Following the Memorial March on 10th November 2018 and WW1 banners displayed along the railings of Montpelier Park we’ve been contacted by some of the relatives of Cheltonians who lost their lives in the First World War. Here Ian Goodridge tells the story of Ernest Davis & Alfred Moon and helps us put a face to the names to ensure they will be remembered.
A service was held at Prestbury St Mary to commemorate Arthur McCullock Inglis. The photos below were provided by Stephen Pope who attended the event and said:
“The Prestbury parishioners provided a wonderful welcome on Sun 12 May; a great deal of effort had been taken to mark each of the Great War casualties who were either buried or remembered in the churchyard and Father Nick provided a stunning commemorative service.”
Over the coming months we will be telling the stories of some of the Cheltenham women who died as a result of their work at Voluntary Aid hospitals during WW1.
Nurse Anna Madeline Shaw, known as “Lena “ was born in 1884 in Harbourne, Staffordshire. She is one of Cheltenham’s forgotten female WW1 casualties who died of illness contracted whilst on duty as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Nurse.
On September 15th 1916 Arthur McCullock Inglis became the first person in history to lead tanks into battle. He is buried in Prestbury St Mary’s churchyard, where on 12th May 2019 they will be marking the centenary of his death. This is the story of how Arthur and his family are connected to the Cheltenham area…
Continue reading “Arthur Inglis – The First Tank Commander”A special event took place last week at Pittville School to celebrate the completion of a project to conserve and restore over 20 wooden WW1 battlefield crosses. The crosses had been subject to the elements for a number of years on display at the entrance to Cheltenham Cemetery. They have now been restored and preserved for future generations.
This project has been coordinated by the Cheltenham Civic Society and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Continue reading “Battlefield Crosses Project”As part of Cheltenham Remembers and the project to repair and conserve the war memorial in the Promenade, a new interpretation panel was installed on a stone plinth as a lasting legacy.
The First World War sparked innovation in medicine and technology at a rate unseen in almost any other period of history. The work of talented metalworker and inventor John Chandler is today largely forgotten but the legacies of his inventions live on.
John Edgar Chandler was born in Cheltenham in 1873. A new documentary film created by University of Gloucestershire students explores his contribution to the war effort.
Continue reading “John Chandler : Cheltenham’s Forgotten WW1 Inventor”Extracts from Cheltenham in the Great War by Neela Mann (2016, The History Press)
“Cheltenham’s Prisoners of War and two remarkable ladies
The large basement at Dumfries House, in Bayshill (now County House) became the source of a life line to 197 Prisoners of War (POWs) from Cheltenham. The house was the home of Mrs Elphinstone Shaw, wife of an Indian Army Colonel and daughter and sister in law of Indian Army Generals. Having been married in India, Mrs Shaw returned to Cheltenham in 1895 to join her sister and family.
Thanks so much to everyone who took part in the Cheltenham Remembers memorial march on the 10th November. University of Gloucestershire TV Production put together a short film which really captures the spirit of the event.
See how Cheltenham commemorated the WW1 Armistice Centenary on 10 and 11 November 2018 in this short film by Unit 1 Films. Thank you to everyone involved in all of the events, remembering those who lost their lives 100 years ago.