Memorial
Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Afghanistan St. Patrick’s Churchyard
High Spen
Memorial Name: Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Afghanistan St. Patrick's Churchyard (H106.02)
NEWMP Ref No.: H106.02
Parish: High Spen
St. Patrick’s Church, Lintzford Lane.
In front of Church.
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
c. Afghanistan 2007
a. Unveiled July 1920 by F. Priestman of Shotley Bridge.
Dedicated by Bishop Welldon, Dean of Durham
Granite with marble panel inserts.
a. High Spen, Victoria Garefield and Highfield War Memorial Committee; Chairman, Mr Cooper, Treasurer, Mr. Bell; Secretary Mr. Grossart.
b. Royal British Legion, High Spen Branch.
b. £340, including re-gilding lettering.
Public subscription
R.B. Aves, Newcastle.
a Front face
By the long road they trod
with so much faith and with
such self-sacrificing bravery
we have arrived at victory
and today they have their
reward.
(Names)
b Back face
“They Died That we might live”
c At Base)
Afghanistan 2007
Cross of wheel type on high square pedestal on two steps, total height 15 feet (4.6m), standing in a concrete “tray” surrounded by a kerb.
A sword carved in half relief hangs by its strap around the top of the cross.
The inscriptions are engraved on darker grey granite panels each 28 inches high x 16 inches wide (71cms x 41cms) set into each face of the pedestal, the upper panels for the 1914-18 war and the lower panels for the 1939-45 war.
The names are listed by regiment in a single column on each face, the lettering incised and painted white, using Roman capitals throughout.
In front of the kerb, a low extension has been created to take the name of a man killed in Afghanistan.
a. 92 names, ranks, regiments and dates of death.
b. 35 names, ranks, regiments and dates of death.
c. 1 name rank and regiment
See transcript.
1. Thomas Minks and Leslie Dobson Turner are both recorded on the Hartlepool Bombardment memorial as having served with the Durham Light Infantry and were among the first to be killed by enemy action within the British Isles since commencement of the Great War.
2. Two collieries had “joined hands” (Blaydon Courier) which meant that only one memorial was needed instead of two.
Photos: J. Brown; S. Irving of St. Thomas More School, Blaydon; Simon Raine; Steve Lamb; Dorothy Hall
Blaydon Courier
17/07/1920 reports proposed unveiling;
24/07/1920 reports unveiling.Hexham Courant
27/07/1920 reports unveiling.
Consett Guardian
23/07/1920 reports unveiling.
Illustrated Chronicle
11/06/1920 reports unveiling at “Winlaton”;
12/06/1920 corrects this error;
21/07/1920 carries photos of the unveiling ceremony.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle
09/07/1919 reports proposals;
12/07/1920 reports coming unveiling;
20/07/1920 reports unveiling
Sunderland Echo
19/07/1920
Diocese of Durham
a. Faculty number 913, issued 10/4/1920;
b. Faculty 3461, issued 11/10/1951.
Sources of quotations:
” By the long road they trod with so . . .” The “Advance to Victory” Dispatch, 21st December 1918, Field Marshall Haig;
“They died that we might live” “Hail! and Farewell!” by John Oxenham.
Additional Research Documents
Mrs. N. Smith (Ryton);
George and Janet Brown;
Fitzhugh Collection, Middleton in Teesdale;
S. Irving of St.Thomas More School, Blaydon;
John and Mavis Dixon;
Ron Carson and Errol Broomfield;
Dorothy Hall;
Steve Lamb
If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk
If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.
HIGH SPEN, Churchyard
Front upper panel (1914-18)
By the long road they trod
with so much faith and with
such self-sacrificing bravery
we have arrived at victory
and today they have their reward.
————————–
Durham Light Infantry
Sergt. Ralph Lowden 12/4/1918
” Michael Hann 21/7/1918
” H. Nelmes 1/10/1916
Cpl. J.E. Sterling 18/9/1916
” R.S. Lockey 14/4/1918
” Ed. Browell 27/9/1916
Pte. Ed. Bolton 16/9/1916
” Chas Herron 1/10/1914
” Fred. Dixon 13/5/1915
” Ed. Thos. Dixon 31/12/1915
” Robt. Carter 17/3/1916
” Geo. Waters 4/8/1916
” J.G. Alexander 12/7/1916
” Wm. Fatherly 15/9/1916
” James Rowell 16/9/1916
” John H. Hann 16/9/1916
” Jas. S. Morton 16/9/1916
” Geo. Harrison 28/9/1916
” Geo. Dixon 5/11/1916
” Wm. Hood 6/11/1916
” Robt. J. Gibson 10/11/1916
” Jos. Bilclough 25/8/1917
” Matt. Scott 25/8/1916
” Jas. Keith 22/4/1917
” H. Bilcliff 28/9/1919
———————————————-
Front lower panel (1939-45)
1939 – 1945
Stoker Terence Bradley 29/5/41
A.B. George Dunn 9/12/44
A.B. John Heads 16/7/42
Stoker John McNaughton 4/8/43
A.B. Thos. Orrick 18/2/44
Fleet Air Arm
P.O. Vivian Graham 15/3/45
Air/Mech.Thomas Ripley 25/3/41
Royal Marine Commandos
Paratrp. Thomas Oyston Farrage 22/9/44
Paratrp. Gilbert Watson 6/6/44
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Pte. John Bell Laidler 29/12/41
———————————————-
On front kerb
Afghanistan
Sgt. Keen. B.R.
14 Signal Regiment July 2007
———————————————-
Left hand side upper panel (1914-18)
Durham Light Infantry
Pte. Geo. Cutter 23/12/1917
” J.W. Jamieson 27/3/1918
” Walter Laing 23/4/1918
” J. Burt 30/5/1918
” F.J. Chipchase 21/7/1918
” I.E. Walton 24/10/1918
” J.H. Rutherford 18/11/1918
” Geo. Forbes 28/9/1916
” John H. Brown 16/9/1916
Northumberland Fusiliers
Cpl. Wm. Walker 1/7/1916
Lce.Cpl. V.E. Clement 1/7/1916
” Ed. Harwood 14/7/1916
” Jos. Ripley 1/7/1916
Pte. Michael Doyle 1/7/1916
” Charles Grant 4/8/1916
” J. Laybourne 12/9/1916
” Jos. Lowes 3/5/1917
” John Hood 5/6/1917
” W.L. Clydesdale 25/10/1917
” John Wylie 13/7/1917
” John Burke 23/6/1917
” Wm. Bell 1/3/1918
” Ben. Chipchase 20/3/1918
” Wm. Best 4/10/1918
East Yorkshire Regiment
Pte. Robt. G. Nixon 25/9/1915
” Ed. Gibbon 10/9/1918
” Geo. T. Hutton 9/11/1918
” N.M. Dixon 20/11/1918
” P.J. Swan, D.L.I. 13/8/1920
———————————————-
Left hand side lower panel (1939-45)
Royal Army Medical Corps
Pte. Matthew Armstrong 12/7/41
Royal Army Service Corps
Corp. James Kenneth Waters 23/7/44
Royal Scots Fusiliers
Fus. Leslie Cumberledge 5/11/44
Royal Air Force
F/Sgt. Ronald Sample Bell 6/5/42
P/O Henry Woles Blacklock 12/7/44
P/O John Graham Parker 16/7/44
F/O John Brown 24/11/43
Serg.A/G Henry Rose Lintern 16/12/43
Serg.A/G Joseph Jeffrie Robson V.R.15/2/43
Serg.Obs.John Robson, V.R. 17/8/43
Serg.A/G Gerald Smith 26/7/43
———————————————-
Back top panel (1914-18)
Yorks Regiment
Pte. J. Wm. Elsdon 7/10/1917
” John Bates 2/4/1919
D. of Wellington’s West Rid’g Reg.
Cpl. Wm. Crooks 17/9/1916
Royal Highlanders
Cpl. Wm. B. Barton 17/5/1916
Cameron Highlanders
Pte. Alex Wylie 15/9/1916
Gordon Highlanders
” Wm. D. Kemp 14/12/1914
Border Regiment
” Jas. Hooks 16/9/1916
Lanc. Fusiliers
” J. Wm. Rowell 5/9/1917
York & Lanc. Regiment
Cpl. Fredk. Banks 9/4/1917
King’s Own Y.L.I.
Cpl. Rueben Bates 22/3/1918
Royal Engineers
Lce.Cpl. G.E. Maddison 22/10/1918
Royal Field Artillery
Drvr. R. Coulthard 20/4/1918
Royal Garrison Artillery
Gnr. John J. Death 17/12/1917
King’s Liverpool Regiment
Pte. Jas. Bell 6/12/1917
Machine Gun Coy.
A.S. David Nixon 26/10/1917
Pte. H. Salisbury, R.N.D. 4/6/1915
” H. Davies, K.O.H. 3/10/1915
———————————————-
Back lower panel (1939-45)
King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Pte. James Alfred Colledge 5/9/44
Lancashire Fusiliers
Pte. George Hunt 31/8/41
Lincolnshire Regiment
Pte. George Allan Ovington 7/4/44
Oxon. & Bucks Light Infantry
Pte. Sydney Wallace 7/4/45
Recce Regiment
Tpr. Sidney A. French 24/6/44
Royal Artillery
Gnr. James W. Jackson 16/7/42
Gnr. Edward Noble 30/1/43
Gnr. James Young 20/7/45
———————————————-
Right hand side upper panel (1914-18)
“They died that we might live”.
Black Watch
Lieut. J.H. Little 30/10/1918
Pte. J. Grisenthwaite 9/4/1917
Durham Light Infantry
2nd Lieut. D.A. Smith 26/10/1917
Lce.Cpl. A. Lyons 6/10/1916
Pte. Ern. Turnbull 7/10/1916
” R. Robinson 9/10/1916
” H. Colling 26/3/1918
” W. Armstrong 9/7/1918
” W. Charlton 14/7/1918
” E. Robinson 21/11/1916
Northumberland Fusiliers
Sergt. F. Armstrong 28/3/1918
Lce.Cpl. J.A. Glenn 21/10/1917
Pte. Thos. Minks 16/12/1914
” G. Richardson 16/6/1915
” F.P. Clasper 1/7/1916
” J. Crampton 1/7/1916
” W.B. Dobson 29/7/1917
” J. French 9/9/1917
” J.W. Smith 14/4/1918
East Yorks
” A. Wood 10/9/1918
Portsmouth Battalion R.M.L.
R.B. Dobson 26/6/1918
Royal Navy
A.B. Wm. Smith 21/4/1917
R.M.L.I.
Sgt. J.R. Blakey 8/11/1918
———————————————-
Right hand side lower panel (1939-45)
Black Watch
Pte. William Stobbart 21/5/40
Pte. Herbert Watson 20/5/40
Coldstream Guards
Gdsman. John William Rennison 31/5/40
Commando Unit
Pte. William Lowes 20/8/44
Durham Light Infantry
Pte. Andrew Forster 28/6/40
Pte. Albert Hunt 13/4/43
Pte. N. Leslie Johnson 29/5/44
Pte. Leo Lydon 17/6/44
Green Howards
Pte. Arthur Emmerson 29/7/43
NamesH106.02
War Memorial Indexes
County Durham Index
Newcastle Index
Northumberland Index
Over The Tees Index
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