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  • New War Memorial

    Hello, my name is Stu.

    I am the Chairman of Parish Council for Copplestone in Devon.


    I know this is a family research forum but I felt you guys would be best placed to give me a pointer or two.

    I am heading up a project to put a war memorial in a village that was once split between three parishes. Because of the split no war memorial was ever erected and I want to put that right. It has been a parish in its own right since 1992, So I have the job of finding the men who should be included. It could include men and women from any major conflict/war.

    If anyone has ever been involved in such a project or can suggest how I go about moving this forward, I would love to hear from you.

    Currently I have found Eight men from the Great War who lived in or was born in the area of the current Parish.

  • #2
    Stu

    Forgive me if you have already done this, but a letter in your local paper is sure to produce some results. The parish mag? The local branch of the British Legion?

    OC

    Comment


    • #3
      Thank you OC, yes all of those things are underway. The local paper will be running an article and social media has been set up. The names I have came from the British Legions local lists.

      The issue is that at the time the village was split into three parishes none of which shared the name of the village. So I am searching lists hoping to see Copplestone mentioned somewhere, as two men living in the same road could and are being recorded in two separate parish lists. It is taking sometime and I fear someone might get missed. Births deaths etc would also be registered at the larger town of Crediton, some five miles away, and I expect that the military used the registered birth place often and not the village.

      As you can imagine, I really want to get this right.

      Comment


      • #4
        Registration district wouldn't come into it - WW1 attestation papers ask "In or near what Parish or Town were you born" - they would record whatever the candidate answered.

        I wish you well with your project, but I think you may find it very difficult to achieve unless you can find some contemporaneous records locally - have you looked at local newspapers for casualty lists and death announcements ?
        Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
        Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by AntonyM View Post
          Registration district wouldn't come into it - WW1 attestation papers ask "In or near what Parish or Town were you born" - they would record whatever the candidate answered.

          I wish you well with your project, but I think you may find it very difficult to achieve unless you can find some contemporaneous records locally - have you looked at local newspapers for casualty lists and death announcements ?

          Thank you AntonyM, I will look at casualty lists and death announcements.

          Comment


          • #6
            Have you used the advanced search on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website?



            Leave everything blank except the last box 'additional information'. I just tried putting Copplestone in that and got 29 names. Some of those had the surname of Copplestone but many are listed as 'son of' or 'husband of' and then their names and addresses in Copplestone. You may get more if you put the different parish names.

            If you want to follow up on any of the names I'm sure members of this forum would be happy to give you more specific pointers

            Good luck with the project
            Jackie

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Night Owl View Post
              Have you used the advanced search on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website?



              Leave everything blank except the last box 'additional information'. I just tried putting Copplestone in that and got 29 names. Some of those had the surname of Copplestone but many are listed as 'son of' or 'husband of' and then their names and addresses in Copplestone. You may get more if you put the different parish names.

              If you want to follow up on any of the names I'm sure members of this forum would be happy to give you more specific pointers

              Good luck with the project

              Thank you Night Owl.

              I could post the names of the men I think apply if it would be of any use or interest to anyone. I certainly would be happy to have someone else check my research if anyone wanted to assist.

              I found another name a few minutes ago after conducting a search with online newspaper, after AntonyM suggestion.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Stu View Post
                I could post the names of the men I think apply if it would be of any use or interest to anyone. I certainly would be happy to have someone else check my research if anyone wanted to assist.
                I'm sure they will. The main thing on this forum is that you don't post the names of any people who may be still living. It may be more difficult to research people lost in more recent wars because the majority of online records are older

                It would probably be best if you start a new thread for each name because it can get confusing if several different names are being researched on the same thread.
                Jackie

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi Stu,

                  In Bramley, Leeds. West Yorkshire we had no War Memorial. A committee was formed and with the help of local people and business's names of the fallen in conflicts and funds were raised to build a Memorial.


                  It started like yourself with a handful of names and when the Memorial was unveiled in 2014 there were four panels bearing names of the fallen from Bramley, Rodley and Stanningley. Last year a further two Panels were added to the Memorial containing names which were put forward since 2014. There are now over 700 names listed.


                  I would suggest you contact John Barker at our website www.bramleywarmemorial.com who I know will be able to give you some pointers for your search and possible ways of raising funds for your project.


                  I wish you success with your worthwhile quest and hope you achieve the building of a Memorial as we did.


                  Ian

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Stu View Post
                    Hello, my name is Stu.

                    I am the Chairman of Parish Council for Copplestone in Devon.

                    I know this is a family research forum but I felt you guys would be best placed to give me a pointer or two.

                    I am heading up a project to put a war memorial in a village that was once split between three parishes. Because of the split no war memorial was ever erected and I want to put that right. It has been a parish in its own right since 1992, So I have the job of finding the men who should be included. It could include men and women from any major conflict/war.

                    If anyone has ever been involved in such a project or can suggest how I go about moving this forward, I would love to hear from you.

                    Currently I have found Eight men from the Great War who lived in or was born in the area of the current Parish.
                    I would suggest you first have to decide who and what are going to be commemorated on your memorial.

                    Some memorials commemorate all from the village, school, factory, or pit etc. who served in the armed forces during a conflict.
                    Others only commemorate those who lost their lives.

                    Having established the criteria for acceptance of names there are then many channels open to you.
                    First you have the local newspapers as a mention about the project and a call for names will generate interest locally, also the local British Legion branch may have members who served and know of members or families of servicemen who could be approached.
                    As already mentioned the Commonwealth War Graves Commission could be of help as could any “local” armed services camps, bases or stations in the surrounding areas.
                    Is there a tradition army regiment connection with your village or area, if so try contacting them.

                    Are there mentions in the local papers about men from the village going to war?
                    Contact the local studies library for your village/area, they could have information regarding local recruitment etc.

                    Also take a drive round the nearby towns or villages and read their war memorials, check to see if particular regiments, airbases or navy establishments are connected with them which might also be connected with your village.

                    Cheers
                    Guy
                    Guy passed away October 2022

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Do any of the three nearby parishes of which yours was originally part have memorials? It would be worth looking up the names you find there on the CWGC and also checking them on the 1911 census or the 1939 register to see if they may be linked to your village.
                      My own small village is part of a larger parish and of the three men from here who died in WW1 two are listed on the larger parish memorial. Happily in our case there is also a brass plaque, commemorating all three, housed in the village chapel; also a larger plaque listing the 60 men who served and survived.
                      Judith passed away in October 2018

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by JudithM View Post
                        Do any of the three nearby parishes of which yours was originally part have memorials? It would be worth looking up the names you find there on the CWGC and also checking them on the 1911 census or the 1939 register to see if they may be linked to your village.
                        My own small village is part of a larger parish and of the three men from here who died in WW1 two are listed on the larger parish memorial. Happily in our case there is also a brass plaque, commemorating all three, housed in the village chapel; also a larger plaque listing the 60 men who served and survived.

                        Yes I started off looking at the other parishes and have added a couple of names from there. It is a small parish and I have found men who live just beyond the parish boundary but their address is listed as Copplestone. I have a parish map and find myself comparing addresses. The village had a population of just 180 in 1915 so I'm expecting maybe 10 - 15 names. Thanks for all your help.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          A general point about War Memorials ....
                          As part of a One Name study I had to collect a list of WW1 casualties and find whether they were listed on any memorial. I was quite surprised at the inconsistency of individual memorials. I'm sure that (just like you) the parishioners were trying their best but even then, immediately after the war, they found it difficult. I found examples of soldiers commemorated in parishes where they did not live ... some had been born there but moved away; some just had a relative, in one case an Aunt, who lived there. One person was listed on FIVE different memorials. Quite a lot of those on my list from the Commonwealth War Graves were not listed as being on any memorial at all but that doesn't mean they definitely are not because the listing itself is not complete!

                          I wish you luck with your worthy project. It will not be easy.
                          Anne

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Guy View Post
                            I would suggest you first have to decide who and what are going to be commemorated on your memorial.

                            Some memorials commemorate all from the village, school, factory, or pit etc. who served in the armed forces during a conflict.
                            Others only commemorate those who lost their lives.

                            Having established the criteria for acceptance of names there are then many channels open to you.
                            First you have the local newspapers as a mention about the project and a call for names will generate interest locally, also the local British Legion branch may have members who served and know of members or families of servicemen who could be approached.
                            As already mentioned the Commonwealth War Graves Commission could be of help as could any “local” armed services camps, bases or stations in the surrounding areas.
                            Is there a tradition army regiment connection with your village or area, if so try contacting them.

                            Are there mentions in the local papers about men from the village going to war?
                            Contact the local studies library for your village/area, they could have information regarding local recruitment etc.

                            Also take a drive round the nearby towns or villages and read their war memorials, check to see if particular regiments, airbases or navy establishments are connected with them which might also be connected with your village.

                            Cheers
                            Guy

                            Thanks Guy, It will be a memorial to those who died in conflict, or due to wounds or illness whilst servicing in conflict. If I were to have a Roll of Honour then the list would be considerable as we move through the years since the two major wars. In fact even I would be on it!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Anne in Carlisle View Post
                              A general point about War Memorials ....
                              As part of a One Name study I had to collect a list of WW1 casualties and find whether they were listed on any memorial. I was quite surprised at the inconsistency of individual memorials. I'm sure that (just like you) the parishioners were trying their best but even then, immediately after the war, they found it difficult. I found examples of soldiers commemorated in parishes where they did not live ... some had been born there but moved away; some just had a relative, in one case an Aunt, who lived there. One person was listed on FIVE different memorials. Quite a lot of those on my list from the Commonwealth War Graves were not listed as being on any memorial at all but that doesn't mean they definitely are not because the listing itself is not complete!

                              I wish you luck with your worthy project. It will not be easy.

                              Anne

                              Thank you Anne. I was talking to someone who had done some similar research for another parish event about five miles from us. He found that out of the 37 names they had on their memorial there were seven who were dubious. Two really ought not to be included and he found another four that should. One of his is now on my list.
                              He also said that he found a report dated 1919 from their parish stating that some families were refusing to have their sons/husbands included on the memorial.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                I would advise you to very clearly set out your criteria for inclusion.

                                I have researched the men listed on my village war memorial (9 WW1 +1 WW2, who all gave their lives) and am in the throes of investigating the identities of those listed on the roll of honour in the church (the above 9 from WW1 + another 60+.)

                                Post 1918, there was a national desire to commemorate all who had lost their lives, been involved - however the erection of war memorials was very much a "local/grass roots" affair, with decisions about type of memorial and exactly who should be commemorated drawn up by a committee of parish councillors/employers, who would also have had responsibility for raising or providing the money.
                                Of the 9 WW1 lost men I've investigated, just 3 were born in the village - 1 of these had gone to Canada and served with the CEF, the other 2 had moved away when of employable age and had joined up from their current homes.
                                The other 6 men were not natives of the village :-
                                The widow of 1 man was a village girl who had come back to the village to live with her father after her husband was killed (he had worked for a local estate when he went off to war and at his death, the tied house which went with the job was reclaimed by the estate.)
                                1 man had lived in the village from 1914 to 1917, whilst his father was the headmaster at the village school.
                                1 man had lived in the village for a short time when his mother remarried; he then moved away but his mother was a native of the village and his maternal grandparents were village residents.
                                2 men were working on farms in the village when they were eventually called up in 1916
                                I have been unable to prove any connection between the remaining man and the village, but I believe that he probably worked on a local farm - he had been a regular for 7 years, and on discharge had been placed on the reserve list, so would have been recalled for service on the declaration of war.

                                My take on this is that the parishioners wanted a war memorial to honour the dead, but there was a shortage of candidates and people nominated anyone they felt had some connection with the village - birth, residency, employment, kinship.
                                All of these 9 men are on a least one other war memorial, with one appearing on the Menin Gate and additionally on three village war memorials - the village where he and his widow lived, my village where his grandparents lived and also his mother, and the next village which was the ecclesiastical parish for his mother's home.
                                (In fact the names of the fallen appear on the roll of honour, but have a star next to them - perhaps this was the criteria for the names carved on the obelisk?? And maybe my question is really why was someone placed on the roll of honour?)

                                There were other men lost in WW1 who were born in the village (according to SDITGW) and who are not commemorated on the village war memorial. However, after discussion, the current parish council decided that our war memorial reflected the views and feelings of the village residents at that time and very probably met with the criteria they had set (although we can find no records of the committee or meetings) and that things should stand as they are.

                                As an aside, identifying the other 60+ men on the roll of honour is proving to be a nightmare of a task - the military records of most have not survived, will the real "John Doe" stand up, for some the list only includes an initial rather than full forename and the original list has now fallen into disrepair, with some names illegible. I rather wish I hadn't started the task as I'm finding it almost impossible to find ANY link between the village the names of some of the men, using the same criteria as those used for the war memorial.

                                I wish you well with your mission, coming at from the opposite direction to me, as it were.
                                Jay
                                Last edited by Janet in Yorkshire; 11-03-17, 17:14.
                                Janet in Yorkshire



                                Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Post 16 - last sentence should read as:

                                  I'm finding it almost impossible to find ANY link between the village and the names of some of the men, using the same criteria as those I discovered when researching the war memorial.

                                  I was out of editing time.

                                  Jay
                                  Janet in Yorkshire



                                  Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Stu, do you have
                                    George BALL 1st Bn Devonshire Regt regtl no 9762 (born Crediton, resident Copplestone) died 22 Feb 1915
                                    Oswald Adams BERE Private 28th Bn Worcerstershire Regt regtl no 242019 resident Copplestone died 28 Aug 1917
                                    Ernest John EASTERBROOK born Crediton, resident of Copplestone 10th (Service) Battalion Devonshire Regt ded 9 Oct 1917 Salonika
                                    Ernest HOWARD born Copplestone, resident Bow, Devon Private Army Service Corps d 30 Oct 1918 Balkans

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Originally posted by Jill on the A272 View Post
                                      Stu, do you have
                                      George BALL 1st Bn Devonshire Regt regtl no 9762 (born Crediton, resident Copplestone) died 22 Feb 1915
                                      Oswald Adams BERE Private 28th Bn Worcerstershire Regt regtl no 242019 resident Copplestone died 28 Aug 1917
                                      Ernest John EASTERBROOK born Crediton, resident of Copplestone 10th (Service) Battalion Devonshire Regt ded 9 Oct 1917 Salonika
                                      Ernest HOWARD born Copplestone, resident Bow, Devon Private Army Service Corps d 30 Oct 1918 Balkans
                                      Ball - No
                                      Bere - Yes and his brother Stanley
                                      Easterbrooke - yes, but cant confirm location in Copplestone
                                      Howard - No

                                      Very exciting. Thank you Jill.

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        1915 September – William Henry BREALY - 14389 Private William Henry John Brealy of the 8th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John and Jessie Brealy (née Andrews) of Broadgate Court, Newton St Cyres. Born in Copplestone, Crediton, in 1896. Died 25 September 1915 aged 19.
                                        1911 William was living with his parents and younger sister Alice Maud at Bewsleigh Cottage, Copplestone and was an apprentice baker. Birthplace is given as Crediton. The Army Register of Soldiers Effects confirms date of death, regiment and number, his father John was his sole legatee and sent the sum of £4 and £3 10s War Gratuity.

                                        CONFIRMED



                                        1916 July - Robert MEARDON - Rifleman R/17234, 13th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in action 18 July 1916. Aged 21. Born Barnstaple, Devon, enlisted Exeter, resident Copplestone, Devon. Son of Henry and S. J. Meardon, of 3, Station Rd., Copplestone, Devon. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B.

                                        1917 June – Stanley Edgar BERE - Private 19501 [SDGW] or B/19502 [CWGC & Medal Card], 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Died 12 June 1917. Born Exmouth, resident Copplestone. Son of Edwin and Elizabeth Tremlett Bere, of 'Lynwood' Copplestone, Devon; brother of Oswald Bere (below). Buried in ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row E. Grave 16.

                                        1917 August – Oswald Adams BERE - [Listed as BERO on SDGW] Private 242019, "B" Company, 2/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Killed in action 28 August 1917. Aged 23. Enlisted Exeter, resident Copplestone, Devon. Son of Edwin and Elizabeth Tremlett Bere, of "Lynwood," Copplestone, Devon; brother of Stanley bere (above). Formerly 5658, Worcestershire Regiment. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 75 to 77.

                                        1917 October – Jacob LAND - 7799 Sergeant Jacob Land of the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of George and Mary Ann Land of Knowle Hamlet;; husband of Ellen Land of Copplestone. Born in Tiverton in the June Quarter of 1887. Died 26 October 1917 aged 30.
                                        LAND, J

                                        Rank:SerjeantService No:7799Date of Death:26/10/1917Age:30Regiment/Service:Devonshire Regiment 9th Bn. Grave Reference: L. E. 12. Cemetery:TYNE COT CEMETERYAdditional Information:Son of George and Mary Ann Land, of Huntsham, Bampton, Devon; husband of Ellen Land, of Knowle, Copplestone, Devon.

                                        1917 November – Frederick Harold ERSCOTT - Private 235136, 9th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. Killed in action 9 November 1917. Born Crediton, enlisted Exeter, resident Coombe Lodge, Copplestone. Formerly 30485, Devonshire Regiment.
                                        ERSCOTT, FREDERICK HAROLD

                                        Rank:PrivateService No:235136Date of Death:09/11/1917Age:19Regiment/Service:Leicestershire Regiment "C" Coy. 9th Bn. Panel Reference: Panel 50 to 51. Memorial:TYNE COT MEMORIALAdditional Information:Son of George and Edith Annie Erscott, of Coombe Lodge, Copplestone, Devon.

                                        1917 December – Harry REDDAWAY - 7955 Private Harry Reddaway of the Machine Gun Corps - promoted to Lance Corporal. . Son of George and Emma Reddaway. Born in Copplestone, in the December Quarter of 1897. Military Medal gazetted 17 December 1917 – Bar gazetted 4 February 1918. NOT SURE IF KIA

                                        1918 January – Charles GRIBBLE - R17233 Sergeant Charles Gribble of the 13th Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps. Son of Mrs M. J. Gribble of Copplestone. Died 10 January 1918 aged 27. Buried in France. Awarded the Military Medal. NOT WITHIN PARISH In this case living at Morchard Road, which is outside the parish, although it is possible that he was born in the village but not confirmed.


                                        1918 October – Frederick DARCH – 204653 Rifleman Rifle Brigade transferred to Labour Corps. Died 4th October 1918 at Salonica Hospital, aged 31. Son of Ann and Edwin Darch of Sandford. Married to Elizabeth Annie Darch (Alsop), living at Barehill Cottage, Knowle Copplestone. Buried at Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery, Greece.

                                        1911 Census has him born in Sandford but living in Copplestone with wife Annie ELizabeth. and daughter Cecelia Frederica aged 1 Address Barehill COttage, Knowle, Copplestone, Devon

                                        census reference RG14PN13192 RG78PN764 RD281 SD3 ED5 SN87


                                        1940 November – Bertie James Courtney PARKER - Petty Officer Stoker D/KX 77111, Royal Navy, attached to the French ship Medoc. Died 26 November 1940. Aged 34. Son of Charles and Lilian Parker; husband of Emily Francis Annie Parker of Knowle, Copplestone; brother of Charles (see below). Born in Crediton in the June Quarter of 1906. No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 40, Column 2.




                                        THESE NEED TO BE LINKED TO COPPLESTONE OR DISMISSED


                                        BURNETT, WALTER HENSLEY

                                        Rank:Aircraftman 1st ClassService No:1646520Date of Death:21/11/1943Age:34Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Grave Reference: Cemetery:DOWN ST. MARY CHURCHYARDAdditional Information:Son of Walter Mildon Burnett and Alice Edith Burnett; husband of Christina Burnett, of Copplestone.

                                        SHAPLAND, ADAM FRANCIS TERRELL

                                        Rank:LieutenantDate of Death:20/09/1917Age:22Regiment/Service:Wiltshire Regiment 6th Bn. Panel Reference: Panel 119 to 120. Memorial:TYNE COT MEMORIALAdditional Information:Son of William Francis Shapland, of Colebrook, Copplestone, Devon, and the late Alice Shapland.


                                        EASTERBROOK, E J

                                        Rank:PrivateService No:12026Date of Death:09/10/1917Age:22Regiment/Service:Devonshire Regiment 10th Bn. Grave Reference: D. 662. Cemetery:SARIGOL MILITARY CEMETERY, KRISTONAdditional Information:Son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Easterbrook, of Coleford, Copplestone, Devon.


                                        SHAPLAND, WILLIAM FRANCIS

                                        Rank:RiflemanService No:2595Date of Death:22/11/1916Age:25Regiment/Service:London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) 9th Bn. Grave Reference: 58. Cemetery:EXETER HIGHER CEMETERYAdditional Information:Son of William Francis and Alice Shapland, of Wellington, New Zealand, now of Colebrooke, Copplestone, Devon.


                                        John MANN

                                        Killed in Action- France
                                        Son of Mrs and Mrs Mann, Knowle Copplestone.




                                        RICE, FREDERICK ALFRED NORMAN

                                        Rank:CorporalService No:5631252Date of Death:17/01/1945Age:21Regiment/Service:Welch Regiment 2nd Bn. Grave Reference: 18. C. 13. Cemetery:TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERYAdditional Information:Son of Ernest John and Elizabeth Ann Rice, of Coleford, Devon.

                                        Coleford could be within parish depending on address


                                        Just added thanks to Jill

                                        George BALL 1st Bn Devonshire Regt regtl no 9762 (born Crediton, resident Copplestone) died 22 Feb 1915

                                        Ernest HOWARD born Copplestone, resident Bow, Devon Private Army Service Corps d 30 Oct 1918 Balkans

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