Bitton War Memorial
The memorial is a Celtic Cross set on a rectangular plinth in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Mary, Bitton, Gloucestershire, UK.
The inscription on the North face reads:-
TO
THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN
HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN
FROM THIS PARISH
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR
KING AND COUNTRY
IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918
| C ASHMORE | B HARDING | V SHORT |
| W BODMAN | F JENKINS | R SHORT |
| H BREWER | J MATHESON | A SHORT |
| E BATLEY | W ODELL | E SHORT |
| A BODMAN | W PATTERSON | A SHERGOLD |
| H DAVEY | W PULLEN | H H TURNER |
| A FORD | A PULLEN | T WAKELE |
| B GOVAN | M PERRETT | B WILLIAMS |
| F GERRISH | J REEVES | J WOODMAN |
| G HAWKINS | J SMITH | H WOODMAN |
| R J ROGERS | J ELLACOTT |
The inscription on the South side of the plinth reads:-
TO
THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN
HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN
FROM THIS PARISH
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR
KING AND COUNTRY
IN THE SECOND GREAT WAR 1939-1945
| T R AUBREY | F FUDGE | K W MARTIN |
| I BREWER | A FRY | S OLLIS |
| E BARNARD | B GREADY | R PACKER |
| W CLARK | J MORRIS | D STONE |
| S HUNT | R MILSOM | W STONE |
| E A KING |
Some notes on the Memorial inscriptions: -
I am indebted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for much of the information appearing in these notes. The Commission's records do not always match the Memorial inscriptions in some minor details.
Private C Ashmore served in 1st/4th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry and died on Thursday 13 April 1916. He is buried in AMARA WAR CEMETERY, Iraq.
Private William Bodman served in 2nd/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt and died on Thursday 3 May 1917 aged 22 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. He was the son of John T. and M. Bodman of 13 Redfield Hill, Oldland Common, Bristol.
Gunner Henry Brewer served in the Royal Garrison Artillery and died on Wednesday 28 February 1917 aged 48 yrs. He is buried in BITTON (ST MARY) CHURCHYARD. He was the husband of Annie Brewer of Willsbridge, Bristol.
Private Edward Batley served in 7th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry and died on Tuesday 11th September 1917 aged 21 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. He was the son of William John and Alice Maud Batley, of Upton Cheney, Bitton.
Private Ambrose Bodman served in 13th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Tuesday 31 July 1917, just two months after the death of his elder brother William, aged 19 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. He too was the son of John Thomas and Mary Bodman of 13 Redfield Hill, Oldland Common, Bristol.
Lance Corporal Albert Amos Ford served in "C" Coy. 1st/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Sunday 23 July 1916 aged 30 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. He was the son of George and Ruth Ford of Willsbridge, Bristol.
Private Robert Archibald Govan served in 1st/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Saturday 2 September 1916 aged 19 yrs. He is buried in WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. He was the son of Robert and Caroline Govan of Bitton.
Gunner Frederick William Gerrish served in 261st Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery and died on Tuesday 5 June 1917 aged 20 yrs. He is buried in STRAND MILITARY CEMETERY, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. He was the son of A H and Mrs Sarah Ann Gerrish of 2 King's Square, Bitton.
Gunner G Hawkins served on S.S "Gothic", Royal Marine Artillery and died on Saturday 24 August 1918 aged 23 yrs. He is buried in MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY, Malta. He was the son of George and Alice Hawkins and was born at Bitton.
Private B Harding served in 5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt and died on Sunday 11 August 1918 aged 21 yrs. He is buried in MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Nord, France. He was the son of Maurice and Priscilla Harding of Upton Cheney, Bitton.
Private Frederick James Cecil Jenkins served in 1st/4th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Sunday 23 July 1916 aged 22 yrs. He is buried in WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. He was the son of Matthew and Annie Jenkins of Great Cully Hall Farm, Bitton.
Corporal A W Patterson served in 2nd/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Wednesday 12 July 1916 aged 19yrs. He is buried in MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Nord, France. He was the son of William Wallace Patterson of Fonthill, Bitton.
Private Maurice John Perrett served in 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards and died on Saturday 13 April 1918 aged 20 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. He was the son of David Witchell Perrett and Mary Perrett of Springfield House, Bitton.
Corporal Rowland Short served in 1st/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Tuesday 9 October 1917 aged 24 Yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. He was the son of Mrs Harriet Short of The Terrace, Bitton.
Petty Officer Stoker Andrew Short R N, served on H M S "Begonia" and died on Saturday 6 October 1917 aged 38 yrs. He is commemorated on the PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL. He was the son of Andrew and Selina Short of Bitton and husband of E L Short of The Gables, Upton Cheney, Bitton.
Private E T Short served in 1st Bn. Wiltshire Regt. and died on Sunday 28 October 1917 aged 32 yrs. He is buried in GORRE BRITISH AND INDIAN CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. He was the husband of Emily L Short of 33 Thicket Road, Fishponds, Bristol.
Private A B Shergold served in 2nd/5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Friday 7 December 1917 aged 28 yrs. He is buried in SUNKEN ROAD CEMETERY, VILLERS-PLOUICH, Nord, France. He was the son of Mrs F Shergold of Red Cottage, Redlynch, Salisbury and husband of Mildred Elizabeth Shergold of Chestnut House, Shellard Road, Longwell Green, Willsbridge.
Stoker 1st Class Thomas Daniel Woodman, RN, served on H M S "Vivid" and died on Monday 21 April 1919 aged 27 yrs. He is buried in WARMLEY (ST BARNABUS) CHURCHYARD. He was the son of Daniel and Ruth Woodman of Oldland Common and husband of Eva Violetta Woodman of 23 Deanery Road, Warmley.
Squadron Leader Thomas Dixon Rodbard Aubrey served in the Royal Air Force and died on Sunday 11 July 1943 aged 36 yrs. He is buried in TRIPOLI WAR CEMETERY, Libya. He was the son of Thomas and Mia Isobel Aubrey(nee Castle) of Bitton and husband of Phyllis Edna Aubrey(nee Trist) of Bitton.
Corporal Sidney George Robert Hunt served in 230 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and died on Thursday 3 May 1945 aged 25 yrs. He is buried in OLDLAND(ST ANNE) CHURCHYARD. He was the son of Soloman Ethelbert and Maud Hunt of Bitton.
Private Douglas Fudge served in 2nd Bn. The Hertfordshire Regt., Bedford and Hertfordshire Regt. and died on Thursday 29 June 1944 aged 20 yrs. He is buried in BOLSENA WAR CEMETERY, Italy. He was the son of Lucy Jane Fudge of Warmley.
Flight Sergeant Anthony Herbert Fry served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and died on Wednesday 28 June 1944 aged 27 yrs. He is buried in BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY. He was the son of Edward James and Gertrude Julia Fry of Oldland.
Constable Bertie Gready, Birmingham City Police died on Thursday 10 April at Digbeth Police Station. He is commemorated in the COUNTY BOROUGH OF BIRMINGHAM Section of the Civilian War Dead Register. He was the son of Bertie and Gladys Gready of Hollisters Farm, Bitton and husband of Nancy Meredith Gready.
Second Officer Roydon Gilbert Milsom served in the Merchant Navy aboard S.S Fort Longueuil and died on Monday 20 September 1943 aged 32 yrs. He is commemorated on the TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, LONDON. He was the husband of R E Milsom of Willsbridge.
Private Ernest King served in 2nd Bn. Devonshire Regt. and died on Thursday 8 June 1944 aged 24 yrs. He is buried in the BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY, Calvados, France. He was the son of James and Martha King of Barton Hill, Bristol.
Gunner Kenneth William Martin served in 102 (The Northumberland Hussars) Lt. A. A./Anti-Tank Regt. Royal Artillery and died on Thursday 3 August 1944 aged 24 yrs. He is buried in BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY, Calvados, France. He was the son of William and Beatrice Martin and husband of Ivy Elizabeth Martin of Warmley.
Stafford William Ollis died at the Bristol Aeroplane Works on Wednesday 25 September 1940 aged 40 yrs. He is commemorated in the RURAL DISTRICT OF SODBURY Section of the Civilian War Dead Register. He lived at Railway Tavern, North Common, Warmley.
Frederick William Edwin Packer died at the Bristol Aeroplane Works on Wednesday 25 September 1940 aged 33 yrs. He is commemorated in the RURAL DISTRICT OF SODBURY Section of the Civilian War Dead Register. He was the son of Edwin and Ethel Packer of 154 Longmead Avenue, Bishopston, Bristol and husband of Margaret Mary Packer of 152 Longmead Avenue.
Trooper Dennis Wilfred Stone served in 2nd, Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, R A C and died on Tuesday 18 July 1944 aged 21 yrs. He is buried in BANNEVILLE-LA-CAMPAGNE WAR CEMETERY,Calvados, France. He was the son of Arthur and Florence Kate Stone of Warmley.
Transcribed by George Hall