Wick and Abson War Memorial

The 1914-1918 Memorial is a brass plaque mounted on the inside of the south wall of St Bartholomew's Church. The Church is situated on the A420 road from Chippenham to Bristol to the west of the village of Wick, Gloucestershire, UK.

The 1939-1945 Memorial is a brass plaque mounted on a bookcase placed near the south door of the church.

The 1914-1918 plaque reads:-

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY AND HONOUR
OF THOSE WHO LAID DOWN
THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR

1914-1918

DRMR V G HEWER 12 JUNE 1915
PTE E C LEWIS 9 AUG 1915
PTE F G AMOS 10 AUG 1915
LCE CPL A E BRAIN 26 SEPT 1915
PTE A C GOUGH 2 JAN 1916
PTE H J BRYANT 20 FEB 1917
GNR H J SURRETT 4 JULY 1917
RFLMN A H DAVIS 3 AUG 1917
PTE F CLARK 24 SEPT 1917
PTE S PAGE 12 OCT 1917
PTE A H BEST 13 JULY 1918
PTE R J MIZEN 31 AUG 1918
PTE H PYE 3 SEPT 1918
LCE CPL G A DARE 23 OCT 1918
PTE W A KILMASTER 23 OCT 1918
PTE W FIELD 1 NOV 1918
PTE W H PULLIN 16 FEB 1919

ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS IN
GRATEFUL APPRECIATION OF THEIR
SACRIFICE.

Some notes on the 1914 1918 Memorial.

Pte V G Hewer served in the 1st Bn Border Regt. and died at Gallipoli on Saturday 12 June 1915, aged 21 yrs. He is buried in Lancashire Landing Cemetery Turkey. He was the son of Mrs F Hewer of Golden Valley, Wick.

Pte E Lewis served in the 6th Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers and died at Gallipoli on Monday 9 August 1915 , aged 25 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey.

Pte Fred Amos served in C Coy. 6th Bn Leinster Regt. and died at Gallipoli on Tuesday 10 August 1915 , aged 22 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey. He was the son of Sidney and Alice Amos of Manor Cottage, Wick

Lce Cpl Albert Brain served in the 8th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry and died in the battle of Loos on Sunday 26 September 1915, aged 19 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the LOOS MEMORIAL. He was the third son of Walter and Emily Brain of Milford House, Wick.

Pte. Albert Gough served in the 6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Sunday 2 January 1916, aged 20 yrs. He is buried in ST. SEVER CEMETERY ROUEN. France. He was the son of George and Eliza Gough of Riding Barn Hill, Wick.

Pte. Henry Bryant served in the 15th Bn. Worcestershire Regt. and died on Tuesday 20 February 1917. He is buried in St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Wick.

Gnr. Henry Surrett served in 129th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery and died on Thursday 5 July 1917 , aged 26 yrs. He is buried in FERME-OLIVIER CEMETERY, Ieper, Belgium. He was the son of Henry and Florence Surrett of Highbury, London.

Pte. F Clark served in the 13th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Monday 24 September 1917. He is buried in LARCH WOOD (RAILWAY CUTTING) CEMETERY Ieper, Belgium.

Pte. Stephen Page served in the 1st Bn. Welsh Guards and died on Friday 12 October 1917 , aged 38 yrs. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the TYNE COT MEMORIAL Belgium. He was the son of Stephen and Louisa Page of Naishcombe Hill, Wick.

Pte. Alfred Best originally served in the 13th Bn. Devonshire Regt. but transferred to the Labour Corps attached to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He died on Saturday 13 July 1918, aged 39 yrs. He is buried in STE. MARIE CEMETERY, LE HAVRE France. He was the husband of Georgina Best of Cold Harbour Cottages, Wick.

Pte. Robert Mizen served in the 12th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. and died on Saturday 31 August 1918. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France.

Pte. H Pye served in the Mechanical Transport Army Service Corps and was attached to 126 Bde. Royal Field Artillery. He died on Tuesday 3 September 1918 and is buried in AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENTION, Pas de Calais, France.

Lance Corporal Gilbert Dare served in the 8th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regt. and died on Wednesday 23 October 1918, aged 20 yrs.He is buried in VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MILITARY CEMETERY, Somme, France. He was the son of Arthur and Florence Dare of The Green, Wick.

Pte. W Field served in the 2nd/7th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regt. and died on Friday 1 November 1918 aged 19 yrs. He is buried in TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE, Pas de Calais France. He was the son of Mr W J and Mrs C E Field of Wick.

Pte. William Pullin served in the Labour Corps and died on Sunday 16 February 1919 aged 29 yrs. He is buried in the cemetery of St Bartholomew's Church, Wick. He was the son of William and Hannah Harris of Myrtle House, Wick.

The 1939-1945 plaque reads:-

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF
THE MEN OF THIS PARISH
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
THE WAR 1939-1945

KENNETH ELSTON
THOMAS NICHOLS
JOHN ROBERTS
RICHARD SPRACKMAN
MICHAEL COOK

Some notes on the 1939-1945 Memorial.

Driver Kenneth Elston served in 50 S.T Coy. Royal Army Service Corps and died on Sunday 9 August 1942 aged 20 yrs. He is buried in the churchyard of St Bartholomew's Church, Wick. He was the son of Grantley and Ella Elston of Warmley.

Gnr. Thomas Nichols served in 52 Anti-Tank Regt. Royal Artillery and died on Friday 3 September 1943 aged 20 yrs. He is buried in SALERNO WAR CEMETERY Italy. He was the son of Charles and Eva Elsie Nichols of Chippenham Wiltshire.

Corporal John Roberts served in 4th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry and died on Saturday 29 July 1944 aged 24 yrs. He is buried in HOTTOT-LES-BAGUES CEMETERY, Normandy France. He was the son of David John and Elizabeth Ann Roberts and husband of Marion D Roberts of Fishponds, Bristol.

Sergeant Richard Sprackman served in 619 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and died on Monday 18 October 1943. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL near Windsor.

Transcribed by George Hall.