EDGAR AMBROSE PENGELLY

Location:
St Michaels Church
Weston under Wetherley
Warwickshire
CV33 9BY

Details on cross:

CAPT E. A. PENGELLY. R.E. M.C.
213 ARMY TROOPS COY. R.E.

Text type: Text carved into cross beam.

Cross dimensions
Shaft Height: 1050 mm
Cross beam width: 630 mm
Width of wood: 110 mm
Thickness or depth:  65 mm

Other information
Mounting :  Mounted  low on the wall on two brackets, in the north aisle.
Detailing:  Plain lap joint. Chamfering on shaft and beam edges, not extending to the ends. This is on  both the front and rear edges. Enameled metal information  plate on the shaft, added after return.
Evidence of use in field: Weathered surface, some splitting. Stained base.
Surface insertion depth; Approximately 230mm
Finish: Unfinished wood, no trace of any surface finish.
Condition; Weathered, some decay to base. Woodworm near joint. Considering its several decades outside, is in fair condition. A hard wood, perhaps oak, elm or similar?

Notes and observations:

The carved text is as above, unusually there is no original date. It is possible the enameled plate may cover additional text? The cross was placed at the foot of his mother’s grave in this church yard, until Remembrance Sunday 1995 when it was located inside the church to preserve it. The cross is mounted under a memorial to former scholars of The Weston Training School (a reformatory school) where Captain Pengelly and his father were staff members. On the south wall of the nave, there is a memorial plaque to the four men of the parish, including Captain Pengelly, who fell in The Great War. There are also two framed information sheets of these four men.

The Church of St Michael is Grade 1 listed of red sandstone, dates back to the 12th century. There is parking available in a rough layby opposite the church. The church is usually open, a note on the door welcomes ramblers and walkers but asks for muddy boots to be removed.

Biographical details

From CWGC:
PENGELLY, EDGAR AMBROSE
Rank: Captain
Date of Death: 31/03/1918
Age: 36
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers. 213th Army Troops Coy.
Awards: M C
Grave Reference: Officers, B. 7. 10.
Cemetery: ST. SEVER CEMETERY, ROUEN

Son of William Edward and Henrietta Lydia Pengelly, of Weston-under Wetherley, Warwickshire; husband of Ethel Mary Pengelly, of 12, Greatheed Rd., Leamington Spa.

Military Cross:
Capt Pengelly was mentioned in despatches in May 1917 and was awarded the Military Cross in January 1918 “for devotion, untiring energy, and zeal in command of his company in connection with operations at Ypres.”

From War Diary:

213th ARMY TROOPS COY RE (WO 95/484/4)

26.3.18 – H. B. left LA MOTTE for VILLERS BRETTONEUX and were joined by the Coy from LA FLAQUE.

28.3.18 – 4 pm – 88 men and 3 officers (Capt E.A. PENGELLY. LIEUT W N THOMAS & II Lt C. V. BISLEY RE) proceeded to the trenches E of HAMEL Sheet 62D P. 4. D. The Germans were first sighted only were held up by rearguard 800 yards from Trenches.

29.3.18 – 4 men were wounded. Heavy bombardment continued all day.

30.3.18 12 noon till 2 pm – Bombardment open at day break continuing in intensity till 12 noon when the barrage lifted and was followed by an attack in ” mass”. Germans were held up by undamaged wire  and machine gun and rifle fire. 12 men and O. C. were wounded. 8 men were killed, in this attack.

31.3.18 – Capt E. A. PENGELLY R. E. died of wounds. No further attack took place on this date. Day was quiet with the exception of artillery fire.

From The London Gazette:

13 March 1917
The undermentioned temp. Lts. to be acting Capts. while comdg. an Army Troops Co :- E. A. Pengelly 15th October 1916

14th September 1917
The undermentioned temp. Lts.to be temp. Capts., and to retain their temp. or actg. rank where specified. 18th September 1917 :- E. A. Pengelly

Article in The  Leamington Courier (Thanks to Chris Baker for this link) with further detail of Captain Pengelly:

A link to history of The Weston Training School. Which opened in 1855 and closed in 1928: http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/WestonRfy/

Survey, photographs and research courtesy of Geoff Sullivan
Date of survey: 17th September 2016