Cemetery Road

North Somercotes

Lincolnshire

V.N.S.l/5/2015

Commonwealth War Graves.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is responsible for marking

and maintaining the graves of members of the forces of Commonwealth

countries who died in the two world wars, for building and maintaining

memorials to the dead whose graves are unknown.

At 45 years old Fabian Arthur Goulstone Ware was considered to be too

old to fight in the Great War. But he became a commander of a mobile unit of

the British Red Cross Society. He arrived in France in September 1914 in

command of a mobile Red Cross ambulance unit, consisting of privately owned

cars which were sent out to look for wounded and escaped prisoners. Ware was

saddened by the sheer number of casualties. He quickly found out that there was

no official organisation responsible for marking and recording the graves of

those killed. Ware undertook the task. The War Office recognised Ware's work

in rec-ording and maintaining graves and in 1915 the Graves Registration

Commission was set up under his command. It became part of the British Army.

Ware left the Red Cross and was promoted to a Major in the Army.

Sometimes it was possible to bury men near to where they fell. At times it

could be in a crater or in a row places together in a large trench. Wounded men

were taken to the advance dressing station close to the front. Groups of men

were interred nearby. Near to the French coast were larger hospitals and these

became surrounded by larger cemeteries. Itwas possible for some of the

wounded to be brought back to Britain. If they died in England they could be

taken home to be buried. Bodies were never taken home from the battlefields

(with the exception of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey) for burial.

The multinational aspect of the work was recognised by the Imperial War

Conference. InMay 1917 The Imperial War Graves Commission was

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established by Royal Charter with the Prince of Wales as its President and

Fabian Ware as Vice- Chairman.

The fundament aims of the Commission are that every man or women

who has lost their lives should be remembered by name on a permanent

headstone or memorial; the headstones to be uniform with no distinction to be

made on account of rank, race or creed.

The Commission's work began in earnest after the Armistice. Once land

for cemeteries and memorials had been guaranteed, the enormous task of

recording the details of the dead began. By 1918, some 587,000 graves had been

identified and a further 559,000 casualties were registered as having no known

grave.

The Commission set the highest standards for all its work. Three of the

most eminent architects of the day - Sir Edwin Lutyens, Sir Herbert Baker and

Sir Reginald Blomfield - were chosen to begin the work of designing and

constructing the cemeteries and memorials. Rudyard Kipling was chosen as

literary advisor, to give advice on inscriptions.

In 1921 the Commission built three experimental cemeteries. Forceville

in France was considered the most successful. Garden designer Gertrude Jekyll

advised on the planting and the architects created a walled cemetery with

uniform headstones in a garden setting. Blornfield's Cross of Sacrifice and

Lutyens' Stone of Remembrance were the formal features. After some

adjustments, Forceville became the template for the Commission's building

programme.

Rudyard Kipling provided the words

KNOWN UNTO GOD

for the unidentified graves.

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The men without a known grave have their names recorded on large

memorials. The first of these to be completed was Blomfield's memorial in

Ypres.

The land for the Commonwealth War Graves and Memorials was given

in perpetuity by the nations inwhich the lie.

A year after the Commission's programme was completed in 1938 war

once again broke out. This forced the Commission to evacuate its staff and

leave the cemeteries. Ware soon realised that this war-was very different from

the last one. It was global and the increased use of air power meant that

casualties would no longer be restricted to military personnel. Extending its

remit at the request of Winston Churchill, the Commission also created a roll of

honour that commemorated 67,000 civilians who died as a result of enemy

action during the Second World War.

As hostilities ceased the Commission began restoring its 1914-1918

cemeteries and memorials to their pre-war beauty. They then began the task of

commemorating 600,000 Commonwealth casualties from this latest conflict. In

1949, the commission completed Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery which was

the first of559 new cemeteries and 36 new memorials.

As the construction programme of Second World War cemeteries drew to

/~ a close in the 1960s, to reflect the changing times, the name changed to the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

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FLU

A killer every bit as deadly as a shell, or a bullet, was rampaging

throughout Europe.

SPANISH FLU.

It is believed that it was so called because it was first reported in Spain.

During The Great War Spain was a neutral country without the strict press

censorship of other countries. Although the Pandemic did not start in Spain, its

spread amongst the population was freely reported in the various newspapers in

that country.

This virus had a mortality rate of 20 times normal influenza. It was also

unusual in that it struck down the more fit and health in communities; this was

usually the 20 to 50 year olds. Death often occurred within a few hours of the

onset of the illness.

There were several cases in North Somercotes. It affected both the

Civilian and the Military population in the village.

The influenza virus, with up to 40 million victims, killed more people

than the Great War itself.

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BERTIE HALLETT died on 12thNovember 1918 at the Red Cross

Hospital inLouth. He had pneumonia after influenza.

He was buried in the village cemetery on 14thNovember 1918 by North

Somercotes Vicar the Rev. Samuel Proudfoot.

Written on his gravestone is

202753 Private B HALLETT,

Lincolnshire Regiment.

12thNov 1918 aged 20.

At rest.

Bertie was a private in the Labour Corps of the Lincolnshire Secondary

Regiment, 447thAgricultural Company, service no 504958. He had been a

private in the Lincolnshire Regiment service no 202753.

He is remembered on North Somercotes War Memorials

Bertie was one of the sons of William Sanderson and Louisa (nee

Baldock) Hallett. He had been born on zs" September 1898 at North Thoresby.

In 1908 the family came into the village from North Thoresby. They lived

for a time in Church Lane from where Bertie attended the village school.

Before his death in 1918 his parents and some siblings moved to

Bishopthorpe Lodge, Tetney, North Thoresby.

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Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps

The shortage of manpower in the First World War led to the formation of

the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1917. Women working both in France

and in the United Kingdom were able to replace military men serving behind

the lines and enable them to fight.

Given Royal patronage inApril 1918 and renamed Queen Mary's Army

Auxiliary Corps, it had completely demobilized by 1921.

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HILD A CARY died on the 22nd November 1918 after having

influenza for 8 days and then double pneumonia for 2 days. She was a 'worker'

in the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps. Service no 27668. She was buried

in the village cemetery on the 25th November 1918 by Samuel Proudfoot, North

Somercotes' Vicar.

Her Gravestone is inscribed:

In Loving memory of

HILDA CARY

who died Nov 22nd 1918,

age 19 years.

"Peace, perfect peace".

Hilda was born on the io"March 1900. She was a daughter of Richard

Edwin and Eliza (nee Tyson) Cary and lived on Marsh Lane. Hilda had attended

the village school from 1905.

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BETSY CARY died on the zs" November 1918 after having had

influenza for 7 days, which turned to pneumonia for 5 days and led to heart

failure. She was a Waac in the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps Service no

27667. She was buried in the village cemetery on zs" November 1918 by the

Vicar of North Somercotes Samuel Proudfoot

Her Gravestone is inscribed:

In loving memory of

BETSY CARY

who died Nov 25th 1918,

age 28 years."R .est znpeace

Betsy was born on the 16th July 1891. She was the daughter of Richard

Edwin and Eliza (nee Tyson) Cary of Marsh Lane.

Betsy left home to work and in 1911was a kitchen maid to Lord Estcourt

in London.

Hilda and Betsy were sisters and they are buried next to each other in North

Somercotes Cemetery

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Merchant seamen

who are remembered via Commonwealth War

Graves in the village cemetery.

There are 7 Second World War Commonwealth War Graves for

Merchant Seaman in North Somercotes Village Cemetery. Unfortunately as yet

the name of only one is known. The bodies of the men were found on the coast

and brought to North Somercotes to be buried.

Each of the graves has the Merchant Service Emblem on top the stone.

There are then the words

A SAILOR

OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

MERHANTNAVY

BURIED 6TH NOVEMBER 1939

(There is then an engraved cross.)

"KNOWN UNTO GOD"

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 79)

It is believed that this is a sailor from SS Orsa.

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A SAILOR

OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

MERHANTNAVYBURIED 6TH NOVEMBER 1939

(There is then an engraved cross.)

"KNOWN UNTO GOD"

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 78)

It is believed that this is the body of a sailor from SS Orsa.

A SAILOR

OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

MERHANTNAVYBURIED 9TH FERBUARY 1940

(There is then an engraved cross)

"KNOWN UNTO GOD"

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 77)

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A SAILOR

OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

MERHANTNAVY

BURIED 29TH OCTOBER 1940

(There is then an engraved cross.)

"KNOWN UNTO GOD"

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 160)

The body of this sailor was found at Donna Nook

A SAILOR

OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

MERHANT NAVY

BURIED 25TH NOVEMBER 1940

(There is then an engraved cross.)

"KNOWN UNTO GOD"

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 159)

The body of this seaman was found at Donna Nook.

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A SAILOR

OFTRE

SECOND WORLD WAR

MERHANTNAVY

BURIED 27TH DECEMBER 1940

(There is then an engraved cross.)

"KNOWN UNTO GOD"

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 158)

The body of this sailor was found on the beach at Donna Nook.

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JOHN ELIAS EVANSwas one of the children of Elias and Margaret

Jane (nee Vaughan) Evans. He had been born on the 21 st January 1895 in

Aberdovey. He was a sailor from an early age and.also a Royal Naval Reservist

(A6173).

He married Alice Radcliffe on the 14th April 1916 in Ardrossen Ayrshire.

They had 3 children.

John was an Able Seaman and a designated lamp trimmer on S. S. Orsa.

S. S. Orsa was taking a cargo of coal from the Tyne to Bordeaux when

she struck a mine on 21 st October 1939.

John's body was found near to North Somercotes and he was buried on

the 6th November 1939 by the Rev. Hall.

His gravestone was inscribed:

JE Evans, lamp trimmer

.~SS Orsa,

21 st October 1939, age 42.

"Immortal invisible God only wise."

(CWG ref. comp 1 grave 80)

The name of one of his sons, Jim, was later added to the headstone.

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R.A.F. Donna Nook

and

Camp 292/292b

There are no burials in this cemetery for any of the German or Allied

Airman and other Servicemen who met their deaths at Donna Nook. Neither are

there any burials from those at Camp292/292b.

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SAINT MARY's NORTH SOMERCOTES

WINIFRED HOWES nee BAKER was born in Hull on the 4th July 1907. She

was one of the daughters of George Baker. The family were living at 8

Kimberley Street in Hull in 1911.

In 1928whilst still living in Hull she married Arthur Howes. They had a.

daughter Marjorie who was born in 1929. In 1939 Arthur came to the village

with Marjorie and she attended the village school until she was 14 years old.

Winifred was a corporal in the Auxiliary Territorial Service Women's

'Services,Service no W/17301.

She died zi" February 1944 in Surrey.

Winifred is buried in St Mary's churchyard.

Her headstone is carved with the ATSsymbol and states:

W/17301 CORPORAL

WINIFRED HOWES

AUX. TERRITORIALSERVICE

21st FEBRUARY1944.

f( MAY HER REWARD

BE AS GREAT AS HER SACRIFICE"

There are 3 Commonwealth War Graves from the 1st World War in North

Somercotes Village Cemetery and 7 from the 2nd World War.

The names of some village men are also to be found on the headstones

of members of their family.

There is also 1 Commonwealth War Grave to be found at Saint Marys,

When the CWGCommission refurbish or renew headstones the wording

is at times changed.

Valerie N Soderberg,

The details given about the men and women named have been taken from

three other pieces of my research.

LESTWE FORGET- a pamphlet published about the men from North

Somercotes who died during the 2 World Wars.

THESTORIESBEHINDTHENAMES,

1914 -1919 - NORTHSOMERCOTESWAR MEMORIAL - this is a book about all

of those named on the memorial who served and died or served and survived.

WE HAVEREMEMBERED- NORTHSOMERCOTES- this is about the men and

women of North Somercotes who served during the 2 World Wars, many of

whom are not mentioned on the various memorials.

It is also about men and women who were buried in the village during the

World Wars and about those service personnel who died in the village during

the World Wars and are buried elsewhere.

Valerie N Soderberg

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