13 men of the 17th London Regiment (Tower Hamlets Rifles)
Location:
St Mary and Holy Trinity Church Bow,
230 Bow Road,
Bow,
London E3 3AH
Details on cross:
GRU Stamps read:
Memor[ial]
No.3
In Memory
Of
The
N.C.O.s & Men
Of The 17TH London Regiment
Att’d 22nd London Regiment
474 Sergt. H.E. Robinson 2972 Cpl. G. Hamp 2949 RFN P.H. Clarke
2512 RFN W.H. Reynolds 2912 RFN A.F. Wells 3068 RFN V.Turpin
1390 RFN B. Parnes 2562 RFN A,F, Short 1650 RFN A.Reynolds
3476 RFN H.Towel 4797 RFN J. Ackland 4875 RFN R.E.Ward
[1]617 RFN A. Warmlaighton
Killed in Action
27-10-15
Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): GRU Tags
Cross dimensions (millimetres please) Unable to measure as locked in cabinet.
Other information
Mounting to wall: Enclosed in locked glass fronted frame that is fixed to wall.
Detailing:
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): Difficult to say as piece of wood nailed to the bottom obscuring evidence of use in ground.
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent):
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Looked unfinished.
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): Overall, seemed good.
Notes and observations:
At the bottom of the box frame there is a brass plaque which reads:
“This cross originally standing over a common grave at Loos was presented by the War Graves Commission to The Old Comrades Association 17th London Regiment (Tower Hamlets Rifles) who have placed it in this church.
Lt. Colonel (R.A.B.P. Watts) D.S.O
Officer Commanding
Major A.B. Walters Chairman O.H. Lancaster M.A. S.C.F
Colour Sergeant W.F. Reed Hon. Secretary 47th (2nd London) Division”
The cross was originally given to a nearby church (St. Stephen’s?) which was the battalion church for the 17th London Regiment.. This was destroyed in the Second World War and the cross was moved to St Mary and Holy Trinity, Bow.
Cross on left hand side immediately as you enter the church along with two other panels (also from another church) and to the left of this alcove is the War Memorial for those parishioners from St. May and Holy Trinity that were killed in the war(s).
Photos and survey courtesy of Andrew Holmes
Date of survey: 22nd November 2016
