One aspect of the project that we have wanted to do is to try to list all those men who served and survived the war. Some say they were the lucky ones but many came back will both physical and mental scars.

The dead men are easy enough to research, there are monuments to them and they were often in the paper or known about locally over the generations. However many did not talk about their experiences and their names were lost as they passed on.

Using a number of resources we have drawn up a list of at least 103 men with links to the village who served and survived the war.

Some we have quite a bit of information on, men like James Millward, Arthur Carr and brothers Frederick and Ernest Capewell, others as you can see from the list below are just a name and an initial.

Sadly we do not have the capacity to devote as much time as we have to the 28 men who died during the war but we will do some research to try and give a full name and a regiment where possible.

If anyone has information on these men here or indeed on anyone who served from the parish and is not listed here  then we would welcome any information regardless.

Please do bear in mind that this is far from a complete list as in 1918 the Rev Mayne stated that somewhere near 150 men had served on active service with more in training.

With the 28 men and the list below we have 131 so there is upwards of 20 plus men absent from our research.

Private Earnest Upton came from Greendale near Oakamoor. Some of the letters he wrote from the front have come into our possession and a volunteer Pauline King is kindly working her way through them and transcribing what he wrote.

Here is the second installment of his letters – the earlier ones can be found HERE and more information on Earnest can be fond HERE

Friday, October 15, 1915

Dear Jack and Bella

Just a few lines hoping this will find you all in the best of health as it leaves me, I received your letter last night Thursday 14th and was pleased to hear from you. I am sorry about you having to move, moving it is not a very pleasant job is it but perhaps you may be better yourself by it. I got the paper alright thank you very much for it but perhaps it would be wise not to send any more they may not reach me there was some talk of people not being allowed to send them to us.

I had just come out of the trenches when your letter arrived. We have had only one wounded this time. I really thought my time had come on Sunday morning a small party of us was throwing some dirt out of the trenches when the Germans started shelling us they could see the dirt coming over the tops, they have got the range to a very few yards it was a lucky day for us. Shells was flying all around us and all we could do was lie flat and wait for them to either give over shelling us or blow us up. The wind from them was enough to knock a fellow down so you can tell they was close.  Remember me to Luton. Tell  he will have to pull himself together now but it will be a hard job for him. He has had to much of his own road all his life. I hope the old man starts a good business at Cheadle it would just suit me going round getting orders for him. Has he had some money left him or what. Remember me to the children. I hope to see them again sometime soon. I hope but from what I can see of this war it’s going to last a bit yet, but we have thirved them down a lot this week. I don’t know where the devil he is getting all his men from. There was seven thousand Germans left dead all in one place the other day, but others kept bobing up yet.

You must excuse this side being dirty, I expect it’s with my maid cleaning the study out. I don’t think we shall be in the trenches for a week or two again. I don’t think it will upset me much. It’s to hot a place for me and I was never very fond of fighting of any kind. It would be a treat to get away.

(Unreadable sentence)

I am sorry I gave you a shock with my card but they are very handy when we have no time to write letters. I must close now so no more this time with love to you all, E Upton

12267

B Coy

9th North Staffs

B E F France

Dec 4/1915

Dear Freda,

Just a few lines hoping this will find you all in the best of health as it leaves me at present. I received your letter and parcel and was very pleased to hear from you. Thank you very much for the baca and pipes, they comes as a God send to me, I was very near stranded for a smoke. Remember me to your Mother and Dad. Also thank Miss Barnett for her kindness. Remember me to Luton. I am sorry he is ill, tell him to pull himself together he’s not dead yet. The Germans don’t wear helmets now so I shall not be able to bring you one of them. I am sorry that Jack as to move I hope he will soon get another suitable place. I shall not forget you when I come over, I know Miss Barnett’s house, there has been a little increase in the passes so that will bring my furlow a little sooner but it won’t be for some time yet. Remember me to Reg, Ron and the children, I cannot think of all their names. We have had some snow and frost now but it’s raining in torrents night and day, it makes it rather miserable being so wet. I must close so no more this time love to you all from E Upton Thank you very much for the parcel X X X X X X X X X X X I should be very pleased of a little writing paper.

Jan 6/1916

Dear Freda,

Just a few lines hoping this will find you in the best of health as it leaves me at present. I received your letter on the 4th and was very pleased to hear from you, I found out where the French house was by a little thinking how does mother like living there, it will be nice for you to pop in in your spare time. Remember me to your Mother and Dad also the children.  I hope they are all going on well. We are having some decent weather over here now it’s a treat towards what is as been. I have not heard from Luton yet, perhaps he is busy selling milk. I must close now so no more this time with love from E Upton X X X X X X X X X X X X

St John’s was for many years and certainly during the war closely associated with St Werburgh’s Church.

During the war a scroll was kept recording the names of those men who were serving in the armed forces.

After the war these names were transferred to stone tablets and unveiled at the Church in 1920.

Reports in local newspapers for 1920 show how many communities were active in erecting their own memorials and St John’s was one of the first.

The tablet was unveiled on Sunday 29th February that year and reported in the Weekly Sentinel on 6th March.

The unveiling was so well attended that many could not gain access to the church to witness Brigadier General Sir Hill Child (the local Member of Parliament as well as a professional soldier) unveil the tablet. He later served in the Royal Household in an number of roles to the King and the current Queen. He made a short speech and then removed the Union flag that was draped over the tablet.

The Rector asked the two wardens Mr Capewell and Mr Harrison to take charge of the tablet – Mr Capwell was the father of Colin Capewell named on the tablets and also on Kingsley’s memorials  having lost his life in 1918 due to the effects of gas. Mr Capewell – also called Colin was described as being very emotional. Read Colin Capewell’s story HERE

The tablet which is pictured above is made of marble and framed in oak. Adjoining was a wreath of laurel leaves. The cost was funded by the local residents and the congregation at the church and was made locally albeit the report does not name the masons.

Many years later the church was sold off by the church and the whereabouts of the tablet was unknown. Peter Capewell the son of Ernest and nephew to Colin and Frederick Capewell spent some time trying to track it down as it was no longer in the church (now a private residence) He worked for Keate’s Undertakers so was often in Kingsley and the surrounding villages.

One day he was in attendance at a funeral in St Werburgh’s and the tablet was there propped up against a wall. No one knew how it happened to have got to the church but clearly Peter’s actions saved the tablet which is now on display on the wall inside the church alongside one for those who died from the wider parish.

The tablet is in fact a piece of history as it does not just name those who died but it names all the men who served from Kingsley Moor in the war. Few such records exist and we should be grateful to Peter who’s efforts ensured these mens names are not forgotten.

The National Archives at Kew, London

One of the requirements of our Heritage Lottery Fund was that we would visit the National Archives at Kew. This was to enable the service records of the three officers who are on our memorial to be researched.

Unlike the enlisted men who’s records are avaialble on line but only around 40% survived German bombing in the Second World War, officers records have survived the passage of time but are only avaialble to view at the archive.

Whilst viewing a documnent that can be over 100 years old on a computer gives a sense of history there is nothing like the actual document along with rusting paper clips and faded paper.

Our three officers are Robert Miles Heywood,  Rowland Auriol James Beech and his father Roland John Beech (click on their names to read their stories on a separate page)

The visit proved to very much worthwhile with additional information  including actual copies of the telegrams sent informing the families of their deaths along with other relevant papers.  Robert Miles Heywood’s record was in the fact the most interesting giving additional information that we did not know of.

Indeed the visit has led to other lines of enquiry that have revealed both Jim Beech and Robert Heywood as featuring in the Illustrated London News  as well as other contemporary publications that includes a fresh photograph of Robert Heywood.

Once the information has been digested the site will be updated

In addition to our own research we repaid the assistance given to us by Mike Plant from the Cheadle and District Historical Society by researching two of Cheadle’s officers namely William Aubrey Bowers and John Stanley Goodwin.

William Aubrey Bowers has a connection to Kingsley in that in 1914 he was one of the first trustees of the newly opened Reading Room on the High Street. This is now better known as the Village Hall. The other two trustees were the Rev’d Mayne and Roland John Beech.

The Document Reading Room

Previously we have been able to reproduce letters written by Edward Bradshaw from the front transcribed by his relatives and who were kind enough to allow us to reproduce them on this site.

Some time ago we were given copies of letters written by Ernest Upton to his family. We were given them by a great friend to the project John Crosby who had come into their possession some while ago.

A volunteer to the project Pauline King, sometime of the Dordogne in France or Bristol in the UK has kindly agreed to transcribe them for us. The punctuation and grammar etc are all as set out in the letters.

As Pauline transcribes more of the letters we will continue to publish them – a big thank you to her for doing this.

Private E Upton

No. 12267 B Coy

9th North Staffs Pioneers 37th Division

BEF France

9th August 1915

Dear Brother,

just a few lines hoping this will find you all in good health as it leaves me. I am going on very well at present. I am sorry I have not written before, but on this job it’s all moving about and it does not give as much time for writing. I wrote two letters to you not long ago but got no answer perhaps you did not receive them. I am addressing this to the works so this will come alright. We have gone a long way up the country since we landed on this side in fact we are close to the firing line now and can hear the big guns quite plain, they light the sky up at nights. I don’t think we shall go into the trenches for a week or so yet of course I cannot tell you the names of any places I have been to or where I am now. All our letters are read before posting. I get on very well with the French people. We make one another understand some how. There us very few French men round here I expect they are all fighting. Women seem to do all the work in corn fields and with horses. I cannot write about things as I should like to do, it would get crossed out if I tried or maybe the letter would not come at all. I shall be glad when the war is over, soldiering over here is quite a different thing to soldiering in England in a great many ways. Remember me to Belle and the children. Tell them I hope to see them again some time. I would give some think to in England now with a good pint of beer. Remember me to Will Mould when you see him. I must close now so no more this time with love to you all.

E Upton

The address given will find me anywhere this side.

Aug 16 1915

Dear Brother and Sister,

Just a few lines hoping this will find you all in good health, as it leaves me. I am going on very well at present, I was pleased to get your letter and parcel of bacca today Monday and am pleased to hear that you are going on all right. It bucks a fellow up a bit out here to get a letter from relatives and friends. There are some poor fellows here waiting at every post and no letter for them it seems hard. I expect they have no one to write to them. We are still at the same place just behind the firing line making and repairing trenches, we are safe enough that is if a stray shell does not blow us and the trenches up, there a fine noise day and night with the big guns, more so at night time. They do most of the fighting at nights. I was very pleased with the bacca. I was about to run out and was wondering how I should go on. But when you write again don’t send any bacca I think I shall be able to go across to my mates in the A.S.C this week and I know if I can get there I can have a pound of bacca. You see our kit gets knocked about a lot and I carry all my bacca with me. It would not do to get a big stock in. Thank you all the same but don’t forget to write. There’s one thing that troubles me here that is the shortage of water. We get a drops in a tin and about three hundred wash in it, what with soap and dirt it’s a treat you could cut it with a knife. It is very hot over here it it goes cold at night. We have no blankets only a waterproof kit and our coats to cover us. We have had a few hours heavy rain today Tuesday of course that does not stop work the weather does not count in this job. You must ignore the date on the letter, this is the third go I have had at it. I think I shall about bring it in for tonight’s post Wednesday. Remember me to the children tell them I shall be popping round some of these next days. I think Luton Lilcocks as had a very good run. I quite thought he would have been caught a long time ago. I should have a drink I think if I had been at home. By jove Jack’s up to date with the address on envelopes I wondered what Laura was writing to me, I must close now so no more this time with love to you all E Upton

I cannot write as I should like to do we are not allowed to name places or tell any particulars so you see I hardly know what to write about

Pauline’s comment on doing this latest letter was – ” I like this one – you see how he is talking about the fighting as if someone else is doing it, like he isn’t involved at all. Interesting!”

You can read about Ernest Upton HERE

Some years ago I sat in St Werburgh’s Church on Remembrance Sunday listening to the then Vicar Lawrence Price.

He said that it was not right that men who had died in the service of their country were known only by an initial and not their first names.

The tablets in the church are a rich source of history as they list the fist and second names and the date of death of the men who died during or as a result of the first world war. Most in not all are correct and have helped our research no end.

However the memorial on Dovedale Road lists men by initial only (apart from Robert Heywood) and that included two men added after the dedication of the stone and the men who died in the Second World War and a man who died in the Korean conflict.

The local British Legion set about putting this right and identified all bar one of the men (there was one or two wrongly identified but that was before the internet revolution)

That one man was J Tideswell.

One of the aims of the project was to identify him but we faced some obstacles in that he was not listed on the Commonwealth War Graves site indicating he was not buried in one of their cemeteries nor was he listed on the Ancestry site as a casualty of the war.

However a chance observation by one of the project team led to the ultimate discovery of who he was, how he died and the fact that and he is buried in the church yard of St Werburgh’s Church.

The anniversary of his death is fast approaching and he will be named and featured in the next few days.

Today at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month Kingsley remembered those men who had died in three conflicts including the 28 men who died in the First World War.

Local school children from St Werburgh’s joined villagers both young and old in paying their respects with a silence followed by the laying of wreaths and the placing of wooden crosses with the names of the fallen written on to them. One of the wreaths laid this year was from the project team.

Present were members  of the project team, the Royal British Legion and relatives of some of the men who lost their lives as the result of  the First World War.

The solemn event even saw two HGV drivers stop to pay their respects with one joining the gathering around the war memorial.

This was the first Armistice Day event since works around the war memorial were completed which includes cutting back some of the vegetation around  the site.

The project team were delighted last weekend to showcase some of the work we have been doing at the Cheadle Remembers event.

Due to both space and the sheer volume of detail we have unearthed during the project only a sample of our work was displayed but it was well received.

On display were a sample of photographs of the men we featured along with before and after pictures of the war memorial.

We also had the opportunity to see for ourselves the work done by the Cheadle team and to meet like minded individuals like Levison and Janice Wood from the Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook Historical Society who gave us some tips on research and we hope to reciprocate as regards Heritage Lottery Funding.

We would like to thank project team member Pat Nutt who brought all her skills in arranging displays  to ensure our research was displayed in an organised manner.

Pictured below is the display at the event.

Members of the Project Team and Kingsley branch of the British Legion pictured at the site.

The project team are pleased to announce that the works around the War Memorial have been completed in time for the act of Remembrance on 11th November.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund the path from Dovedale Road up onto the Memorial has been dug out and replaced by a paved pathway that gives access to the Memorial for all regardless of ability and also on to the Staffordshire Way that crosses the site.

A paved surround has been laid around the memorial itself and also a new fence erected to the rear of the site. In addition a new Kissing Gate has been installed. The works have been finished off by the installation of a new seat that has been re positioned to give improve views of the site, the Churnet Valley and across to Kingsley Holt.

All that remains now is for the installation of an interpretation panel to detail some of the history of the memorial and the parish of Kingsley.

Said project lead Martyn Hordern ‘we really wanted the works to be done in time for this years Remembrance Day so are pleased we have achieved that’ he added ‘the works have really enhanced the site and made it easier for the elderly and less able to get to the memorial but also provides a path that can be used by walkers and the like’

Ken Unwin a member of the project team and also Chair of the Parish Council said ‘We are delighted with the work which has done around the Cenotaph which makes it more accessible and tidies up the area.  We are grateful to the adjoining landowners David and Josie Clowes who have allowed the rear fence to be moved back a metre into their field to allow clear access around the cenotaph’

The site needs  time to recover in terms of the grass and the project team working with the Parish Council will look to continue work around the site to improve on what is an excellent memorial to those who died as a result of three conflicts from World War 1 to Korea in 1950’s.

The project team is a partnersdhip of members of the public, the British Legion, St Werburgh’s Church and of course the Parish Council who have all worked together towards this project.

An enjoyable part of the project has been making acquaintances with other researchers and those with an interest in the militaria. One such person is Martin Clewlow from Tean who provided a fantastic display of artifacts at our project launch in September 2014.

Following our article on Moses Holland Martin has been kind enough to provide information regarding the picture of Moses and also the wooden tipped bullet that is with his papers and the photograph.

Worn on the left sleeve of Moses jacket are two badges. The first one is a grenade badge that was worn on the sleeve as a proficiency badge by men trained as ‘bombers’ (hand grenade throwers), and also ‘Light Trench Mortars’. The Former were part of the infantry, the latter were Royal Artillery but staffed by attached Infantry men. The only difference in the badges apparently is the colour, blue or red.

The lower badge is very hard to make out, but it is in the style and position of a ‘trade’ badge. The closest I can find is that of the Lewis Gunner, a stylised “LG” above a laurel wreath.

Bullet:

Inert rounds were supplied for use for rifle drill and while training etc. These were standard .303 cartridges with wooden dummy bullets inserted. The primers were normally omitted from the other end, and a small hole drilled through the cartridge to denote it was inert.

We are grateful to Martin for this update which suggests that Moses was trained as a bomber or mortar operator and also as a Lewis Gunner.