Memorial
Wall 1914-18 1939-45 Later conflicts Roadside
Thornley Easington
Memorial Name: Wall 1914-18 1939-45 Later conflicts Roadside (T54.02)
NEWMP Ref No.: T54.02
Parish: Thornley Easington
Roadside, North side of High Street, and west of the “Colliery Inn”.
Restored in 2005
a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
c. Later conflicts
Unveiled 23rd May 1959 by Mr. T.H. Holder, Secretary of the War Memorial Committee;
dedicated by Rev. W.A. Lathaen, deputy assistant chaplain-general (TA) Northern Command and former Vicar at Thornley.
Dunhouse stone from Staindrop.
Tubular steel arch.
War Memorial Committee
£1,000
Public subscription and fund raising.
Mr. Dennis Dunlop of Durham.
Archway made by David Ogilvie, Kilmarnock
To the glory of God
and in memory of
the employees and
residents of Thornley
who made the supreme
sacrifice in the wars.
Greater love
hath no man
than this
that a man
lay down his life
for his friends.
Garden bounded on three side by hedges.
The far end features a wall 7 feet high x 46 feet long (2.1m x 14m).
Inserted at the centre of the wall and part of it, approached by a path, is the monument bearing the dedication and names.
The monument is 7 feet high x 9 feet wide (2.1m x 2.7m), with low raised centre top.
There is a plain cross raised in half relief in the middle, with the quotation below.
The dedication is carried on a horizontal panel on either side of the head of the cross.
Below, on either side of the cross, is a sunken panel with raised border, each 48 inches high x 39 inches wide (117cms x 99cms).
These bear the names in two columns on each.
Recently placed on the wall which surrounds this memorial are two very plain plaques – one on each side, each bearing further names from
(a) 1914-18 and
(b) 1939-45, N. Ireland and B.A.O.R.
Two of these names were originally added to the frames of the main panels but have been removed from there and added to these panels.
The lettering of the dedication and quotation is in Roman capitals.
The names are in sans serif capitals.
In 2018 an archway was added.
This is made of tubular steel with a dove of peace at the top.
On each side is a silhouette of a soldier leaning on his rifle with head bowed.
a. 134 names and ranks plus a further 16 names and ranks.
b. 24 names and ranks plus a further 6 from 1939-45
c. 2 names and ranks.
See transcript.
1. This memorial replaced the First World War Memorial which was lost when the Miners’ Welfare Institute was destroyed by fire in 1944.
Photos: Simon Raine; C. Sanders; James Pasby; Dorothy Hall; Beamish Museum 1959 photographs from Durham Advertiser
The Response, the occasional newsletter of the Northumberland and Durham Branch of the Western Front Association No.1 New series January 1995 carries a report by Jim Winter on 2nd Lieut. John Scott Youll, V.C.
The Employees and Residents of Thornley, Ludworth and Wheatley Hill. Their contribution in the Great War 1914-1918 Fred Bromilow and Owen Rowland. Wheatley Hill History Club, 2006.
The Employees and Residents of Thornley, Ludworth and Wheatley Hill. Their contribution in the Second World War 1939-1945. Fred Bromilow, Owen Rowland. Tom Tunney Jnr. Wheatley Hill History Club, 2008
Source of quotation:
Greater love hath no man . . .” St. John 15 v 13
Additional Research Documents
C. Sanders;
Jim Winter;
James Pasby;
Margaret Hedley;
Dorothy Hall
Wheatley Hill History Club have researched the names on this memorial.
If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.
THORNLEY Roadside
To the glory of God and in memory of
the employees and residents of Thornley
who made the supreme sacrifice in the wars.
Centre left hand panel
1914-1918
Pte. J. Allen Pte. G. Graham
“ T. Allison “ G. Gray
“ J. Amos L/Cpl. J. Gray
Sgt. W. Atkinson Pte. J.J. Greener
L/Cpl. F. Aunger Bdr. H. Griffiths
Pte. E. Bentham Pte. D. Hagon
“ J. Best “ J. Hall
“ H. Blaney “ T. Hall
Sgt. W. Blenkinsopp D.C.M. “ P. Hamilton
Pte. J. Bond “ J. Harris
“ G. Bradley “ S. Hastings
“ J. Brain “ J. Henry D.C.M.
“ S. Bullock “ H. Hepple
Sgt. E. Bushby “ G. Heslop
Cpl. J. Calvert “ H. Heslop
Pte. T.J. Carey Gnr. T. Heslop
“ R. Carter Pte. G. Hesp
“ C.A. Chaytor “ J. Higgins
“ J. Clough Gnr. J.W. Hill
“ J.H. Coldwell Pte. R. Holden
“ J. Connelly “ D. Holmes
“ E. Cook “ W. Hunter
Cpl. M. Cook “ J. Husband
Pte. P. Cook “ C. Hutchinson
“ J.G. Cowie “ W. Jamieson
“ T.W. Curry “ J. Jones D.L.I.
“ J.W. Davis “ J. Jones
“ J. Dodsworth “ R. Jordison
“ A.W. Dove Cpl. W. Kears
“ J. Dunlop Pte. J. Kelly
“ M. Durkin “ J. Lamb
Cpl. J.P. Durkin Sgt. J.H. Lamb
Pte. J. Ellimore Pte. A. Lambert
Sto. R. Elliot “ J. Lawson
Pte. C. Ellis “ W. Luke
“ C. Ellis D.L.I. L/Cpl. D. Lumsden
“ W. Evans Gnr. P. McCoy
“ M. Fairhurst Pte. A. McGregor
“ C. Gott “ J. McLoughlin
“ R. Gott Cpl. F. Milburn
Centre right hand panel
1914-1918
L/Cpl. A. Millington Pte. J. Stone
Pte. J.R. Mills “ E. Sullivan
“ W. Moore “ A. Sutherland
“ F. Newby “ J.G. Taylor
Sgt. B. Orchard “ J.R. Taylor
Pte. H. Ord “ J. Thompson
“ R. Park L/Cpl. R. Thompson
“ T. Paxton Cpl. W.E. Thompson
“ G. Peel Gnr. H. Thornton
L/Cpl. J.W. Potts “ G.H. Todd
Pte. R. Potts Sto. F. Veitch
“ W. Poulson L/Cpl. R. Walker
“ C. Quinn Pte. R. Walker
“ L. Quinn “ H. White
“ J. Riley Cpl. W.F. Wick
“ J. Ritchie Gnr. L. Wilkinson
“ G. Rivers Pte. H. Williamson
“ J. Rowe “ W. Wood
“ J. Sample Sgt. W. Woodward
“ P. Savage Cpl. J.G. Wright D.C.M.
“ J. Sedgwick Pte. S. Wright
Cpl. E. Smith “ C. Wylie
Pte. R. Soulsby “ J. Wylie
“ H. Spence “ J.J. Wylie
“ E. Spink “ M. Youll
“ W. Starford Sec.Lt. J.S. Youll V.C.
“ J.W. Stephenson Pte. T. Ball
1939-1945
Pte. J. Atkinson Tel. T. Lee
“ I. Bates Sgt. C.R. Long
Capt. J. Bonar LAC. J. McEnaney
Pte. J. Burrell Sgt. J. Parker
L/Cpl. E. Gair Std. J.J. Parsons
Pte. W.H. Gott L/Bdr. W. Peacock
“ T.T. Greener Gnr. J. Piercey
“ T. Hall L/Cpl. D.L. Renwick
Sgt. R. Heads Tpr. G.E. Robinson
“ W. Hoole Sgt. T. Scott
Pte. J.J. Humble Sgr. G. Tarn
Sgt. H. Kell A.B. A. Thomas
Plaque on left
Addenda Panel
1914-18
Pte. J. Anderson Pte. J.E. Iveson
“ T. Brady “ I. Jackson
L/C J. Burnett “ G.W. Lawerence
Pte. W. Clark “ D. McDonald
“ J.H. Dowson “ W. McGlade
“ J.W. Foster “ J.T. Price
“ R. Harbron “ T. Wetherell
“ I. Holroyd
“ J. Hutchinson
Plaque on right
Addenda Panel
1939-45
Sgt. J. Avery Spr. R. Monk B.A.O.R.
Gdsn. W. Hutchinson Pte. J. Gaskell Northern Ireland
Pte. J. Madrell
Cpl. F.S. Plant M.M.
A.S. P. Robinson
R.M. J. Moore
At centre below cross
Greater love
hath no man
than this
that a man
lay down his life
for his friends.
NamesT54.02
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