General Discussion
World War One Remembrance
There will be a Service of Remembrance for Dawlish World War One soldier Paul Holman, who died on 15th February 1915
Please join us at Dawlish Methodist Church
Sunday 15th February 2015 at 12:30
There will be a brief religious service, followed by a social gathering and everyone is welcome whatever your faith. The primary focus of this event is to mark the loss of Paul Holman, and to think about the effect of the "War to end all Wars" on Dawlish.
Services of Remembrance are being held in the town on each 100th anniversary of death in service by Dawlish men during World War One.
What a thoughtful and poignant commemoration. A small token of gratitude for such huge sacrifices.
Thanks for this Michael.
Let's hope that the people of Dawlish turn up at the church not just for Paul Holman, but for the many more to come in the next few years.
For those who would like to join us, these are the remaining dates for 2015
February 15th - Paul Holman (12:30 at the Methodist Church)
March 13th - Walter Stoyles
March 17th - Clarence Henry Crook
April 16th - George John Pessell
April 25th - Richard Alexander Rooth
April 27th - Wilfred George Jackson
April 28th - Edward Mudge
May 9th - Frederick George Ford
May 13th - Alfred Samuel Baron
May 23rd - Frederick William Bond
June 22nd - Thomas Jarman
August 24th - Stanley James Crook
September 25th - John Thomas Allen, John Gwynne Anning, Sidney Cornelius, Frank Charles Cotton, Ernest John Criddeford, William John Dew, Albert John Hooper, Ernest George Martin & William Henry Stevens
October 14th - Sidney Harold Kerswell
October 23rd - Frederick Snell
Venues and times of future services will vary as we move around the churches of Dawlish. See further information nearer the time of each remembrance.
This is part of a Heritage Lottery and Dawlish Town Council funded scheme to commemerate all the men lost to Dawlish during World War One. Also a young woman called Margaret Fortescue who died whilst serving as a nurse on a hospital ship sunk in 1918
We are preparing exhibitions, booklets and a website - amateur historians and genealogists are welcome to join us in researching the lost history behind each name. email me on mclay1990@gmail.com for more details.
If you know anyone who may be a relative of any of the names listed, please also get in touch. In these acts of remembrance we speak these men's names that have been so long silent. We keep the promise of 100 years ago that they will not be forgotten. The more information we can include in the services, the better, and this will be part of the legacy to future generations.
If you can join us on Sunday, you are very welcome.
Thank you for the comprehensive detail Michael.
Your post has has prompted me to look at September 25th 1914 to try to understand the horrific number of fatalities incurred that day.
I assume these men and boys were part of the Battle of Loos. Reading, at a high level only, about that battle demonstrates the sheer futility of war. Over 8,000 casualties in 4 hours, a lot of which were caused by the British use of gas warfare that killed more of our own than the Germans.
Lest we forget.
Yes, the Battle of Loos. This was the largest number of deaths in a single day for Dawlish during the war. Awful, one can't begin to imagine the collective effect on the town as the news filtered home.
More news later in the year about how the anniversary will be marked
Had a quick look in and nice to see that a few turned out, especially some members of Dawlish RBL.
Well done all.