West Berkshire War Memorials

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ID:	WB157
UKNIWM:	7775
Location:	Mount Lane (near junction with Sheephouse Way
OS Map Ref:	SU410770
Description:	Stone cross

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Inscription:
To the / Glory of God / in memory / of those of this parish who fell / in / the Great War / 1914-1918 / Let those who come after / see to it that their names / be not forgotten /
W J Bradley Lce Cpl: Royal Berks Regt
H Chisman Cpl: Berks Yeomanry
W Goatley Pte: Royal Berks Regt
H Lewington Pte: Royal Berks Regt
A Pearce Pte: Royal Berks Regt
D Pearce Pte: Royal Berks Regt
J Pearce Sergt: Hants Regt
E Pounds Pte: Royal Berks Regt
J Powell Pte: Royal Berks Regt
W Pullinger Lce Cpl: Royal Berks Regt
S Sayers Pte: Royal Berks Regt
A Smith & G Smith Ptes: Royal Berks Regt
W J Uzzel Driver Royal Garrison Arty
A Withers Sapper Royal Engineers
P M N Wroughton Major Berks Yeomanry
/ 1939-1945 /
St John Colmore Mally Lieut Rifle Brigade
Douglas A Davis WO 4th Bn SLI
Albert Charles Wilder Ft Sergt RAFVR
Ronald M Cripps Pte 1st Bn R B Regt
Frederick K Oliver J Fidler Pte Seaforth Highlanders
By enemy action. Ernest Frederick Jennings

What the papers said:

Chaddleworth War Memorial – Dedication Service, 25 Aug 1920.

Newbury Weekly News, 26 Aug 1920

Chaddleworth’s Memorial

To the Fallen

Tribute to Berkshire Men

Brigadier-General J Wigan, MP for North Berks, paid a fitting tribute to the men of the Berkshire Regiment and of the Berks Yeomanry, last (Wednesday) evening at Chaddleworth. The occasion was the unveiling of a memorial to those who went forth from Chaddleworth and laid down their lives during the Great War. Chaddleworth did its duty manfully in the time of the country’s need. It is a typical old-world Berkshire village, bordering on the Downs, and from its small population no less than 68 men went out. The memorial is simple, but striking. It is a Runic Cross standing at the entrance to the village, at the junction of the Newbury and the Leckhampstead-roads, with a background of typical old thatched cottages and a yew hedge. The cross shaft and base are executed in Forest of Dean stone, with a base of staddle stone, which is in keeping with the local characteristics. The inscription on the shaft was:-

To the Glory of God

In loving memory

Of those of this parish

Who fell in the

Great War, 1914-19.

“Let not those who come after see to it that their names be not forgotten.”

Then follows the following names:-

W J Bradley, Lce-Cpl, Royal Berks Regt.

H Chisman, Cpl, Berks Yeomanry.

W Goatley, Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

H Lewington , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

A Pearce , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

D Pearce , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

J Pearce, Sergt, Hants Regt.

E Pounds , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

J Powell , Sapper, Royal Engineers

J Pullinger , Lce-Cpl, Royal Berks Regt.

S Sayers , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

A Smith , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

G Smith , Pte, Royal Berks Regt.

W J Uzzel, Driver, Rl. Garrison Arty.

A Withers, Sapper, Royal Engineers

P M N Wroughton, Maj., Berks Yeomanry

The Service

A simple service and ceremonty marked the opening. Practically the whole of the village was present, as well as many from neighbouring parishes. Brigadier-General Wigan had put off going to Scotland in order to attend the unveiling and to pay a tribute to fellow officers and men with whom he had served in Gallipoli. In addition to Mrs Wroughton, other noticed present were the Rev A and Mrs Bevan, Lady Carden, Mr and Mrs Chisman, Capt C Goldsmid, OBE, 9th Lancers, Major W L and Mrs Lucas, Mr C Masters and the Misses Masters, the Lady William Phipps, Col Rennie, DSO, and Mrs Rennie, Mrs Ellis Robbinsm and the Misses Wroughton. Prior to the unveiling, a procession, consisting of the school children, the Vicar (the Rev J D Lord) and a number of ex-service men formed up at the Vicarage and marched to the memorial. The form of the service was the usual one, and commenced with the hymn, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus.” The followed the Lord’s Prayer and the Collects, the Psalm, “Out of the deep,” being chanted. The lesson was from Wisdom III, commencing “But the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.”

A Tribute to Berkshire Men.

Brigadier-General Wigan then unveiled the memorial, which he said was dedicated to God in gratitude and respect for those gallant men who went from that village and died that they might live. The fitness of the memorial seemed to him to be enhanced from the fact that it was designed as a work of love by a local resident of theirs, Major Lucas. During the great war through which they had passed, they had seen men rallying to the ranks from every part of the Empire, men differing in race and in creed. They had seen Mahommedans and Hindoos from India, coloured men from Jamaica; they had seen their own kith and kin from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, all rallying round the flag and for a righteous cause. They had terminated the war victoriously at the end of five most awful years. It was idle to say that this politician or that general won the war. The people who won the war were the fighting soldiers, and but for the pluck and endurance as was shown by the men whose names were on that memorial, however able their generals were, the war would have been in vain. The men of Berkshire had fought the world over during the war. They knew what the Royal Berks Regiment did in France. They fought in Palestine and Egypt, they fought in Mesopotamia. He had read the list, and there were 14 heroes of that Regiment who went from that village and gave up their lives. He happened to be throughout the war in Gallipoli, Palestine and Syria with the Berkshire Yeomanry, and he knew that that Regiment, as he was told by General Peyton, was second to none in the cavalry of the Empire. He saw amongst the names on the memorial, two gallant men, two comrades in arms of his own. He felt he must refer to them specially, not that all those men did their duty equally to their country, but because he served with them. One was Corporal Chisman, son of respected and well-known people in the village. He went out in 1914, took part in that magnificent advance at Suvla Bay, and laid down his life for his country. No man could do more. Then he must say one word about a very great friend of his, the son of a respected father and mother. He succeeded his father to a position of great responsibility. He went out on mobilisation in 1914. He served with him (the speaker) until his life was taken, and during the whole time he had known his, as a civilian before the war, or as a soldier during the war, he could honestly say he had never met a finer type of English country gentleman, and he was one whose loss he knew was keenly felt in those parts. He had the respect of this who served under him, and of those under whom he served. He saw that from the parish whose total population he was told was under 250, over 68 men went out. He knew of no village with a finer record that that of Chaddleworth. He did hope that in years to come they and their children, and their children’s children would look with pride and gratitude at that beautiful memorial, and if there were difficulties at home or abroad, the sight of it would make them make their minds to play their part as good citizens of the British Empire, in the same way that those gallant men did whose names they saw on the Cross. He concluded with the words of the King’s message to the bereaved. Thos whom this Cross commemorates were numbered amongst those who, at the call of King and Country left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that their names be not forgotten. He had no more to say, but it had been a great honour and privilege to him to be allowed to unveil that Memorial.

The service then concluded with the singing of the hymn, “For all the Saints,” and the Blessing, and then a bugler from the Royal Berkshire Depot at Reading sounded the haunting notes of the Last Post. The memorable ceremony concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

The Memorial was designed by Major Lucas, RFA, of Oakhouse, whilst the secretarial work was carried out by Mr Charles Masters.