Location address : Hesleden Methodist Church, Front Street, Hesleden, Hartlepool, Durham, TS27 4PH

These are on permanent display in Hesleden Methodist Church. They were in the DLI collection after the closure of St John’s Church, Hesleden.

On the 4th October 2017, a new Cenotaph was unveiled in the village, the Battlefield Crosses were returned to the village at the same time.

One is to John Thomas Fairhurst of the Royal Fusiliers. Report 52168 on the War Memorials Register. The second is to John Cummings Haswell of the DLI. Report 52169. The third merely has ‘Field of Remembrance’ incised on it (which is particularly unusual). Presumably it was to an individual, and had its GRU tags removed at some stage. Report 52170 WMR.

We require some hi resolution photos of these crosses, should anyone be available to pop in.

Unknown Soldier

Details on cross (Text content of cross):

Field of Remembrance

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)

Height 1219 approx

Width 508mm approx

Other information

Mounting to wall: Mounted so supported but not damaged.

Notes and observations: (optional)

1 of 3 crosses. Believed to have been homed in the parish church, moved to the DLI museum when the church closed, and now rehomed at the methodist church.

21432 Pte J Haswell

Details on cross (Text content of cross):

21432 Pte J Haswell

8th DLI

27th April 1918

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

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)

Height 1219 approx

Width 508mm approx

Other information

Mounting to wall: Mounted so supported but not damaged.

Notes and observations: (optional)

1 of 3 crosses. Believed to have been homed in the parish church, moved to the DLI museum when the church closed, and now rehomed at the methodist church.

15630 Pte J Fairhurst

Details on cross (Text content of cross):

15630 Pte J Fairhurst

4th R Fus.

21-8-18

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

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)

Height 1219 approx

Width 508mm approx

Other information

Mounting to wall: Mounted so supported but not damaged.

Notes and observations: (optional)

1 of 3 crosses. Believed to have been homed in the parish church, moved to the DLI museum when the church closed, and now rehomed at the methodist church.

Survey and Photographs courtesy of: http://www.newmp.org.uk,

Research for http://thereturned.co.uk by Stuart Nicholson. Date of survey: 5 October 2017