Alfred Enoch and two unmarked crosses
Location: St Peter, Leckhampton, Gloucestershire, GL53 0QJ (Cemetery of church)
Cross 1
See additional information below
Details on cross:
Text type (tags, carved)
Nothing – no tags
Cross dimensions in mm
Shaft Height 82 cm
Cross beam width 45.5 cm
Width of wood 6.7 cm
Thickness or depth 2 cm
Additional information: This cross is back left in the photo. No plates or any details as to who it commemorates. Cross is supported by a metal post inserted into the ground behind it, and wired with green garden wire to the metal post. Cross is old, and evidence of age, but no idea how old it might be.
Cross 2
See additional information below
Shaft Height 90 cm
Cross beam width 45.5 cm
Width of wood 6.7 cm
Thickness or depth 2 cm
Additional information: This cross is back right in the photo. No plates or any details as to who it commemorates. Cross is supported by a metal post inserted into the ground behind it, and wired with green garden wire to the metal post. Cross is old, and evidence of age, but no idea how old it might be.
Cross 3
Text type (tags, carved): Plaque
L/Cpl AWG Enoch MM 21st July 1916
Cross dimensions in mm
Shaft Height 81 cm
Cross beam width 45.5 cm
Width of wood 6.7 cm
Thickness or depth 2 cm
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage):
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent):
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc):
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc):
Notes and observations: This cross is the one at the front. Plate commemorates. L/Cpl AWG Enoch MM Killed in action 21st July 1916. Cross is supported by a metal post inserted into the ground behind it, and wired with green garden wire to the metal post. Cross is old, and evidence of age, but no idea how old it might be. Plaque looks to be quite new given little evidence of mould or detritus
Link to PDF
This information is relevant to the two crosses behind the front one that was previously surveyed by Mike Edwards. They were surveyed by Mike as CROSS 1 and CROSS 2 but there is no way of telling which cross is relevant to which soldier.
The two names I have discovered are as below.
Soldier 1
43644 Pte Alfred Frederick William Hunt
11 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Pte Hunt was born on 13th December 1897, the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Hunt of Pilley Lane, Leckhampton.
He enlisted as No 2675 in The Rifle Brigade but was later transferred to the 11th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Whilst serving in the Cambrai sector in December 1917 his battalion was involved in an attempt to stem the German counter attacks and he was wounded in the back and lungs on the 7th of that month. He finally died of his wounds in a casualty clearing station 11 days later aged 20.
He is buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt Plot VII Row B Grave 15.
Soldier 2
3567 Pte Harold George Summers.
1/5th Gloucestershire Regiment.
Pte Summers was born in Leckhampton, the son of Edwin and Annie Summers of 1 Pilley Cottages, Pilley Lane, Leckhampton.
He enlisted in the 1/5th (Territorial) Bn Gloucestershire Regiment in Cheltenham in August 1914 and went to France, serving in the Somme sector during the British offensive which began in July 1916.On the 21st July the battle for Pozieres began and It was during this battle that Pte Summers was wounded, he later died at a casualty clearing station on 27th July aged 21 and is buried in Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension Plot II, Row C.
His brother Arthur also died in the war.
This information was obtained from two books the first being LECKHAMPTON by Alan Gill and Eric Miller and the second is LEAVING ALL THAT WAS DEAR by Joe Devereux and Graham Sacker.
I have been told by a local historian that the 3 crosses were replaced about 20 years ago and the originals were disposed of.
Ian Spelman – October 2017
Survey and photographs courtesy of Mike Edwards
Survey date 12/06/2017
