West Berkshire War Memorials

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ID:	WB035
UKNIWM:	7810
Location:	Memorial Hall car park
OS Map Ref:	SU510670
Description:	Stone cross

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Inscription:
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To the / Glory of God / and in / Proud Memory / of the Men / who gave / their Lives / for their King / and Country / in the / Great War of / 1914-1918

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They shall not grow old as we who are / left grow old. Age shall not weary /
them nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun and in / the morning we shall remember them.

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Erected 1919 / Restored 1950 & 1990

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Royal Navy
H A W Back
O Jennings
G A Southey
W H Stevens
Army
A Amor
F Allen
H B Allwood
A Bew
F Bew
L Bew
F Bosley
H Bosley
H Bradbury
H Breach
T G Breach
A Browning
W Q Butler
A Campon
A E Chandler
A Cook

Panel
E Cook
T Cook
W Cook
T W Couzens
W E Couzens
G Denness
H Denness
R Diggins
A Dodd
J Durbridge
D Dyer
E Eldred
H Farley
A G Fisher
E Franklin
F Franklin
H French
A Fry
E Fry
F Fyfield
A Gale
H Glastonbury

Panel
G Gibbs
W Gibbs
G Goodchild
J Green
L Green
G Haines
J Haines
E Hall
G Hawkins
B A Headlong
F H Headlong
W Headlong
M Holloway
W J Howells
A House
F J Hunt
L J Hunt
V J Hutchins
W Hyde
H V Jenkins
J J Jenkins
R F Jenkins
F Lawrence

Panel
G Lawrence
W Long
F Marchant
H Mace
J Mace
A Millsom
H Nailor
H G Nailor
J Nightingale
T J Nightingale
J Pearce
W Pearce
W J Pike
F J Prouting
A Pinnock
E Pope
C Powell
J Preston
W Preston
A T Quelch
C J Quelch
C Radbourne
C Rutter
Panel
G Rutter
P H Rutter
G Rogers
F Rolfe
J Rolfe
F Rose
H Rosier
W Savage
S M Simpson
E G Stevens MM
W Street
A B Turner VC
J Thorn
D Tidbury
G Tull
C Wallington
F Westall
A Wheeler
H Wigmore
H Witts

Panel
1939-1945
Royal Navy
J F S Denness
J G Foster
H F Hunt
A E Jackson
A T Newson
F G Newson

Royal Air Force
K F Bartholomew VR
P R Bosley VR
B F Brooks VR
G I F Davies
F R Harmsworth-Smith
W G Hartland VR
B G Radbourne VR

Panel
1939-1945
Army
S J Aldridge
W E Beasley
K C Bolton
R A Claridge
A G Collins
H J Collins
H W Collins
P R T Daniel
A W French
W T Heaver
H C Hill
W G Holmes
R P Looker
A W J Lovelock
E I Maggs
J E T Munn
M Parker
J V Pearce
C D Radbourne
H W Ralph
E H P Silvester

What the papers said:

Thatcham War Memorial – Dedication Service, 11 Nov 1920.

Newbury Weekly News, 18 Nov 1920

Thatcham's Tribute

Memorial Cross in the Broadway

Thatcham honoured the memory of its gallant dead by assembling in large numbers at three o'clock on Thursday afternoon to witness the unveiling and dedication of the Memorial Cross erected in the Broadway to commemorate the names of those from the village who fell in the Great War. It was a simple but impressive ceremony, lasting about half-an-hour, after which the people made a close inspection of the memorial, laying many beautiful wreaths and bunches of flowers at its base.

The Memorial Cross

The memorial is in the form of a Wayside Cross, made of Doulting stone, seventeen feet in height, with an hexagonal base of three platforms, the designer being Sir Charles Nicholson of London. Upone the front slab of the cross appears the following:-

"To the glorious memoory of the Men of Thatcham, who, serving in the Royal Navy and in the Army, gave their lives for their country in the Great War, 1914-1918."

On the remaining five slabs are inscribed the names of the men who fell as follows:-

	Royal Navy
	Chaplain -	AB -
	Rev H A W Back	S H Southey
	Army
	Second Lieutenants -	G Hawkins
	A B Turner, VC	B A Headlong
	H Glastonbury	F H Headlong
	Sergeants -	W Headlong
	A Amor	M Holloway
	P H Rutter	W J Howells
	Corporals -	A Howse
	F Marchant	F J Hunt
	G Rutter	L J Hunt
	Lance-Corporals -	V J Hutchins
	F J Prounting	H V Jenkins
	C Rutter	J Jenkins
	Privates -	F J Jenkins
	F Allen	G Jenkins
	H B Allwood	F Lawrence
	A Bew	G Lawrence
	F Bosley	W Long
	H Bosley	H Mace
	H Bradbury	J Mace
	T G Breach	A Millsom
	A Browning	H Nailor
	W C Butler	H G Nailor
	A Capon	J Nightingale
	A E Chandler	T J Nightingale
	A Cook	J Pearce
	T Cook	W Pearce
	W Cook	W J Pike
	T W Couzens	A Pinnock
	W E Couzens	E Pope
	F Denness	C Powell
	H Deness	J Preston
	R Diggens	W Preston
	A Dodd	F Quelch
	J Durbridge	J Quelch
	D Dyer	C Radbourne
	E Eldred	G Rogers
	H Farley	F Rolfe
	A G Fisher	J Rolfe
	E Franklin	F Rose
	F Franklin	H Rosier
	H French	W Savager
	A Fry	Gnr S M Simpson
	E Fry	E J Stephens
	F Fyfield	W H Stephens
	A Gale	W Street
	C Gibbs	J Thorne
	W Gibbs	D Tidbury
	C Goodchild	G Tull
	J Green	C Wallington
	L Green	F Westall
	G Haines	A Wheeler
	J Haines	H Wigmore
	Gnr E Hall	H Witts

The German Gun

A newly painted German howitzer captured by the First Battalion of the County Regiment had been placed behind the cross on the morning of the day for its unveiling. A tablet on the ground between the cross and the gun read:-

"German howitzer captured by 1st Battalion Royal Berks Regiment, presented to the village of Thatcham as a tribute to the memory of 2nd Lieut A B Turner, of Thatcham House, who was awarded the VC for his gallantry at Fosse, near Vermelles, on 28th September, and died of wounds received there on 1st October, 1915."

Church Service and Procession

Before the unveiling ceremony took place, a service was held at the Parish Church, where prayers were offered by the curate, Rev A S Hazel; John S Arkwright's "The supreme sacrifice" was sung; and a short address was given by the Vicar, The Rev W S Grindle (Vicar of Cold Ash) was also present. Mr G J Fyfield, ARCO, was at the organ. With the verger at its head, a procession then wended its way from the church to the Broadway, where a large rectangle was formed. Behind the memorials stood the clergy and the united choirs of all denominations, also several of the gentry and villagers. Immediately facing the front of the cross in two ranks were ex-service men, who formed a guard of honour. In a prominent position in the foreground were two uniformed buglers of the Berkshire Regiment, Spencer and Durbridge. On the east and west sides were lined up children of the Council School, National School and Crookham School, under the supervision of masters and teachers; Girl Guides and Brownies, commanded by Miss Turner and Miss Pear MBE, and Boy Scouts with Patrol Leaders Fairchild and Turner in charge. Many relatives of the fallen and hundreds of villagers stood in reverent silence to watch the ceremony. The memorial cross was draped with two huge Union Jacks.

The Unveiling and Dedication

The first hymn to be sung was "O God our help in ages past," which was followed by passages of Scripture, Heb xi, 32-40; xii, 1-2; and Rev viii, 13-17; read by the Congregational Church pastor, the Rev John Stay. Then Major Charles Turner, JP, stepped forward and asked Major-General E T Dickson, of the Royal Berks Regiment, to unveil the memorial. General Dickson, who was wearing a black armlet on his left arm, and stood with cap in hand, said he had just ravelled from London, where the King and people had been engaged in paying a lst tribute of respect to the memory of an Unkown Warrior. He was about to unveil a memorial to warriors who were well known to them. He would not say more, but would like to recite the words of a beautiful anthem:-

	"Father, we bring our dead to Thee.
	And Thou wilt fold them closely on Thy breast,
	And for a little season they shall be At Rest
	Loved ones, they bore our honour well,
	In storm-swept rampart and on dreadful deep,
	'Till this new Glory touched them and they fell
	Asleep.
	A little sleep before the dawn,
	A veil of shadow over weary eyes,
	And then shall come a trumpet call at morn,
	Arise!"

General Dickson then pulled the cord, and the flags enveloping the cross fell to the ground. Major Turner removed the flag covering the plate in front of the gun. The General Salute was sounded by the buglers. Prayers were read by the Vicar (Rev E Chamberlain). who then dedicated the cross, "To the honour and glory of God, and in memory of those whose lives had been given in the service of their King and Country." Other prayers followed, and the hymn, "For all the saints," was feelingly sung. The Blessing, the Last Post sounded by buglers, and the National Anthem brought the ceremony to a close. Haf-muffled peals were rung on the bells before and after the service.

Amongst those present were Major and Mrs C Turner, Miss Tull, Mr A S B Tull, Mrs Branwell Davis, Mr and Mrs A Brown, Mr and Mres T H Brown, Mr J M Henry, Miss A L Henry, Mr W Draper, Mrs Wyatt, Mr and Mrs Skillman, Mrs Martin, Mr and Mrs Sheppard, Mr Harman, Mr J Lane, etc. A letter of apology for absence was received from Admiral Sir Srthur Fanshaw. The floral tokens placed on the memorial immediately after its unveiling on Thursday were from Thatcham House, Mrs Glastonbury, from School Teachers and Children of Church of England School, Organist and Choir, Clergy and others; from all at Coombe Lodge; Mr and Miss Tull and Mrs P Bramwell Davis, Miss Henry, Dr and Mrs T Martin, Bell-ringers, to F G Breach, Charles Powell, Cyril Rutter, Martin (from home), Arthur G Fisher, from wife; Mother, Sister and Emily. A Gibbs, Harold Rosier, Sig H Farley, F Marchant, Arthur Pinnock, to Jim; and others. Many other flowers have since been added.