Unknown British Soldier

Location:
Parkgate and Neston URC
Moorside Lane, Parkgate,
Cheshire, CH64 6UZ

 

Details on cross:

Near the top of the main shaft pointing upwards left to right is a GRU tag

2-G-4.

Metal GRU tag on cross member

“Unknown British Soldier”

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

Cross dimensions (millimetres please)
Shaft Height: 1070

Cross beam width: 380

Width of wood: 50

Thickness or depth: 15

Other information
Mounting to wall: There is a large nail looped at the top of the cross the cross to hang from a hook on a stone arch. This is to the rear of the church on the right hand side
Detailing:
Evidence of use in field (earth marking, cracking, staining, shrinkage): Evidence of having been in the ground up to 300
Surface insertion depth (into ground if apparent):
Finish (varnish, paint, oiled, unfinished etc): Dark stained no varnish etc.,
Condition (cracked, paint peeling, woodwork, damage etc): The cross is in very good condition. It seems to be of the standard type that we are finding to unknown soldiers.

Notes and observations:
Next to the cross is a marble tablet 1914-1919 dedicated to the men who lost their lives in the Great War. The church was opened in 1884. In early 2000’s the congregation decided to completely refurbish the inside of the church. There is a beautiful entrance and the inside of the church is light, airy, colourful and inviting. There are some lovely wall panels designed by member Kay Andrews and created by the ladies of the church which you can see in the photos. The church is very much a focal point of the community.

Sincere thanks to the Rev Hilary Bell who after making contact with her came specifically to open the church for us. She had also taken the cross off the wall to enable us to photograph easily. She was very interested in the project, admitted she hadn’t paid much attention to the cross but on learning about the project from us intended to put in in the Parish Magazine.

Survey and photographs Margaret Draycott and Beverley Goodwin
Date of survey: 7.9.2016

Note: we’re going to look into the code on the GRU tag and see if we can narrow him down at all to a particular cemetery.

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