Unknown British Soldier

Location:
St Hilda’s Church,
Gibraltar road,
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX1 4HE

Details on cross:

 At top of vertical GRU Cartouche states simply:

GRU

Across the horizontal arm

Unknown British Soldier

just below. (could this be a grave location in a cemetery somewhere?)

55 K 11

Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): 3 GRU tags.

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height:900mm
Cross beam width:400mm
Width of wood:100mm
Thickness or depth:20mm

Other information
Roughly nailed together, nails bent over at rear.
Mounting to wall: reverse has picture eyelet from previously hanging on wall
Detailing: None
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): None.
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent): None.
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): rough wood, dark staining, no varnish.
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): various chips and cracks, although no signs of rotting.

Notes and observations:
This cross was once housed in Wellesley Barracks, the home of the 76^th and 33^rd (Duke of Wellingtons) Regiment. I assume it was given to the regiment by the IWGC. St Hilda’s church was the garrison church for The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in Halifax. The church is 400 yards from the old Wellesley Barracks that were situated on Gibbet Street. What is left of the barracks is now incorporated into the Halifax Academy school.

There were regular parades to the church from the Barracks, and according to members of the current congregation the church was a sea of red tunics. There are photographs in the church archives, but were not available to view. The cross was given to the church by the regiment, but no one can recall when this gift was made, the Barracks closed as a working barracks in 1961.

The Cross is currently standing in front of the High Altar. There is a memorial plaque to the left side of the church mounted on the wall commemorating the fallen of the parish. The Pulpit Also Commemorates those who gave their lives in the First World war.

Survey and photographs courtesy of  Andrew Howson
Date of survey: 07 September 2016

Addenda:

The grave number number LXV K 11 only seems to exist in Tyne Cot, Checking this against the records confirm that LXV K 11 is probably an unknown. Row K has known burials in 1,2,3,4,5,8,9,12,14,21, 22 only. 10 UK, 1 Australian.

Geoff Sullivan – Hut 6