War Graves at Whicham Churchyard, Cumbria
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| 1. Whicham (St Mary) Parish Church, Cumbria In the churchyard there are eight C.W.G.C. burials: Two from the 1914 - 1918 war (both identified) Six from the 1939 - 1945 war (three identified) |
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| 2. Headstone of WW1 casualty Pte. H.W. Jackson [Pte. H.W. Jackson, Scots Guards died 17 January 1918] |
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| 3. Headstones of Sgt. T. Huddleston and Pte. T. Caddy Sgt. Tom Huddleston (left) died on 2 October 1944 Pte. Tom Caddy (right) died on 11 March 1920 [Sgt. Tom Huddleston was the nephew of Pte. Tom Caddy] |
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| 4. Headstones of two Australian airmen (died 29 April 1941) L.A.C. J.C. Francis (left) and Cpl. C.O.W. Amos (right) (Their bodies were washed ashore on a beach nearby) [The headstone behind is for 2 unidentified M.N. seamen] |
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posted by ritsonvaljos at 10:23 pm
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Additional information
The War Graves at Whicham Churchyard
Whicham is a civil and ecclesiastical parish in the south-west Cumbria (previously Cumberland). It is mainly rural and stretches from the Irish Sea coast inland to the summit of the Lakeland fell known as Black Combe. The parish church (Church of England) is situated on the southern flank of Black Combe and is dedicated to St Mary [Photograph No. 1].
In the churchyard there are 2 official Commonwealth War Graves burials of the 1914 - 1918 war (both identified casualties). The first casualty of WW1 buried in the churchyard was Private Henry Walker Jackson, Scots Guards, who died on 17 January 1918. His headstone can be found in the southern part of the churchyard [Photograph No. 2].
The second WW1 casualty buried in Whicham Churchyard was Private Thomas Caddy, Machine Gun Corps who died from the effects of gas poisoning arising from his service on the Western Front during the 1914 - 1918 war. A nephew of Private Caddy, Flight Sergeant Tom Huddleston, R.A.F.V.R. was a casualty of WW2 and died on 2 October 1944. He is buried in the family plot in an adjacent grave to Private Caddy [Photograph No. 3]. According to the parish burial register Tom Huddleston was based at R.A.F. Kinross and his funeral took place on 7 October 1944. Sergeant Huddleston's parents and maternal grandparents are also buried in nearby graves.
Two Australian airmen of WW2 are also buried in the churchyard after their bodies were washed ashore at Silecroft beach. They are Corporal Clifford Amos, R.A.A.F. and L.A.C. John Charles Francis, R.A.A.F., No 10 Squadron (Coastal Command) based at Pembroke Dock, South Wales. At 13.30 hrs on 28 April 1941, their aircraft, Sunderland T9075 took off for a 'cross over' patrol with another Sunderland (T9073). Their aircraft was forced to land on the Irish Sea off Anglesey (North Wales) killing six crew with five injured who were rescued the following day.
The bodies of Corporal Amos and Aircraftman Francis were found on the shore at Silecroft some weeks later. According to the Whicham church burial register they were buried on 9 July 1941 with the ceremony being performed by a Chaplain from the R.A.F., D.P. Glyn Davies. They were laid to rest in adjacent graves and their headstones can be seen in Photograph No. 4 (above).
Three other official WW2 casualties were buried in Whicham churchyard. These were three unidentified Merchant Navy seamen whose bodies were also washed ashore at nearby Silecroft beach. One of these headstones is immediately behind those of Corporal Amos and L.A.C. Francis as can be seen in Photograph No. 4.
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission citations
Below are the C.W.G.C. citations for the identified casualties buried in Whicham churchyard.
(a) WW1 casualties:
(i) Private Henry Walker Jackson, Scots Guards
Name: JACKSON, HENRY WALKER
Rank: Private
Service No: 6910
Date of Death: 17/01/1918
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: Scots Guards 1st Bn.
Grave Reference: In South part.
Cemetery:WHICHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland (now Cumbria)
Additional Information: Son of Henry Jackson, of Bootle, Liverpool; husband of Annie Jane Jackson, of Tarn Head, Haverigg, Millom, Cumberland.
[N.B. The epitaph on his headstone is: "At Rest"]
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(ii) Private Thomas Caddy, M.G.C.
Name: CADDY, THOMAS
Rank: Private
Service No: 128294
Date of Death: 11/03/1920
Age: 23
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps
Grave Reference:
Cemetery: WHICHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland (now Cumbria)
Additional Information: Son of John and Fanny Caddy; brother of Mrs. Annie May Huddleston, of Whicham Terrace, Silecroft Millom, Cumberland.
[N.B. The epitaph on his headstone is: "Died from the effects of gas poisoning, received in action 1914 - 1918].
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(b) WW2 casualties:
(i) Sergeant Tom Huddleston, R.A.F.V.R.
Name: HUDDLESTON, TOM
Rank: Sergeant
Trade: W.Op./Air Gnr.
Service No: 2205182
Date of Death: 02/10/1944
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Grave Reference: South portion.
Cemetery: WHICHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland (now Cumbria)
Additional Information: Son of William and Annie M. Huddleston, of Silecroft.
[N.B. The epitaph on his headstone is: "Beloved son of W. and A.M. Huddleston. To a beautiful life came a glorious end".]
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(ii) Corporal Clifford Oswald William Amos, R.A.A.F.
Name: AMOS, CLIFFORD OSWALD WILLIAM
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 3332
Date of Death: 29/04/1941
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Grave Reference: N.E. portion.
Cemetery: WHICHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland (now Cumbria)
Additional Information: Son of William Frederick Elijah and Flora Aston Amos, of Brighton, South Australia.
[N.B. The epitaph on his headstone is: "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends".]
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(iii) Aircraftman 1st Class John Charles Francis, R.A.A.F.
Name: FRANCIS, JOHN CHARLES
Rank: Aircraftman 1st Class
Service No: 15774
Date of Death: 29/04/1941
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Grave Reference: N.E. portion.
Cemetery: WHICHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, Cumberland (now Cumbria)
Additional Information: Son of Charles Nicolas and Mary Violet Francis, of Haberfield, New South Wales, Australia.
[N.B. The epitaph on his headstone is: "Our son rests here, his duty nobly done".]
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Further reading
To read more about the war memorials of Whicham and Silecroft, click on the following link:
Whicham and Silecroft War Memorials, Cumbria
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