27th October 2022 • The HERALD • Page 37 TALES FROM THE GRAVEYARD OF ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH, FAWLEY by Patricia Hedley-Goddard, Churchyard Archivist for the ancient parish of All Saints’ Fawley REMEMBRANCE 2022 Every year a large part of the nation comes together to remember the brave men who fought in two World Wars so that we, as a nation, would remain a free country and not under the government of a dictator. Originally the commemoration was for those who gave their lives in the First World War. is had been advertised as ‘the war to end all wars’ but sadly only 21 years later our brave nation, plus the Allies were once again ghting a terrible war. All Saints Church, Fawley, annually commemorates the men of the parish of Fawley whose names appear on both the First and Second World War memorials situated on the interior north wall of the Church. A total of eighty-three names appear on the memorials, forty six from the First World War and thirty seven from the Second World War, of which four are civilians. ere is, however, one name that does not appear on the WW1 memorial, and that is of Corporal Joseph Woolen. Little is known of Joseph, but it appears that he lived at Copythorne Cottage in Fawley, and he was buried in a private grave on the north east side of the graveyard of All Saint’s. e reason for him not being on the memorial is not known. From the eighty-three mentioned on the war memorial, only seven lie at rest in the Churchyard, three from World War 1, John William Kitcher, H.C.M. Bunday, and Joseph Woolen. Ironically John William Kitcher and H.C.M. Bunday did not die in combat, but from Spanish Flu, a few days a er the armistice was signed. No Fawley Parish combatants from WWII are buried at All Saints graveyard. ere were four civilians killed during WWII in the Fawley Parish, two of which are buried within the graveyard, Robert Fickling and John D. Mckeown. ey were both killed in air raids while working in the oil re nery. Robert worked as a carter at the re nery and lived with his wife Clementina at 4 Lime Kiln Lane. John worked as a Rivet Catcher, and was only 16 years old when he died. He lived with his mother and father at Sunhaze Villa on the Rolleston Road. e third civilian casualty was aMr. Ernest W. Reynard, who was a member of the Air Raid Precautions service and a Special Constable. His civilian occupation was as force. Ernest was interred at the Black eld Cemetery. e fourth civilian casualty was Mr. W.T. Bennett, also a member of the Air Raid Precaution service. He was killed during an air raid, but unfortunately it is not known where he is buried. Of the remaining names immortalised on the memorials many have no known resting place. For instance, Sapper Raphael Bellini whose body was never recovered is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial in Belgium. He was killed on the 4th of June 1916 aged just eighteen. Before he joined the military he had worked as a carpenter, and had married Lily May and had lived in Fawley. Fusilier William John Travers was killed on the 5th of April 1918 and is commemorated on the Arras memorial in the north of France. In his civilian life before joining the military he was a Newsboy, living with his parents William and Elizabeth Travers at New House in Fawley. Private omas Milton Nason was killed on 23rd August 1917 and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. He was originally employed as a gardener and lived with his wife Gertrude at Nelson’s Place in Fawley. Private John Croutear, before the outbreak of WWI worked as a sherman and lived at Stonehills. He joined the Hampshire Regiment at the outbreak of the war and was sent to Gallipoli where, on the 13th August 1915, he was killed. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial in Turkey. To all of these young men who served in the First World War they probably thought that defending their nation would be the adventure of their lifetime, a chance to travel and see a bit of the world. No one could have predicted the ferocity and terror that they would see or su er. ey had all come from a quiet Hampshire rural/coastal background and had no concept of what they were signing up for. When we come to Sergeant William Frederick Alexander, he would have been aware of history of WWI and the terrible sacri ces some of the local men from Fawley Parish had su ered. However, he joined the RAF at the outbreak of WWII and was based with 119 squadron at Pembroke Dock in Wales on ying boats. On 20th of June 1941 his aircra su ered engine failure and it crashed into the sea o Cape Finisterre on route to Cairo. William is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He le a grieving widow, Edith, who lived in Black eld. Men from the Parish served in all theatres of war during both con icts. I have only been able to highlight a few of these courageous young men who rallied to the call, never to return to their loved ones. I end my commemoration article remembering the men of the Parish with a poem by A.E. Houseman. Here dead lie we because we did not choose To live and shame the land from which we sprung. Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose. But young men think it is, and we were young. a Master Blacksmith and he lived at e Forge, Hardley. He was killed on the main Fawley Raid, during an air raid, three days before the All Saint’s Church was damaged by a bomb dropped by the Italian air Proud of his family and regiment Amongst a sea of red poppies that day As a lad he dreamed of the army His father a soldier before His granddad sill wore the colours But seldom would speak of the war He stood tall and proud with his unit At attention that November day He’d reached the first rung on the ladder Each rung a move the right way He joined on the day of his birthday Something he’d dreamed he would do Following family tradition In footsteps he was sure that he knew He knew a lot lay before him And only the fittest go through But he was fit he was able Placed his cards on the table Working hard he prayed he’d get through Sunbeams slanted through stained glass As the priest welcomed everyone there He spoke of the brave and the fallen On the land at sea in the air And of those who died for their country Departing this life we all know And he stood quite still in the old church As around him bright red poppies glowed He felt proud to remember the fallen As he prayed on Remembrance Day Prayers For Remembrance Day by David K Wilson
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