Philip Musgrave Neeld Wroughton

An interesting pair of crosses in two locations for the same man, the other cross is at Fawley which also shows a photo of it in situ, both appear to be Battlefield grave markers. It is perhaps the case that this one was a makeshift original and was replaced by a better more elaborate cross, both have a brass plaque affixed which indicates they were brought back from Gaza, a real curiosity which Alison is still looking into. One of only three examples we have so far (13/12/16) of pairs of markers.

Location:
St Andrew’s Church
Tower Hill
Chaddleworth House
Chaddleworth
West Berkshire
RG20 7EB

Details on cross:

Metal plate (Brass) affixed to the shaft above what appears to be a soil line, with the wording:

CROSS FROM / MAJOR WROUGHTON’S / GRAVE/ GAZE, Palestine

Wording: On the crossbeam

Major P. M. N. Wroughton

1st Berks Yeomanry

19-4-17

Text type: in black paint-hand written. Black paint also used for decorative scrolls to the side of the date. (see photo)

Cross dimensions
Shaft Height: 970 mm
Cross beam width: 520 mm
Width of wood: 80mm
Thickness or depth: 40 mm

Other information
Mounting to wall: Fixed to the wall with a nail and hook
Detailing: Black paint detailing on the surface of the cross
Evidence of use in field: Evidence of staining to the bottom of the cross and water damage/rot
Surface insertion depth: 240mm
Finish: No varnish to the cross, and un-oiled but faded white paint
Condition: The condition is fair, although evidence of wood worm and splitting to the wood.

Background:
Date of birth: 1887, Date of death: 19 April 1917, Atawineh, Palestine, Buried in Gaza Cemetery

Philip Musgrave Neeld Wroughton was born in Chaddleworth, Berkshire, to Philip and Evelyn Mary Neeld, daughter of Sir John Neeld, 1st Baronet. His father of Woolley Park House, Chaddleworth, was an English Landowner and Conservative Member of Parliament for Berkshire 1878-1885, and for the Abingdon Division 1885 to 1895. Educated at Eton and then Christ Church, Oxford, Philip inherited Woollery Park Estate on the death of his father in 1910 and was later mobilized on 4 August 1914 as a Major in the Berkshire Yoemanry. He subsequently served in Gallipoli, Egypt, Sinai, Palestine, and the Senussi Campaign, falling at the Second Battle of Gaza which was fought on the 17th – 19th April 1917.

Photographs and Survey by Allison Wilken.