Athal Frederick Swindell
Location address: St. Giles’ Church, Church Lane, Killamarsh, Derbyshire S21 1JY
Details on cross:
Regimental badge
(at top of shaft)
ORIGINAL CROSS
(below badge characters embossed on alloy tape nailed to wood)
R.I.P.
(on shaft just above cross beam)
733538 PTE. A.F. SWINDELL
(on cross beam)
1/24 LONDON REGT.
(on cross beam)
THE QUEEN’S
(on shaft below cross beam)
KILLED
IN
ACTION
14/10/18.
Text type: characters painted
Cross dimensions
Shaft Height: N/A
Cross beam width: N/A
Width of wood: N/A
Thickness or depth: N/A
Other information
Mounting to wall:
Mounted on purpose made softwood frame fixed in a corner of the church
Detailing:
Finish: stained wood
Condition: the woodwork appears to be sound with some evidence of deterioration at the base where it was inserted in the ground.
Notes and observations
This battlefield cross marked the grave of 733538 Pte. Athal Frederick Swindell of the 24th Bn., (County of London) London Regiment, formerly 240994 1/6th Bn., Notts and Derby Regiment. He was killed in action on 14/10/1918 age 24 and is buried in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France, Grave ref., III. A. 8. He served in France with the Notts and Derby Regiment from 26/2/1917 to 24/8/1918 and with the London Regiment from 24/8/1918 to 14/10/1918. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.
Athal was born in Killamarsh in 1894 the eldest of three sons of John and Alice Swindell of Rotherham Road, Killamarsh, Sheffield. Before enlisting at Killamarsh on 24/10/1914 he worked as a mine pony driver underground.
Survey courtesy of: Richard Roberts
Photographs courtesy of: Chris Preston https://derbyshirewarmemorials.wikispaces.com/
Date of survey: 31 August 2017