War Graves in Swindon Village (St Lawrence’s) Churchyard

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

War Graves of the Great War In

St Lawrence Churchyard, Swindon Village

Location:   St Lawrence’s Churchyard, Swindon

Grid Reference:   SO 934249

Last Visited:   24th April 2005

WW1 War Graves in the Churchyard:   3   (2 official war graves)

  Copyright:  Allan D James, 2015

War Graves of the Great War in the Churchyard

  Copyright:  Allan D James, 2001

Captain Douglas Ridley Clunes GABELL, Gloucestershire Regiment and RAF, 13 Training Squadron, RAF, is buried on the South boundary of the Churchyard.

He was killed in a flying accident near Chippenham on 12th July 1918, aged 20.

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial and the Swindon Village War Memorial.

His father, the Reverend Arthur Charles Gabell was Rector of St Lawrence Church, Swindon Village.

Private Alfred Tinsley Whitaker, Canadian Infantry, is buried in an unknown grave in this churchyard.

He was serving with 47th Battalion Canadian Infantry in France when he was diagnosed with TB in February 1917, returned to Canada for treatment, and subsequently discharged from the Canadian Army on 31st December 1917.

He must have returned to the Cheltenham area after the war as his death was registered in Cheltenham in Q2 – 1921.   He was buried in the churchyard but his grave was unmarked.   The CWGC originally commemorated him on the Brookwood Memorial but his burial details were eventually discovered and a headstone was erected in St Lawrence’s Churchyard inscribed “Buried Elsewhere in this Churchyard”.

His parents, Alfred George and Elizabeth Henrietta Whitaker, resided at “Uplands”, Crickley Hill, Witcombe, and later at “Malvern View”, Bentham, Badgeworth.

Pte Whitaker is not commemorated on any Memorial in Cheltenham or the surrounding area.

A photograph of the headstone will be posted here in due course.

Pte William Henry Nelson KEYTE, 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment is buried in the cemetery, although the actual location of his grave is not known.

He died of pneumonia on 25th October 1918 and was buried in this cemetery on 30th October 1918.  The burial is recorded as number 772 in the Churchyard Burial Register.

He is commemorated on the St Peter’s Church War Memorial.

At the time of his death his parents, Mr and Mrs William Keyte, resided at “Woodbines”, Swindon Village.   They had previously resided at 4 Swindon Road, Cheltenham.

A photograph of the grave will hopefully be posted here in due course when the exact location of the grave is discovered.

(At the time of Pte Keyte’s death he had been discharged from the Army due to wounds to his leg.   As his death was not attributable to his Army service he was not entitled to a CWGC War Grave headstone).

Those below are commemorated on graves in the churchyardwhich may be viewed here

Sgt George Lombard CANNOCK, Household Cavalry, killed in action in France, 8th August 1918

LCpl Charles Gordon WINSTONE, Cameron Highlanders, killed in action in France, 18th May 1915

Notes:

1.   Captain Gabell was killed in the same aircraft accident as Lt Delmar-Williamson (see Leckhampton War Memorial).   He is buried in a  civilian gravewhich is listed inthe Debt of Honour Register at the CWGC.

2.  Pte Keyte’s burial is not recorded on the Debt of Honour Register at the CWGC and he is not listed as an official war casualty.

3.  Swindon Village War Memorial can be viewedhere.

4.  Commemorations in St Lawrence Church and Churchyard can be foundhere.