Frederick Green, William Herbert Rogers and Edward Evan Jones
There are three crosses located in the vestry at Holy Trinity, Lydham. The large grave marker of Driver Frederick Green is mounted on the wall, the other two crosses are propped up against the wall.
Location: Holy Trinity, Lydham, Shropshire, SY9 5HB
Cross 1
This is the grave marker of Driver Frederick Green.
On crossmember:
‘RIP, in memory of, No. 76797 Pte F. Green, “A” C 2nd BN Tank Corps, Killed in action, 23/8/18’
There are 3 GRU tags below the cross member:
76797.PTE.F.GREEN
A.COY.2.BN.TANK CORPS
23-8-18.
Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): Brown hand-painted text and GRU tags
Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: 1371mm (approx),
Cross beam width: 533.4mm.
Width of wood: 76.2mm.
Thickness or depth: 25.4mm.
Other information
Mounting to wall: The cross is attached to the wall at the top of the shaft by a nail and string.
Detailing: n/a
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): There is evidence of cracking towards the bottom of the cross where it has been in the ground.
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent): 457.2mm in depth.
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): The cross is light unfinished wood.
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): There are some dark marks on the cross, and deterioration towards the bottom. Overall though, the cross is in good condition.
Other information:
On the wall next to the cross, there is a small orange/white piece of paper which reads ‘Memorial cross, Driver Frederick Green of Lydham, Tank Corps, Enlisted Ludlow, Salop, no. 76797, killed in action, France and Flanders, 23/8/18. Formerly 10881 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry’. Frederick Green is buried at Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France (Grave ref V.H.8).
Cross 2
This is the grave marker of Lance Corporal William Herbert Rogers.
There are 3 GRU tags on the cross (plus another missing):
GRU
238036 L-CPL.W.H.Rogers
20-10-18.
Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved): GRU tags
Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: 1143mm.
Cross beam width: 406.4mm.
Width of wood: 25.4mm.
Thickness or depth: 25.4mm.
Other information
Mounting to wall: n/a
Detailing: n/a
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): There is deterioration and cracking towards the bottom of the cross.
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent): 304.8mm
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Dark unfinished rough wood.
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): There is a crack across the cross member, and quite a few paint marks on the cross.
Other Information:
Half way down the shaft of the cross, there is attached a small orange/white piece of paper which reads ‘Memorial cross, LCE/CPL William Herbert Rogers, Nottts & Derby Regiment, killed in action, France and Flanders, 20th October 1918. Aged 28 years’. William Rogers is buried at Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, France (Grave Ref XIV.A.8).
Cross 3
This is the grave marker of Private Edward Evan Jones.
Text type (e.g. hand-written, GRU tags, carved):
There are 4 GRU tags on the cross:
GRU
43847 PTE E.JONES
11TH ESSEX
20.10.18.
This differs from the GWGC who have his service record number as 43817 and date of death 12/10/18.
Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: 812.8mm
Cross beam width: 406.4mm
Width of wood: 76.2mm
Thickness or depth: 25.4mm
Other information
Mounting to wall: n/a
Detailing: n/a
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): The cross is quite deteriorated at the bottom.
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent): 152.4mm
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Light unfinished wood.
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): The cross looks to have been cut off at the bottom and is much shorter than the other cross. It is cracked in places and possibly has some woodworm.
Information about Private Edward Evan Jones
At the bottom of the shaft there is attached a small orange/white piece of paper which reads ‘Memorial cross, Private Edward Evan Jones (Lydham Farm), killed in action with 11th Essex regiment, France and Flanders, 12th October 1918. Aged 20 years’. Edward Jones is buried at Vaux-Andigny British Cemetery, France (Grave ref A.25).
Other information, notes and observations: Gunner Charles Henry Bason (15516, 51st Battery, 59th brigade, Royal Field Artillery) is also mentioned on a memorial tablet at Lydham. He was killed in action in Belgium on 6th November 1917 and is buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium (Grave ref V1.B.15). The famous World War One poet Wilfred Owen also has local connections to the area as he lived nearby at 69 Monkmore Road, Shrewsbury. Holy Trinity is a small medieval church built from local stone, and is mentioned in the Doomsday book. It has a chancel and nave of equal width so that the interior is a single and undivided vessel.
Special thanks to Tony Martin who kindly arranged access to the church for us, and to David Preshous, a local historian who spent time with us sharing the letters between Driver Fred Green & the Rev Hawken (Rector of Lydham during WW1), and his wife too for their hospitality.
Survey and photographs courtesy of Beverley Goodwin/Margaret Draycott
Date of survey: 8th February 2017
