The 'Fallen' of St John (Beckermet), Cumbria
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| 1. St John (Beckermet) War Memorial (WW1 names) |
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| 2. St John (Beckermet) War Memorial (WW2 names) |
posted by ritsonvaljos at 9:47 pm
Friday, January 18, 2013
Previous Posts
- The 'Fallen' of St Bridget (Beckermet), Cumbria
- Honouring the 'Fallen' of Thursby, Cumbria
- Private Donald MacDonald, Sherwood Foresters
- Pte George Walker, Border Regiment (1917 - 1939)
- The Cumberland 'Map & Compass Pencil' of WW2
- I JUST WANT TO WISH ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS BLOG ...
- L/Cpl Richard Piper: "A V.C. that never was"
- Captain Jack Ellwood [1923 -1945]
- Presumed killed during the evacuation from Greece
- Former St Begh's Church Choirboy: John Hughes
Contributors
7 Comments:
Additional information
Remembering the 'Fallen' of St John (Beckermet), Cumbria
Until 2011 Beckermet in the county of Cumbria (previously Cumberland) was two separate parishes: St Bridget (Beckermet) and St John (Beckermet). It is situated near the West Cumbrian coast, with the market town of Egremont to the north and the Cumbrian village of Gosforth to the south.
Each of the 'traditional' halves of Beckermet parish has its own war memorial. The above photographs show the War Memorial of St John (Beckermet). The pre-2011 parish of St John (Beckermet) encompassed both the village of Beckermet and the inter-war settlement of Thornhill.and a population about three times that of the adjacent St Bridget (Beckermet).
The Parish War Memorial for St John's, Beckermet, Cumbria (previously Cumberland) is located in the civil cemetery of the parish (seen in the above photographs). One side commemorates those who died in the First World War and a second side commemorates those who died in the Second World War.
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To read an article about the St Bridget (Beckermet) War Memorial click on the following link:
St Bridget (Beckermet) War Memorial
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The dedications
(a) First World War dedication
The original inscription, commemorating the 'Fallen' of the First World War, is on the front of the memorial (Photograph No 1 above). It reads as follows:
In Lasting Memory
The Men of St John's Parish and Beckermet Village who gave their lives for their country in the Great War 1914 - 1919.
W.J. Graves
J.J. Mandale
W.H. Milburn
J.R. Muncaster
W. Sewell
S. Simm
R. Steele
P. Thwaites
J. Tyson
J. Varah
T. Wilson
H. Kegg
W. Dodgson
S. Moffat
A.J. Steele
Their name liveth evermore.
Ecclus. XLIV.14
.........................
(b) Second World War dedication
After the Second World War the names of those from the parish who had lost their lives were inscribed on the reverse of the war memorial (Photograph No 2 above). The inscription reads as follows:
Also those who fell in the World War
1939 - 1945
W. Armstrong
W.H.L. Beattie
R. Bewsher
J.E. Blair
G. Clarke
R. Cowley
W.B. Currie
H. Glaister
W.F. Jenkinson
W.H. Key
J.D. McEvoy
D.G. Podmore
W.I. Read
J. Satterthwaite
W. Satterthwaite
K. Smith
S. Spedding
F. Teasdale
I. Tyson
R. Tyson
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Beckermet WW2 CWGC citations
The 7 WW2 casualties commemorated on the St Bridget (Beckermet) War Memorial have also been included on the St John (Beckermet) War Memorial. This means there are 20 WW2 casualties listed on the St John (Beckermet) memorial. Below are the Commonwealth War Graves Commission citations for all 20 WW2 casualties from the Beckermet area.
(i) Sapper Walter Armstrong
Name: ARMSTRONG, WALTER
Rank: Sapper
Service No: 2000617
Date of Death: 26/01/1942
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 287 Field Coy.
Panel Reference: Column 40.
Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Singapore.
Additional Information:
Son of Walter and Margaret Armstrong, of Egremont, Cumberland.
...............................
(ii) Sgt. (Navigator) William Henry Taylor Beattie
Name: BEATTIE, WILLIAM HENRY TAYLOR
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Trade: Nav.
Service No: 1544120
Date of Death: 10/05/1944
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 90 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Mil. Plot. Grave 2.
Cemetery: AVORD COMMUNAL CEMETERY, France.
Additional Information:
Son of Benjamin and Ida Beattie, of Egremont, Cumberland.
................................
(iii) Sgt. Robert Bewsher
Name: BEWSHER, ROBERT
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Service No: 1042107
Date of Death: 23/02/1944
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 211 Sqdn.
Panel Reference: Column 434.
Memorial: SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Singapore.
Additional Information:
Son of Robert and Hannah Mary Bewsher, of Thornhill, Egremont, Cumberland.
...............................
(iv) Squadron Leader John Edward Blair
Name: BLAIR, JOHN EDWARD
Rank: Squadron Leader
Trade: Air Gnr.
Service No: 136172
Date of Death: 22/05/1944
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 156 Sqdn.
Awards:: D F C, D F M
Grave Reference: Coll. grave 49-50.
Cemetery: MOLENAARSGRAAF PROTESTANT CHURCHYARD, Netherlands.
Additional Information:
Son of John Edward and Elizabeth Blair;
Husband of Selina Cook Blair, of Egremont, Cumberland.
..........................
(v) Pilot Officer George Clarke
Name: CLARKE, GEORGE
Rank: Pilot Officer
Service No: 161322
Date of Death: 27/01/1944
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 15 Sqdn.
Panel Reference: Panel 210.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL, U.K.
Additional Information:
(Next of kin details not listed by CWGC)
George was the son of Mr and Mrs Wilson Clarke, 35 Thorny Road, Thornhill, Egremont, Cumberland.
..........................
(vi) Fusilier Frederick Cowley
Name: COWLEY, FREDERICK
Rank: Fusilier
Service No: 14617760
Date of Death: 28/02/1944
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 9th Bn.
Grave Reference: II, A, 6.
Cemetery: ROME WAR CEMETERY, Italy.
Additional Information:
Son of James Wallace Cowley and Elizabeth Cowley, of Thornhill, Egremont, Cumberland.
.............................
(vii) Sgt. (Flt. Eng.) William Bryce Currie.
Name: CURRIE, WILLIAM BRYCE
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: Flt. Engr.
Service No: 1697046
Date of Death: 02/12/1943
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 44 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: 5. K. 21.
Cemetery: BERLIN 1939-1945 WAR CEMETERY, Germany.
Additional Information:
Son of Bryce Scott Currie and Sarah Annie Currie, of Egremont, Cumberland.
.............................
(viii) L/Sgt. Henry Glaister
Name: GLAISTER, HENRY
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Service No: 2695592
Date of Death: 06/03/1945
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: Scots Guards
Grave Reference: 43. C. 8.
Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany.
Additional Information:
Son of Henry and Prudence Glaister, of Egremont, Cumberland.
...............................
(ix) Gunner William Fox Jenkinson
Name: JENKINSON, WILLIAM FOX
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 1142338
Date of Death: 09/02/1944
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery,
57 (1/5th Bn. The East Surrey Regt.) Anti-Tank Regt.
Grave Reference: II, J, 9.
Cemetery: ANZIO WAR CEMETERY, Italy.
Additional Information:
Son of Joseph and Ann Jenkinson, of Thornhill, Egremont, Cumberland.
................................
(x) Sgt. William Henry Key
Name: KEY, WILLIAM HENRY
Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 238082
Date of Death: 19/09/1945
Age: 38
Regiment/Service: Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Grave Reference: 6. O. 2.
Cemetery: TEL EL KEBIR WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY, Egypt.
Additional Information:
Husband of Cathy Key, of Morecambe, Lancashire.
................................
(xi) Sgt. John Dennis McEvoy
Name: McEVOY, JOHN DENNIS
Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 2659053
Date of Death: 16/09/1943
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Coldstream Guards, 3rd Bn.
Grave Reference: I. C. 46.
Cemetery: SALERNO WAR CEMETERY, Italy
Additional Information:
Son of Patrick and Fannie McEvoy, of Beckermet, Cumberland.
............................
(xii) Lt. Derek George Podmore
Name: PODMORE, DEREK GEORGE
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 265723
Date of Death: 27/03/1945
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: King's Royal Rifle Corps, 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: 46. C. 15.
Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany.
Additional Information:
Son of George Conrad and Barbara Geraldine Podmore, of Abingdon, Berkshire.
Scholar of Charterhouse.
...................................
(xiii) Private William Irving Read
Name: READ, WILLIAM IRVING
Rank: Private
Service No: 7591346
Date of Death: 24/05/1940
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Ordnance Corps,
3 Army Field Workshop
Grave Reference: P. 1.
Cemetery: KEMMEL CHATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY, Belgium.
Additional Information:
Son of William and Annie Read, of Egremont, Cumberland.
.....................................
(xiv) Fusilier James Satterthwaite
Name: SATTERTHWAITE, JAMES
Rank: Fusilier
Service No: 3859703
Date of Death: 30/11/1943
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: III, G, 4.
Cemetery: MINTURNO WAR CEMETERY, Italy
Additional Information:
Son of William and Georgina Satterthwaite, of Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire;
Husband of Evelyn Satterthwaite, of Barrow-in-Furness.
............................
(xv) Pte. George Wilson Satterthwaite
Name: SATTERTHWAITE, GEORGE WILSON
Rank: Private
Service No: 3600266
Date of Death: 04/09/1944
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Sherwood Foresters
(Notts and Derby Regiment), 5th Bn.
Grave Reference: IV. E. 4.
Cemetery: MONTECCHIO WAR CEMETERY, Italy.
Additional Information:
Son of Braithwaite and Dinah Satterthwaite.
......................................
(xvi) L/Cpl. Richard Kenneth Smith
Name: SMITH, RICHARD KENNETH
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 6913803
Date of Death: 27/10/1942
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: Rifle Brigade, 2nd Bn.
Panel Reference: Column 71.
Memorial: ALAMEIN MEMORIAL, Egypt.
Additional Information:
Son of Alice Smith, of Calderbridge, Cumberland.
..............................
(xvii) Sgt. Stanley Spedding
Name: SPEDDING, STANLEY
Rank: Sergeant
Service No: 1041728
Date of Death: 23/07/1943
Age: 20
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 104 Sqdn.
Panel Reference: Panel 9, Column 1.
Memorial: MALTA MEMORIAL, Malta.
Additional Information:
Son of James and Annie Spedding, of Beckermet, Cumberland.
.............................
(xviii) Sgt. Frederick Teasdale
Name: TEASDALE, FRED
Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 3601057
Date of Death: 20/08/1942
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: Border Regiment
and No. 3 Commando
Grave Reference: (Not listed by CWGC, but it is in the NE corner of cemetery)
Cemetery: GAMACHES COMMUNAL CEMETERY, France.
Additional Information:
Son of Albert and Eleanor Teasdale;
Husband of Annie Teasdale, of Thornhill, Cumberland.
................................
(xix) Fusilier Isaac Tyson
Name: TYSON, ISAAC
Rank: Fusilier
Service No: 14536972
Date of Death: 05/11/1944
Age: 40
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Fusiliers, 6th Bn.
Grave Reference: V. E. 6.
Cemetery: MIERLO WAR CEMETERY, Netherlands
Additional Information:
Son of John and Sarah Tyson, of Beckermet, Cumberland;
Husband of Jane Tyson, of Beckermet.
.........................
(xx) Gunner Robert Tyson
Name: TYSON, ROBERT
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 934540
Date of Death: 31/05/1942
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Royal Horse Artillery, 107 (The South Notts. Hussars) Regt.
Grave Reference: 1. C. 13.
Cemetery: KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA, Libya.
Additional Information:
Son of Timothy and Sarah Ann Tyson, of Beckermet, Cumberland.
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WW2 casualty Jack Blair, DFC, DFM
One of the WW2 casualties commemorated on the St John (Beckermet) War Memorial is Squadron Leader John Edward ('Jack') Blair, DFC, DFM. Jack Blair, the son of John Edward and Elizabeth Blair, was born at Bigrigg, a village to the north of Egremont, Cumberland. In the 1920s Jack's parents subsequently moved to 8 St John's Road, Thornhill a little to the south of Egremont, which falls within the parish of St John (Beckermet). In 1937 Jack Blair married Miss Selina Braithwaite of Egremont.
Having enlisted shortly after the outbreak of the war, Jack Blair became known as "Egremont's most famous airman" (although his name is not listed on the Egremont War Memorial). Jack Blair was awarded both the DFM (while a Sergeant) and the DFC (after gaining his commission). By the time of his death Jack Blair had attained the rank of Squadron Leader.
For previous articles (with photographs) about Squadron Leader Jack Blair DFC DFM (BBC "People's War" and "Second World War Blogspot") click on the following links:
BBC "People's War" articles:
1. Egremont's most famous airman: Squadron Leader Jack Blair DFC, DFM
2. 156 Squadron bombing mission to Duisburg, 21 — 22 May 1944
3. Egremont Royal British Legion honours the town’s ‘most famous airman’
4. DFM and DFC Citations for Squadron Leader Jack Blair from Egremont, Cumbria.
5. Squadron Leader Jack Blair DFC DFM: his family’s story.
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"Second World War Blogspot" articles:
1. 'One of the most memorable stories I came across'.
2. What happened at Molenaarsgraaf, Netherlands during WW2.
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Am trying to trace the whereabouts of any relatives of Lt.Derek Podmore of 'A' Company 2nd Btn KRRC who died after crossing the Rhine and who's mother and father George and Barbara Podmore lived at Town Head in Bekermet in 1945. Nick Gosse,
nicholas.gosse@btinternet.com
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