Remembering 'the Fallen' of Moresby & Parton
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| 1. The Parton & Moresby War Memorial, Cumbria Commemorates 'the Fallen' of Parton and Moresby Located at The Square, Parton, Cumbria |
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| 2. The WW1 memorial of St Bridget's Church, Moresby Located inside St Bridget's Parish Church, Moresby |
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| 3. The 1939 - 1940 Moresby parish 'Roll of Honour' Located inside St Bridget's Parish Church, Moresby (Church of England) |
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| 4. St Bridget's Parish Church, Moresby, West Cumberland Situated on the site of the old Roman fort of 'Arbeia'. |
For additional information click on 'Comments' below.
posted by ritsonvaljos at 7:07 pm
7 Comments:
Additional information
Introduction
The photographs seen above show some of the war memorials of the townships of Moresby and Parton. In the past these two setlements traditionally formed one civil parish in West Cumberland (now Cumbria) just to the north of Whitehaven.
Ecclesiastically, at least for the Established Church, Moresby parish still includes both Moresby and Parton. The Anglican parish church, situated on the site of the former Roman fort of Arbeia, is dedicated to St Bridget.
The war memorial seen in photograph No. 1 above lists the names of casualties from both World Wars (1914 - 1918 and 1939 - 1945). However, it is believed that the names of some former residents of Moresby and Parton have inadvertently been missed off the memorial for some reason.
The Parton & Moresby War Memorial
The wording on the Parton & Moresby war memorial is as follows:
This stone was erected by the inhabitants of PARTON & MORESBY.
To the Glory of God
& in loving memory of
the officers, NCOs & men
who gave their lives in the Great War
1914 - 1918.
They went to do their duty
Young, strong & brave
They gave their lives for others
Themselves they could not save.
FOR FREEDOM'S CAUSE.
Also of those who fell in the
Second Great War.
1939 - 1945.
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WW2 casualties from Parton & Moresby
The following 6 casualties from the 1939 - 1945 war are listed:
Sgt. (Pilot) R. Brady, R.A.F.
Sgt. R. Cunningham, 1st Border Regt.
Pte. J. Greaves, 1st Border Regt.
L/Cpl. G.W. Howe, 1st Border Regt.
A.C.2 G. Rule, R.A.F.V.R.
Sapper T. Wilkinson, R.E.
There are at least 2 other casualties from the hamlet of Scilly Banks in Moresby parish whose names are not listed on this memorial:
Pte. Stanley Carruthers, 1st West Yorks Regt.
(Prince of Wales's Own).
Gnr. Leonard Lowrey, R.A.
(11th Field Regt.).
However, Pte Carruthers and Gunner Leonard Lowrey are commemorated in the Moresby Parish WW2 'Book of Remembrance' which is on display inside St Bridget's Parish Church.
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The CWGC has the following details listed for the above WW2 casualties:
1. Sgt. (Pilot) R. Brady, R.A.F.
BRADY, ROBERT
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Pilot
Service No: 1066638
Date of Death: 05/09/1941
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: Row 8. Grave 7.
Cemetery: MORESBY (ST. BRIDGET) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland.
.Additional Information: Son of Robert and Annie Brady, of Whitehaven.
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2. Sgt. R. Cunningham, 1st Border Regt.
CUNNINGHAM, RICHARD
Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 3127983
Date of Death: 09/07/1943
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: The Border Regiment, 1st (Airborne) Bn.
Panel Reference: Panel 7.
Memorial: CASSINO MEMORIAL, Italy
Additional Information: Son of John and Jean Cunningham, of Parton, Cumberland;
Husband of Elizabeth Drummond Cunningham, of Dumbarton.
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3. Pte. J. Greaves, 1st Border Regt.
GREAVES, JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 3602735
Date of Death: 10/07/1943
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: The Border Regiment, 1st (Airborne) Bn.
Panel Reference: Panel 7.
Memorial: CASSINO MEMORIAL, Italy
Additional Information: Son of John C. Greaves, and of Ada Jane Greaves, of Parton, Cumberland.
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4. L/Cpl. G.W. Howe, 1st Border Regt.
HOWE, GEORGE WILLIAM
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 14209659
Date of Death: 24/09/1944
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: The Border Regiment, 1st (Airborne) Bn.
Grave Reference: 18. B. 18.
Cemetery: ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY, Netherlands
Additional Information: Son of William and Mary Jane Howe.
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5. A.C.2 G. Rule, R.A.F.V.R.
RULE, GEORGE
Rank: Aircraftman 2nd Class
Service No: 1699812
Date of Death: 08/06/1943
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: Row 9. Grave 11.
Cemetery: MORESBY (ST. BRIDGET) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Blanche Rule, of Parton.
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6. Sapper T. Wilkinson, R.E.
WILKINSON, THOMAS
Rank: Sapper
Service No: 2008212
Date of Death: 17/06/1943
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
994 Docks Operating Coy.
Panel Reference: Panel 7, Column 2.
Memorial: BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL, Surrey (U.K.)
Additional Information: Son of John and Ann Wilkinson, of Whitehaven, Cumberland.
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7. Pte. Stanley Carruthers, 1st West Yorks Regt
CARRUTHERS, STANLEY
Rank: Private
Service No: 3605551
Date of Death: 30/05/1944
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment
(Prince of Wales's Own) 1st Bn.
Panel Reference: Face 7.
Memorial: RANGOON MEMORIAL, Burma (Myanmar)
Additional Information: Son of John Joseph and Sarah Carruthers, of Moresby, Cumberland.
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8. Gnr. Leonard Lowrey, R.A. (11th Field Regt.).
LOWREY, LEONARD
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 874310
Date of Death: 18/11/1942
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery (11 Field Regt.).
Grave Reference: 4. E. 20.
Cemetery: ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY, Egypt
Additional Information: Son of William and Sarah Lowrey;
Husband of Mary Lowrey, of Moresby Parks, Cumberland.
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Gunner Leonard (Lenny) Lowrey, who died of wounds in Alexandria, Egypt, was a former miner at Haig Pit, Kells, Whitehaven. A younger brother of Lenny's, Pte. John Lowrey, 5th Battalion The Border Regiment, was at Dunkirk. After the war John Lowrey became the Secretary of the West Cumbria Branch of the Dunkirk Veterans Association.
Private Stanley Carruthers lived at Round Close Farm, Scilly Banks, Moresby. Before enlisting to the army, he was employed at a garage jointly owned by his uncle, Mr Gordon Farries. To see a photograph of Pte. Stanley Carruthers, read his wartime story and that of his family on the BBC "People's War" website, click on the following links:
(1) Remembering Private Stanley Carruthers
(2) Private Stanley Carruthers & family of Scilly Banks
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WW1 casualties from Parton & Moresby
For completeness, the following are the names of the 45 casualties of the 1914 - 1918 war listed on this memorial:
Face 1 (12 names)
1. Pte J.E. Tyrrell, 6th Border Regt.
2. Pte. J. Nelson, 6th Border Regt.
3. Pte. W. Hall, 6th Border Regt.
4. Pte. S. Robinson, 8th Border Regt.
5. Pte. T. Earl, 8th Border Regt.
6. Pte. W. Stubbs, 8th Border Regt.
7. Pte. W. Coates, 8th Border Regt.
8. Pte. W. Benson, 1st & 2nd Border Regt.
9. Pte. T.C. Bewsher, 1st & 2nd Border Regt.
10. Capt. H.P. Burnyeat, R.H.A. (actually a Lt. Col.)
11. Pte. J. O'Neil, 7th East Yorks.
12. Pte. J. Martin, D.L.I.
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Face 2 (12 names)
13. L/Cpl. J. Mitchell, 5th Border Regt.
14. Pte. C.W. White, 5th Regt.
15. Pte. A. Graham, 5th Border Regt.
16. Pte. A. Monro, 5th Border Regt.
17. Pte. W. Fleming, 5th Border Regt.
18. Pte. R. Nicholson, 5th Border Regt.
19. Pte. J. Carruthers, 5th Border Regt.
20. Pte. J. Ferguson, M.M., 5th Border Regt.
21. Sgt. J. Nelson, 7th S.W. Borderers.
22. Pte. J.J. Stalker, 7th S.W. Borderers.
23. Capt. A. Watkyn-Thomas, 2nd H.L.I.
24. Pte. T. Campbell, Seaforth Highlanders
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Face 3 (11 names)
25. Pte. D. Fisher, Canadians.
26. Cpl. R. Parker, Canadians.
27. L/Cpl. C.H. Little, Canadians
28. Pte. J. Harrison, Canadians
29. Pte. G. Hall, M.G.C.
30. Pte. J. Bouch, M.G.C.
31. Pte. W.H. Ferguson, 24th Welsh Borderers.
32. Pte. J. Murphy, 4th Tyneside Irish (N. Fusiliers)
33. Pte. W. Coates, 4th Border Regt.
34. Pte. W. Ostle
35. Pte. J. Fearon
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Face 4 (10 names)
36. Sgt. F. Mossop, D.C.M. & Bar, M.M., 1st King's L'pool Regt.
37. Pte. G. Orr, R.F.A.
38. Pte. C. Sanderson, 1st Monmouths.
39. Pte. J. Love, K.O.R.L.'s
40. Pte. J. Cunningham, R.E.
41. Pte. W.L. Williams, C.A.M.C.
42. Pte. R. Williams, 10th East Yorks.
43. Pte. T. Clements, 7th Border Regt.
44. Pte. W. Jackson, 7th Border Regt.
45. Pte. J. Fisher, 2nd Border Regt.
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Other war memorials for Moresby
Also seen above are photographs of two of the memorials found inside St Bridget's Parish Church, Moresby. It is believed that not all the names of the WW1 and WW2 casualties from Moresby or Parton have been included on the memorials.
There is also a war memorial for the casualties of the two World Wars from Moresby Parks and Scilly Banks, including Stanley Carruthers and Leonard Lowrey. This war memorial was originally found in St Bridget's Mission Church at Moresby Parks, which was demolished in 2008. Afterwards, the Moresby Parks war memorial was relocated to the Methodist Chapel of St Mark's - the only remaining place of worship at Moresby Parks.
Acknowledgement:
Thanks to Mr Stuart Nicholson, Archivist for the Parish of Whitehaven (Church of England) for his assistance with information for this article.
Further reading:
For further information about the Moresby Parks War Memorial click on the following link:
The Moresby Parks War Memorial
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Sergeant John Lewis Parker, 61 Squadron, R.A.F.V.R.
Sergeant John Lewis Parker, 61 Squadron, was another Parton-born WW2 airman who lost his life during the war. His family belonged to the Non-Conformist Parton Independent / Congregational Chapel. However, as was often the case with Non-Conformist families at the time, Sergeant Parker was baptised at Moresby Parish Church. in 1921.
By the time of his death, Sergeant Parker and his family had moved from Parton to the nearby town of Whitehaven. Sergeant Parker is not commemorated by any of the memorials in Parton & Moresby. He is remembered by the Borough of Whitehaven WW2 'Book of Remembrance'.
Sergeant John Lewis Parker was a wireless operator / air gunner who lost his life in April 1944 while on a mission to Berlin and is buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium.
This is his Commonealth War Graves citation:
Name: PARKER, JOHN LEWIS
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Wireless Operator /Air Gunner.
Service No: 1146642
Date of Death: 11/04/1944
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 61 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Coll. grave IVa. C. 16-18.
Cemetery: SCHOONSELHOF CEMETERY, Belgium
Additional Information:
Son of Bertram and Sarah A. Parker, of Whitehaven, Cumberland.
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[The information about Sergeant Parker has been added to assist anyone attempting to research his connection to Parton & Moresby].
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