Charles John Woodward Alderton & Humphrey Halgrim Grundtvig
Location:
St Martin’s Church
Epsom
Surrey
KT17 4PX
(inside church, left wall, mounted to left of main war memorial)
Cross 1
Details on cross:
At top – small stamped zinc ‘GRU’ tag
Inscribed plaque on crosspiece
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
C.J. ALDERTON
KILLED 20TH NOV 1917
“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS.”
Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): Brass plate inscribed
Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: Unable to measure due to position on wall but appears similar to other ‘standard’ GRU crosses
Other information
Mounting to wall: Metal brackets above and below crosspiece
Detailing:
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): Slight discolouration and shrinkage at base
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent):
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Unfinished. Colour difference apparent on crosspiece, perhaps evidence of a different plaque or plate at some point
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): Fairly good condition. Some holes in the cross, possibly from previous mounting
Notes and observations:
Second lieutenant Charles John Woodward Alderton
7th Battalion Gordon Highlanders
Died of wounds 20th November 1917 (Battle of Cambrai), aged 21
The epitaph on the plaque also appears on his headstone in Metz-En-Couture Communal Cemetery Extension
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/315005/
Cross 2
Details on cross:
At top – small stamped zinc ‘GRU’ tags
Stamped zinc ‘GRU’ tags on crosspiece
LIEUT. H.H. GRUNDTVIG. M.C.
11/LEICESTER. REGT
22-3-18
Underneath an MC ribbon, Victory Medal ribbon, and British War Medal ribbon have been nailed to the cross (all faded)
Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): GRU
Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: Unable to measure due to position on wall but appears similar to other ‘standard’ GRU crosses
Other information
Mounting to wall: Metal brackets above and below crosspiece
Detailing:
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): Substantial shrinkage and discolouration at base of cross
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent):
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Unfinished
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): Fairly good condition other than base
Notes and observations:
Lieutenant Humphrey Halgrim Grundtvig
11th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment
Died of wounds 22nd March 1918, aged 21
Buried at Grevillers British Cemetery
Awarded MC in the New Year’s Honours list 1918
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/290179/
Survey and photographs courtesy of Andy Arnold
Date of survey: 04/09/16
