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ST MICHAELS ON WYRE WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 and Palestine - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Karen Macauley 2005
World War 2 & Palestine Mary Randles

This well cared for memorial is situated outside the beautiful medieval church at St Michaels on Wyre, next to the road. It lists the names of 19 Great War casualties and 4 men who were killed in WW2.

Photographs copyright © Karen Macauley 2005

BATESON, MM

John Tripyear

This man cannot be didentified from the SDGW CD or CWGC records. The following newspaper article is taken from the Preston Guardian in July 1919 regarding the presentation of his MM, it would appear that he was in the Royal Field Artillery. The article stated: “At Ypres, in July last year he refused to leave his team when all the other horses and men had been killed by shell fire. He unlimbered and brought his horses safely out”. He was the son of Mrs Mary Ann Willacy (nee Bateson), of St Michaels. Born in Catterall on 3rd May 1893. The names on the St Michaels War Memorial all appear in alphabetical order, with the exception of John T Bateson, whose name was probably added later; the inscription reading JOHN TR1PYER BATESON MM RUSSIAN 1919. He was probably killed in action in Russia.

BALL

Harry

Lance Corporal 17915. 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. 1st Division. Killed in action 30th December 1915. Age 21. Son of Mary Ball, Foxes Terrace, St Michaels. Brother of Private Robert Ball (Killed in action 20.9.17). Born Hornby. Enlisted early 1915 at Garstang. Commemorated on the LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 89 to 91.

BALL

Robert

Private 13957. 1st/4th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. 55th Division. Killed in action 20th September 1917, during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge (3rd Ypres). Age 21. Son of Mary Ball of Foxes Terrace, St Michaels. Younger brother of LCpl Harry Ball (Killed in action 30.12.15). Born Freshfield, Lancashire. Enlisted Preston in early 1915. Commemorated on the TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, Belgium. Panel 102 to 104.

CROFT

John

Gunner 161179. “B” Battery, 180th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died of Wounds 7th August 1917. Age 19. Son of Edward and Betty Croft, Archer Farm, Woodplumpton. Born Nateby. Enlisted Lancaster. Buried in MENDINGHEM MTLITARY CEMETERY, Poperinge, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot IV. Row A. Grave 33

HALL

Henry

Lance Corporal 240102. 8th Battalion, Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. 3rd Division. Formerly 1238 Private in 1st/5th Battalion, Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. Killed in action 12th May 1917 during an attack near Monchy Le Preux. Age 29. Son of Thomas and Isabella Hall of Boat House Farm, St Michaels. Born 18th May 1889 in Elswick. Enlisted in the Territorials on 6th April 1911. Time expired and discharged 5th April 1915, but was recalled on 11th August 1916 under the Military Service Act. He was then posted to 8th Battalion. Employed on the family farm before the war. Commemorated on the ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 2.

HESKETH

Harold

Gunner 161072. 223rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery, Killed in action 23rd March 1918 during the German offensive. Age 23. Son of William and Rose Hesketh of Beech House, St Michaels. Husband of Annie Hesketh, White Horse Village, Myerscough. Born Upper Rawcliffe. Enlisted Garstang. Commemorated on the ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 1.

HESKETH

Thomas James

Private 34503. 12th Battalion Highland Light Infantry, transferred to 582nd Agricultural Company, Labour Corps. Died of influenza on 12th November 1918 at the family home in St Michaels. Age 23. Son of Thomas and Ann Hesketh of Hudsons Farm, St Michaels. Born Upper Rawcliffe. I have a photograph of this man in uniform, which clearly shows two wound stripes on his left sleeve. He was probably wounded, classified unfit for active service and transferred to the Labour Corps. Buried in KIRKLAND (NATEBY) BAPTIST CHAPEL, Nateby, Lancashire. Grave 289.

HORNBY

Geoffrey Phipps

Second Lieutenant. 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. 28th Division. Killed in action at Frezenberg Ridge, Ypres 8th May 1915. Age 24. Second of the four sons of Ven Phipps John Hornby (Archdeacon of Lancaster) and Agnes Eleanor Hornby of St Michaels. Brother of 2Lt William Hornby (Killed in action 12.10.1916). Born Pt September 1890 in St Michaels. Educated at Rugby School. Enlisted 7th September 1914 at Woodbridge, Suffolk into Suffolk Yeomanry. Commissioned into Suffolk Regiment 14th September 1914. Employed as a Land Agent (War Office) prior to the outbreak of war. Commemorated on the MENIN GATE MEMORIAL, Ypres, Belgium. Panel 21.

HORNBY

William

Lieutenant. 17th Battalion The Kings (Liverpool Regiment). 30th Division. Killed in action 12th October 1916 in an attack at Eaucourt L’Abbaye, Somme. Age 23. Third son of Archdeacon Phipps John and Agnes Eleanor Hornby of St Michaels. Brother of 2Lt Geoffrey P Hornby (Killed in action 8.5.1915). Born 18th August 1893 at St Michaels. Educated at Rugby School and Balliol College, Oxford. Enlisted Pt September 1914 as 15048 Private, in the 17th Kings Liverpool Regiment. Commissioned 9th September 1916. Employed as a cotton salesman before the war. Originally buried in a small cemetery close to where he fell, but removed after the war to WARLENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot II. Row D. Grave 24

JENKINSON

Thomas

Private 241224. 2nd/5th Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. 57th Division. Died 8th April 1917. Age 26. Son of John and Alice Jenkinson, Wild Boar Cottage, St Michaels. Born St Michaels. Enlisted Blackpool probably early 1915. Occupation Tailor. Buried in ESTAIRES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Nord, France. Plot IV. Row D. Grave 1

KELLETT

George

Gunner 214097. No 2 Training Depot Royal Garrison Artillery. Died 27th February 1920. Age 39. Death certificate shows primary cause of death to be Malaria, secondary as Pulmonary Oedema. He must therefore have served overseas to contract Malaria, but I have been unable to ascertain his unit. Son of W and T Kellett of St Michaels. Husband of Ada L Kellett of 37 Eastham Street, Lancaster. Occupation Farm Labourer. Buried in LANCASTER (SCOTFORTH) CEMETERY, Lancaster. Row 11 Grave 120

PIMM

William Reginald

Private (Signaller) 3268. 1st/4th Battalion, Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. 55th Division. Killed in action 25th June 1916. Age 19. Son of Henry Edward and Annie Pimm of Rose Villa, (Post Office) St Michaels. Brother of Percival B Pimm (Killed in action 27.5.1916). Born St Michaels. Enlisted Garstang. Worked at Garstang Post Office before the war. Buried in AGNY MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Row B. Grave 31.

PIMM

Percival Burghope

Private 3396. PV4th Battalion, Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. 55th Division. Killed in action 27th May 1916. Age 20. Son of Henry Edward and Annie Pimm, of Rose Villa, St Michaels. Brother of Private William R Pimm (Killed in action 25.6.1916). Born St Michaels. Enlisted Garstang. Employed as a farm worker prior to the war. Buried in LE FERMONT MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row C. Grave 2.

PYE

Bartle

Gunner 97504. 111th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 6th April 1918 by shellfire during the German offensive, with three comrades who are all buried in the same grave. Age 30. Only son of Richard and Elizabeth Pye of Maple Cottage, Sowerby. Husband of Beatrice Pye (nee Gay), Melbourne Cottage, Sowerby. Married 13th April 1914. Born Chipping. Enlisted 7th December 1915 at Preston. Employed as an estate worker on Lord Derby’s estate at Sowerby before the war. Buried in RIBEMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot II. Row H. Grave 7

RAWCLIFFE

William Hayes

Sergeant 13129. 7th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. 19th Division. Died of Wounds on 23rd July 1916, following an attack on the Intermediate Line near Bazentin le Petit, where he received a gun shot wound to the abdomen. Age 29. Son of Thomas and Jane Rawcliftè, Harrison House Farm, St Michaels. Born St Michaels. Enlisted 7th September 1914 at Preston. Occupation — Poultry Farmer. Buried in HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, Mericourt L’Abbe, Somme, France. Plot II. Row C. Grave 47.

ROWSON

Christopher

Private 30042. 1st Battalion, Border Regiment. 29th Division. Formerly 16th Battalion, Kings (Liverpool Regiment). Missing and presumed killed in action 19th May 1917 during an attack on Infantry Hill near Monchy le Preux. Age 22. Son of Christopher and Jane Rowson, Grapes Hotel, St Michaels. Born Ashton on BAbble. Enlisted Preston. Commemorated on the ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 6.

SHARPLES

James

Private 40958. 1st/5th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment. 42nd Division. Killed in action 20th October 1918 during an attack and capture of Belle Vue Farm on the Briastre- Marou Road in the final days of the war. Possibly the son of Dorothy Sharples of St Michaels. Born St Michaels. Enlisted Preston. Buried in BELLE VUE BRITISH CEMETERY, Briastre, Nord, France. Row E Grave 6.

STUART

Robert

Private 30172. 2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). 8th Division. Killed in action 5th May 1917 during an attack on the village of La Vacquerie. Originally posted as missing. Age 21. Eldest son of James and Ellen Stuart, Manor House, Sowerby. Born Little Eccleston. Enlisted Garstang. Attended the Harris Institute in Preston, where he gained several honours in agriculture. Commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING, Somme, France. Pier and Face 4D.

WALTON

Joseph

Lance Corporal 65932. 235th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Formerly 25913, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Missing and presumed killed in action 30th November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. Age 21. Son of Margaret Ann and the late James Walton of Wyre Side Farm, St Michaels. Born Whittingham. Enlisted August 1916 at Preston into Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Transferred to MGCin October 1916. Peace time occupation - farmer. Commemorated on the CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, Louverval, Nord, France. Panel 12 and 13.

1939 - 1945
BAMBER Frederick George
Pilot Officer (Bomb Aimer) 121134, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 22nd August 1942. Aged 31. Son of Hannah Martha Hodgson, of St. Michael's-on-Wyre. Buried in ST. MICHAEL'S-ON-WYRE CHURCHYARD, Lancashire. Row 8. Grave 2.
FAIRCLOUGH William Percival
Guardsman 2622121, 5th Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Died on service 17 June 1943. Aged 22. Born and resident Preston. Buried in MEDJEZ-EL-BAB WAR CEMETERY, Tunisia. Plot 7. Row E. Grave 3.
HODGSON Henry Grayston
Gunner 14337298, 55 (The West Somerset Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Killed in action 5 October 1944. Aged 26. Born Preston, Lancashire, resident St. Michael-on-Wyre, Lancashire. Son of John and Dorothy Hodgson, of St. Michael-on-Wyre, Lancashire. Buried in BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Plot 23. Row C. Grave 11.

"Make them to be numbered with thy
saints in glory everlasting"

Palestine 1947 (later addition)

WEDGE Albert

Lance Corporal 14100599, Palestine Command Provost Company, Corps of Royal Military Police. At 20.00 hours 1st March 1947 a land mine disguised as a kilo stone was detonated in Haifa as a military jeep was passing. Two N.C.O.'s were killed and two were injured one of whom died later from his wounds. Aged 20. Born 27 June 1926 in Yorkshire. Buried in Buried in KHAYAT BEACH WAR CEMETERY, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza). Plot D. Row A. Grave 4.

Photograph Copyright © Mary Randles 2012

Last updated 14 November, 2019

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