. The present St. Paul's Church was originally the Ochiltree Hall (1903) which was altered and consecrated in 1962.
3. According to the Illustrated Chronicle the men named on this plaque were all killed “near St. Julien from April 25th - 28th, 1915, the week after they left Seaton Sluice”.
4. See Milbourne “Every Name A Story”
5. The Newcastle Journal 05/10/1916 reports that the battalion had their training ground at Seaton Sluice before going to the front.
2. The old St. Paul's Church (formerly an early 19thC brewery) which was situated between the present Waterford Arms and the Seaton Sluice Club, is now demolished. The present St. Paul's Church was originally the Ochiltree Hall (1903) which was altered and consecrated in 1962.
3. According to the Illustrated Chronicle the men named on this plaque were all killed “near St. Julien from April 25th - 28th, 1915, the week after they left Seaton Sluice”.
4. See Milbourne “Every Name A Story”
5. The Newcastle Journal 05/10/1916 reports that the battalion had their training ground at Seaton Sluice before going to the front.
Newspaper cuttings, photos or archival material
Photos: Tony Harding
Illustrated Chronicle 03/10/1916 page 8 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Journal 05/10/1916 reports unveiling. (Available on The British Newspaper Archive)
Sources of quotations
“Under the wide and starry sky . . .” Requiem Robert Louis Stevenson;
“For they rest from their labours . . .” Revelation 14 v 13;
“Be thou faithful unto death . . .” Revelation 2 v 10
“The hand of the reaper” “Coronach, second stanza Sir. Walter Scott.
Illustrated Chronicle 03/10/1916 page 8 reports unveiling.
Newcastle Journal 05/10/1916 reports unveiling. (Available on The British Newspaper Archive)
Sources of quotations
“Under the wide and starry sky . . .” Requiem Robert Louis Stevenson;
“For they rest from their labours . . .” Revelation 14 v 13;
“Be thou faithful unto death . . .” Revelation 2 v 10
“The hand of the reaper” “Coronach, second stanza Sir. Walter Scott.
External web link
Links to Source Material :
Research acknowledgements
The late Tom Allan, Seaton Delaval and District Local History Society; J. Brown; Tony Harding
Research In Progress
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
Plaque Mortimer 1915 6th N.F. St. Paul (S9.03)
SEATON SLUICE, St. Paul's Church.
At centre top:
Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse ye grave for me:
"Here I lie as I'd wish to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill".
------------------------------------------
Top left quadrant:
Sacred to the beloved memory
of
Edmund Mortimer
2nd Lieutenant
6th Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers
who fell gallantly leading
his men in a desperate attack
on St. Julien
in which the Battalion
suffered terribly.
April 26th 1915 aged 35
This tablet is erected
by his sister Josephine.
------------------------------------------
Bottom left quadrant:
"For they rest from their
labours and their works
do follow them".
------------------------------------------
Top right quadrant:
Also to the memory
of
his brave comrades
Officers, Non-Commissioned
Officers and men
6th Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers
who gave their lives in the same
fighting for their King & Country
& the undying honour of their
Regiment. April 25 - April 28
the week after they marched
out of Seaton Sluice
on April 20 1915.
------------------------------------------
Bottom right quadrant:
"Be thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee
a crown of life".
------------------------------------------
The hand of the
reaper takes the
ears that are hoary
but the voice of the
weeper wails manhood in glory.
NamesS9.03
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Parish Notes
Every Name A Story
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