"BARTON MILLS WAR MEMORIALS"
To the eternal memory of the men of BARTON MILLS who died in the service of their country
go BACK to Barton Mills home page They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Fourteen in the Great War of 1914-1919 and seven in 1939-145
The war memorials are two ornate marble? plaques within Barton Mills St Mary's Church
The plaques are similar, (60 inches high, 30 inches wide ), a scroll pediment with a gilt cross behind a metal laurel wreath. The columns each side are decorated with metal ornamentation flanking
an inscription panel on which, painted in gold, are the words (for the Great War plaque)
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF THE
FOLLOWING PARISHIONERS
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
FOR KING AND COUNTRY IN
THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919
beneath this is a brass plate on which are engraved, in rank order, the rank, initials and surname, unit and age of the 14 men who died. At the bottom of
the brass plate is engraved:
GRANT THEM O LORD
THY ETERNAL PEACE
This memorial was designed by architect Cecil G.Hare, constructed by Messrs John Thompson and Sons at a cost of £ 131.1s.3d.,and unveiled on 26th October 1919 by Major General, The
Honourable J.E.Lindley. [© IWM (WMR-4522)]
For the 1939-1945 conflict the details are:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF THE
FOLLOWING PARISHIONERS
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
FOR KING AND COUNTRY IN
DEFENCE OF JUSTICE AND FREEDOM
IN THE 2nd WORLD WAR A.D.1939-45
and the brass plate is similarly engraved with the details of the fallen, below which is engraved:
IN THE SIGHT OF THE UNWISE
THEY SEEMED TO DIE
YET IS THEIR HOPE FULL OF
IMMORTALITY
This memorial, constructed by Messrs Hanchett at a cost of £154.13.8d., was unveiled by Colonel W.P.Cutlack on the 6th June 1948. [© IWM (WMR-4523)]
Also on the wall in the church is a rectangular marble wall tablet with concave corners and cavetto moulding. An RAF badge in a rectangle with a black background is in the centre of the top line of the dedication, which is incised, and blackened. The inscriptions read:-
IN EVER/ LOVING/MEMORY OF/ FLIGHT LIEUTENANT NOEL BANKS/PILOT OFFICER FELIX THRESHER/AIRCRAFTSMAN ROBERT MUNRO/ROYAL AIR FORCE, WHO WERE KILLED ON DUTY/7TH APRIL, 1938. FORTIS ET FIDELIS.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.