CHILDWICKBURY
and the
Proposed New Memorial at Childwick Green to those who fell during WW1 and WW2
At least seventeen men who lived and/or worked at Childwickbury lost their lives as a result of the First World War. Devastating for such a small community.
In the Second World War at least five young men who had lived or were associated with the Estate also lost their lives.
These are the names of those connected with the estate and who are known to have lost their lives in both conflicts in the service of their country.
1914 - 1918
HARRY ALLEN of Lower Cravells Road, Harpenden, Gunner - R.G.A. 89th H.A.G.H.Q. Killed in action 31st July 1917, aged 33 years
ROBERT H BOOTH of Bushwood Cottages, Private - Bedfordshire Regiment. Died in action 23rd June 1917, aged 22 years
FREDERICK G BUNN of Sandridge, Private - 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action on the Somme 27th March 1918, aged 23 years
WILLIAM FENN of Shafford, Private - 2nd Leinster Regiment. Killed in action on the Somme 27th March 1918, aged 35 years
HAROLD FLITTON of Shafford Cottages, Private - Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 30th January 1920 from TB contracted in Burma, aged 32 years
WALTER G FOX of East Common, Redbourn, Private - 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action on 11th July 1916, aged 28 years
EDWARD C GURNEY of North Common, Redbourn , Private - 12th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Died of wounds 22nd May 1917, aged 32 years
WILLIAM S HAWKES of Childwick Green, Private - 6th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action near Arras on the 10th April 1917, aged 21 years
GEORGE JONES of Shafford Lodge, Private - Grenadier Guards. Killed in action on the Somme 26th September 1916, aged 31 years
ALLEN A LONG of Hawkswick Lodge, Private - Bedfordshire Regiment. Missing presumed killed at Arras 29th April 1917, aged 22 years
FRANK E LONG of Hawkswick Lodge, Able Seaman, Royal Navy. Lost at sea 30th September 1915, aged 22 years
ROLAND C NEWMAN of 21 Prospect Road, St Albans. Private - 5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders. Died of wounds 8th July 1918, aged 19 years
HENRY G PENNY of 8 Shafford Cottages, Gunner - The Hampshire Battalion R.F.A. Died a POW in Iraq 31st August 1916, aged 19 years
HORACE E SAUNDERS of 6 Beeson End Cottages, Private - Northants Regiment. Died in Palestine 19th September 1918, aged 22 years
WALTER J SAUNDERS of 6 Beeson End Cottages, Rifleman - 1st Rifle Brigade. Killed in action 23rd April 1918, aged 18 years
JOHN THORNE of Childwick Green, Private - Royal Berkshire Regiment. Killed in action at Ypres 16th August 1917, aged 20 years
HERBERT G TOTMAN of Shafford Cottages, Private - Essex Regiment. Killed in action 21st November 1917, aged 20 years
Frederick George Bunn and William Fenn both lost their lives on the same day - 27th March 1918
1939 - 1945
ERNEST C JENKINS of 8 Childwick Green,serving in the Beds and Herts Regiment. Died a P.O.W. in Thailand 10th August 1943 aged 25 years
ERNEST A MONK of Shafford House, Corporal- Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. Died 26th February 1941 aged 25 years
ALFRED A MYERS of 1 Maple Cottages, Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. Killed while at sea 17th June 1940 aged 35 years
JAMES A PUXTED of 13 Childwick Green, Lance Corporal - 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Killed 1st July 1944 aged 20 years
FREDERICK T REYNOLDS of St Albans, Pilot, RAF Volunteer Reserve. 219 Squadron, Killed in Action 6th March 1945
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Within St Mary's Church on Childwick Green is a plaque commemorating Frank Edwin Long who died on the 30th September 1915.
There is also an 'Illuminated Scroll' to members of Childwick who gave their services and their lives in the 1939-1945 war effort.
To date there is no lasting memorial to all these men within the Childwickbury Estate.
Working to redress this omission, I attended an introductory meeting at the church on June 4th 2019 with Kenneth Padley, the Vicar of St Mary's and representatives from the Diocesan Advisory Committee. A subsequent meeting of the Diocesan Advisory Committee '....warmly recommended the idea of commemorating those from the parishes covered by the Childwickbury Estate who served and fell in the two World Wars.' Provisionally it agreed to a free-standing plaque to be placed within the curtilage of St Mary's Church and facing The Green.
The St Mary's Committee however, whilst wishing to commemorate these Childwickbury men, have rejected the idea of a free-standing plaque.
Discussions are ongoing and hopefully a compromise will be forthcoming.
Architecturally, St Mary's is an Arts and Crafts church and whatever memorial is agreed upon then the design will reflect this.
St Mary's Church was always at the heart of the Childwickbury community so it is fitting that The Memorial will eventually be placed there.
and the
Proposed New Memorial at Childwick Green to those who fell during WW1 and WW2
At least seventeen men who lived and/or worked at Childwickbury lost their lives as a result of the First World War. Devastating for such a small community.
In the Second World War at least five young men who had lived or were associated with the Estate also lost their lives.
These are the names of those connected with the estate and who are known to have lost their lives in both conflicts in the service of their country.
1914 - 1918
HARRY ALLEN of Lower Cravells Road, Harpenden, Gunner - R.G.A. 89th H.A.G.H.Q. Killed in action 31st July 1917, aged 33 years
ROBERT H BOOTH of Bushwood Cottages, Private - Bedfordshire Regiment. Died in action 23rd June 1917, aged 22 years
FREDERICK G BUNN of Sandridge, Private - 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. Killed in action on the Somme 27th March 1918, aged 23 years
WILLIAM FENN of Shafford, Private - 2nd Leinster Regiment. Killed in action on the Somme 27th March 1918, aged 35 years
HAROLD FLITTON of Shafford Cottages, Private - Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 30th January 1920 from TB contracted in Burma, aged 32 years
WALTER G FOX of East Common, Redbourn, Private - 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action on 11th July 1916, aged 28 years
EDWARD C GURNEY of North Common, Redbourn , Private - 12th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Died of wounds 22nd May 1917, aged 32 years
WILLIAM S HAWKES of Childwick Green, Private - 6th Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action near Arras on the 10th April 1917, aged 21 years
GEORGE JONES of Shafford Lodge, Private - Grenadier Guards. Killed in action on the Somme 26th September 1916, aged 31 years
ALLEN A LONG of Hawkswick Lodge, Private - Bedfordshire Regiment. Missing presumed killed at Arras 29th April 1917, aged 22 years
FRANK E LONG of Hawkswick Lodge, Able Seaman, Royal Navy. Lost at sea 30th September 1915, aged 22 years
ROLAND C NEWMAN of 21 Prospect Road, St Albans. Private - 5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders. Died of wounds 8th July 1918, aged 19 years
HENRY G PENNY of 8 Shafford Cottages, Gunner - The Hampshire Battalion R.F.A. Died a POW in Iraq 31st August 1916, aged 19 years
HORACE E SAUNDERS of 6 Beeson End Cottages, Private - Northants Regiment. Died in Palestine 19th September 1918, aged 22 years
WALTER J SAUNDERS of 6 Beeson End Cottages, Rifleman - 1st Rifle Brigade. Killed in action 23rd April 1918, aged 18 years
JOHN THORNE of Childwick Green, Private - Royal Berkshire Regiment. Killed in action at Ypres 16th August 1917, aged 20 years
HERBERT G TOTMAN of Shafford Cottages, Private - Essex Regiment. Killed in action 21st November 1917, aged 20 years
Frederick George Bunn and William Fenn both lost their lives on the same day - 27th March 1918
1939 - 1945
ERNEST C JENKINS of 8 Childwick Green,serving in the Beds and Herts Regiment. Died a P.O.W. in Thailand 10th August 1943 aged 25 years
ERNEST A MONK of Shafford House, Corporal- Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. Died 26th February 1941 aged 25 years
ALFRED A MYERS of 1 Maple Cottages, Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. Killed while at sea 17th June 1940 aged 35 years
JAMES A PUXTED of 13 Childwick Green, Lance Corporal - 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Killed 1st July 1944 aged 20 years
FREDERICK T REYNOLDS of St Albans, Pilot, RAF Volunteer Reserve. 219 Squadron, Killed in Action 6th March 1945
*********************************************************
Within St Mary's Church on Childwick Green is a plaque commemorating Frank Edwin Long who died on the 30th September 1915.
There is also an 'Illuminated Scroll' to members of Childwick who gave their services and their lives in the 1939-1945 war effort.
To date there is no lasting memorial to all these men within the Childwickbury Estate.
Working to redress this omission, I attended an introductory meeting at the church on June 4th 2019 with Kenneth Padley, the Vicar of St Mary's and representatives from the Diocesan Advisory Committee. A subsequent meeting of the Diocesan Advisory Committee '....warmly recommended the idea of commemorating those from the parishes covered by the Childwickbury Estate who served and fell in the two World Wars.' Provisionally it agreed to a free-standing plaque to be placed within the curtilage of St Mary's Church and facing The Green.
The St Mary's Committee however, whilst wishing to commemorate these Childwickbury men, have rejected the idea of a free-standing plaque.
Discussions are ongoing and hopefully a compromise will be forthcoming.
Architecturally, St Mary's is an Arts and Crafts church and whatever memorial is agreed upon then the design will reflect this.
St Mary's Church was always at the heart of the Childwickbury community so it is fitting that The Memorial will eventually be placed there.
