Favourite places
My Favorite Memorial Polperro & Talland Bay
Location: Polperro, PL13 2JH, England Commemorations: First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945), Falklands Conflict (1982) The memorial is a Latin cross of rough-hewn stone (granite) surmounted on a three-stepped stone base. Inscriptions in black, metal lettering (leaded) on three sides of top two steps of the base. Located on the coastal headland path of Downend Point and dedicated to the men of Polperro and surrounds who gave their lives in the two world wars. WW1 names on two sides of shaft of cross, WW2 on steps of base. A nearby stone bench commemorates the donor. The North face of the Cross has 17 WW1 names. The North Face of Top Step has the commemoration ‘TRUE LOVE BY LIFE. TRUE LOVE BY DEATH IS THEIRS/ LIVE THOU FOR ENGLAND, WE FOR ENGLAND DIED’. The North face of second step states ‘TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF AND CONNECTED WITH TALLAND AND POLPERRO/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR KING AND COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914-1918’. The South face of the Cross has 15 Names, all but 1 WW1 and all of these are RNR or RN. The South Face of the top step states ‘GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE/ FOR HIS FRIENDS’. The South face of the second step ‘THIS CROSS/ IS ERECTED IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN AND AS A/ THANKOFFERING FOR THE RETURN OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN/ PRESERVED ON LAND AND SEA DURING/ THE GREAT WAR 1914-18’. The West face of the top step ‘IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ WORLD WAR 1939-45’. The West face, second step has14 WW2 names. Names on the memorial: A'lee, T J / Barrett, G / Betts, H L / Betts, J H / Blatchford, W / Braddon, F / Caple, W W / Cloke, R / Cocking, J / Collins, G / Collins, T / Curtis, A / Curtis, A / Curtis, E / Curtis, R / Gedye, R B / Giles, J E / Jay, J E / Jerram, A P / Joliffe, J / Langmaid, J / Leary, M / Lewis, W H / Libby, J / Libby, R / Libby, S / Libby, W H / Lightfoot, A J / Lightfoot, F / Nunn, R / Oliver, A / Oliver, L / Oliver, M / Oliver, R / Peake, A / Puckey, F / Searle, T / Skentelbery, J L / Skentelbery, L / Tamblin, R A / Taylor, H M / Toms, F / Vague, B / Vawden, F / Wellington, T S / Wright, G M D First World War (1914-1918) - Total names on memorial: 31 Second World War (1939-1945) - Total names on memorial: 14 Falklands Conflict (1982) - Total names on memorial: 1 Cross: Measurements: height c2300mm / Base: Measurements: depth c1220mm, width c1390mm The memorial is protected and Grade II listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. Graham Read September 2023 |
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For my favourite place/place's there are so many, but the first of my choices has to be Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France, where my Great Uncle MZ/598 Able Seaman Joseph Threlfall, Howe Bn RND,, who died of wounds on 24th April, 1917, aged 18, now lies. I have now accumulated that much information about his early family life and short military service, that I could write a book about him. Other favourite places: Sucrerie Cemetery, Ablain St. Nazaire - this is not only because of Judith Beastall's Great Uncle - 44520 Private Alf Davies, 7th Somerset Light Infantry is buried there, but because it took Judith and me the best part of 10 years to find him and research him, and to end up with two photographs of him. This is a monumental achievement considering that he had such a common name. Yet another favourite place is Somer Farm Cemetery, Whytscaete, Belgium. A very dear friend of mine - a crippled Vietnam Veteran - Peter Jones, asked for my help in researching the British lads buried in this cemetery, which is where his Grandfather is buried. Sadly, Peter died in November 2014, and the project has been handed over to me to carry on with.
Pete Threlfall, April 2020 |
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To most people this will look like any other empty field but, thanks to the 61st Field Ambulance war diary, and the use of GPS system linesman, I know that this is the field where my great-uncle 44520 Private Alfred Davies, died on 11 June 1918. He had been wounded the previous day whilst on a train, with a work party going to the Lens area to work on a communication trench. He was taken to the 61st Field Ambulance, Ablain St Nazaire where he died and was then buried in Sucrerie Cemetery in the village.
Judith Beastall, April 2020 |
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Where else on the Western Front can you arrive at your destination, step out of the car and feel so perfectly at home straight away? Avril's has been my mind's "go to" destination when I've wanted some TLC in these troubled times. Every time I dead-head the petunias in my hanging baskets I'm back at Avril's every time I see pictures of Hawthorne Crater or Newfoundland Memorial Park a piece of elastic in my brain pulls me right back to Avril's. We've been there at least once a year since 1999 - until this year. We've been there in all weathers and all seasons. We've seen the place change slowly over the years but to us the welcome has always been the same. Avril has a knack of getting you to do things to help her - prune and water the hanging baskets, get the chicks in at night, clear the tables during busy times (now that really is a treat because it makes you feel that the customers think you "belong" there). We've played the Last Post on Handbells there before supper, met so many people there with similar interests in WW1 and chatted until the early hours. So many wonderful memories. As soon as it's safe to do so I want to get back to Avril's.
Margaret Hubbard. June 2020 |
I know of nowhere on the Western Front where I have felt closer to “Them” than in the garden at Talbot House (Toc H). There have been times when I have sat on the bench at the end of the garden, and could almost hear the conversations of the men sat on the grass. Wonderful place! Then, to be followed by a visit to the Upper Room and a prayer for them all.....
Bruce Hubbard, April 2020 |
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The one place I always make a point of visiting whenever I am in Ypres is the Liverpool Scottish Memorial on the Bellewaerde Ridge. I like to park at the Hooge Crater Museum and walk down the lane behind the museum, crossing over the old German front line into no-man's land and on up to the old British front line at the edge of Railway Wood on the ridge, then on to the the small R.E. grave. Many, many times I've sat on the edge of the wood on a hot summer's day and reflected on the lives lived and lost there.
Jeff Clare. April 2020 |
There are lots of places in France and Belgium I enjoy going to, but one of my favourite places is the sunken Lane just outside the village of Beaumont Hamel on the Somme. Whatever time of year you go it is always peaceful, but particularly so on a hot summer's day. It is in total contrast to the events that happened there on 1st July 1916 when it was filled with Lancashire Fusiliers waiting to go over the top and where just a few hundred yards further on is the small cemetery where many of them are buried. I find it a very emotive place.
Kim Clare April 2020 |
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