Commemorations in Christ Church, Cheltenham


   LEAVING CHELTENHAM …………..and all that was dear

 

 

Commemorations Of The Great War In

Christ Church, Cheltenham

 

Location:  Christ Church Road,  Cheltenham

Grid Reference:   SO 940224

Commemorations on graves:   0

Commemorations in the Church:  4

Last Visited:   October 2005

Imperial War Museum War Memorials Refs:   20727

Commemorations in the Church

Lt Cyril Egremont Gaitskell, 2nd Battalion The Leinster Regiment, died of wounds on 19th October 1914 during the Battle of Armentieres, France.   

 

He is buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres.

 

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial, the Christ Church Roll of Honour, the Cheltenham College Roll of Honour and on the grave of a relative in Leckhampton (St Peter’s) Churchyard.

 

His father, Major Charles Gaitskell, resided at Waldon House, Lansdown Road, Cheltenham.

Lt Rupert Vardon deBurgh GRIFFITH, 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action near Ypres on 12th March 1915.  

 

He is buried in the Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery.   

 

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial, the Christ Church Roll of Honour, the Cheltenham College Roll of Honour and on the same gravestone in Leckhampton (St Peter’s) Churchyard as Lt Gaitskell (his cousin) above.   

 

His parents resided at Tate’s Hotel, Cheltenham.

The commemorative plaque to Major George Dighton Probyn SWINLEY, 14th King George’s Own Ferozepore Sikhs (Indian Army) who died of wounds in Gallipoli on 13th May 1915.  

 

He is buried in Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles.

 

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial and on the Christ Church Roll of Honour.   He is also commemorated on a wooden reredos in St Mary’s Church, Cheltenham.

 

His parents resided at 2 Fauconberg Villas, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham.

Colonel Ernest Robert Rainier SWINEY, 39 Garhwal Rifles (Indian Army), was killed at sea near Crete on 30th December 1915.  

 

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Chatby War Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt.

 

He is also commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial, the Christ Church Roll Of Honour and on the grave of his parents in Leckhampton (St Peter’s) Churchyard.

 

His parents, Major General George and Mrs Mary France Swiney, resided at Sandford Lawn, Bath Road, Cheltenham before the war.

This bronze plaque, which is positioned adjacent to the battlefield grave marker (see below) explains that the wooden cross was taken from the High Wood area of the Somme battlefield by Lt Col H E Pritchard, Commanding Officer of the 10th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, and presented to Christ Church, Cheltenham.

 

The battalion had significant links with the church as it was their place of worship during the time they were stationed in Cheltenham prior to their embarkation for France in August 1915.

© Mark Newton 3 July 2017 (WMR-20727)

The wooden battlefield grave marker presented to the church as detailed in the above plaque (IWMWM Ref: 20727).

 

The wording on the cross is:

 

RIP

Officers, NCOs and Men

10th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Killed In Action

High Wood 1916

 

The Colours of the 10th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment who were stationed and trained in the Cheltenham area before being transferred to France in August 1915.

 

The battalion was all but decimated on the first day of the Battle of Loos on 25th September 1915 in which the town lost 36 of its sons in this battalion (and another 8 in other Regiments).  

 

The Loos commemoration page can be viewed here.

Notes:

1.   Christ Church Roll of Honour can be viewed here.

2.   The colours of the 9th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment are located in St Mary’s Church, Cheltenham and can be viewed here

 

 

 

Page last updated:   8th August 2014

 

Return to Commemorations Home Page

 

| Home Page | Area Covered | War Memorials | Roll of Honour | Uncommemorated | Cemeteries | Investigations | Observations

| Commemorations | Images | Facts and Figures | Victoria Crosses | The Book | Memorial Scroll | Links | Acknowledgements |

 | Latest News | Timeline | VAD Hospitals | Site Map |