War memorials, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire War Memorials, -
Great Ayton,
- Christ Church
War memorials, North Yorkshire
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The War Memorial outside Christ Church, Great Ayton.
The War Memorial outside Christ Church, Great Ayton.
(Photo : Edward Nicholl)

The War Memorial for Christ Church, Great Ayton, is outside the church. The memorial is a Celtic Cross with bosses set on a tapering shaft and stepped plinth, the front face of which has the dedicaton and names. The whole is set on a four rough hewn steps.

45 names are commemorated as having lost their lives in the First World War, and 17 in the Second World War.

24 of the names on the memorial served in the Yorshire Regiment.

Private Joseph Nichols Baines, 3456. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John William and Mary Jane Baines, of Mount Pleasant, Great Ayton. Died at home 9 May 1917. Aged 21.
Buried GREAT AYTON CEMETERY.

Corporal George Barrett, 20267. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 18 September 1916.
Born Ashton Abbotts (Berks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Nunthorpe (Yorks)
Commemorated Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL,
(On the Roll of Honour, but not the external memorial)

Private William Henry Barrett, 45935. 13th Battalion DLI, formerly 20266 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. Louisa Russell, of I, Ford Farm, Tring, Herts. Killed 5 October 1918. Aged 25.
Born Ashton Abbotts, Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Nunthorpe S O (Yorks)
Buried BEAUREVOIR BRITISH CEMETERY.
(On the Roll of Honour, but not the external memorial)

Private Bernard Brown. 11191. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John William and Rosanna Brown, of High St., Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 22 August 1915. Aged 22.
Born Kildale (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton
Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.

Serjeant William Cockerill, 200403 1st/4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 2 January 1918.
Born Great Ayton, Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried TYNE COT CEMETERY.

Private William Cockfield, 23502. Machine Gun Corps. Formerly 1928 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 15 September 1916.
Born Guisborough (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Nunthorpe
Commemorated Pier and Face 5 C and 12 C, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
(On the Roll of Honour, but not the external memorial)
A comprehensive biography of William Cockfield, with a portrait photo, can be found on the Stokesley Heritage website.

Private Samuel Davies, 3/8769. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 12 March 1915.
Born Marske (Redcar), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Guisborough.
Commemorated Panel 12, LE TOURET MEMORIAL.

Private John Dawson, 235134. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. W. Dawson, of 4, Monkabecq Rd., Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 23 April 1917.
Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried WANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY.

L/Cpl Richard Etherington. 2055 (CWGC) / 200411 (SDGW). 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 14 February 1917.
Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Howden-le-Wear.
(In the CWGC register there is a L/Cpl R Etherington, 2055 of the 1st Battalion. It is assumed that this will be the same L/Cpl R Etherington. The number 2055 agrees with that of the Green Howards Gazette database, The Battalion will be incorrect, as the 1st Battalion was out in India.)
Buried BOIS GUILLAUME COMMUNAL CEMETERY.

Private Charlesworth Grayson, 13142. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Isaac and Sarah Ann Grayson, of High St., Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 9 November 1915. Aged 21.
Born Ayton (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried X FARM CEMETERY, LA CHAPELLE-D'ARMENTIERES.

Private William Hindmarsh, 201684. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died of Wounds 22 April 1917.
Born Great Ayton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Middlesbrough.
Buried WARLINCOURT HALTE BRITISH CEMETERY, SAULTY.

Private George Hodgson, 11366. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 7 August 1915.
Born West Rounton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.

Private Lawrence A Johnson, 11365. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 21 August 1915.
Born Ayton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.

Private Thomas Johnson, 203166. 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, formerly 5306 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Mary Johnson, of High St., Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 2 March 1918. Aged 25.
Born Great Ayton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley (Yorks).
Buried QUEANT ROAD CEMETERY, BUISSY.

Private Robert Oberon, 203174. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of George and Ann Oberon, of 159, Westgate, Guisborough, Yorks.Killed 28 October 1917. Aged 19.
Born Nunthorpe (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Nunthorpe
Commemorated Panel 52 to 54 and 162A, TYNE COT MEMORIAL.
(On the Roll of Honour, but not the external memorial)

Private William Ord, 2470. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 24 May 1915.
Born Nunthorpe (Yorks), Enlisted Northallerton, Resided Ryehill (Yorks)
Commemorated Panel 33, YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL.

Private Ernest Pearson, 2201. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Paul Pearson, of Fairview, Great Ayton, Yorks., and the late Jane Constance Pearson. One of 4 sons who served. Killed 15 September 1915.
Born Great Ayton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Commemorated Panel 4, PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL.

Private Thomas William Seales Robinson, 62139. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Thomas W. Robinson, of Rye Hill Cottage, Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 8 November 1918. Aged 19.
Born Darlington, Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried NOYELLES-SUR-SAMBRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY.

Private Gilbert Rumbellow, 3520. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John S. Rumbellow, of Station Rd., North Ferriby, Yorks. Killed 14 February 1916. Aged 25.
Enlisted Richmond (Yorks).
Buried RAILWAY DUGOUTS BURIAL GROUND.

Private Thomas Richard Stockil, 35636. 10th Battalion K O Y L I. Formerly 2225 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 5 August 1917.
Enlisted Northallerton.
Buried CROISILLES BRITISH CEMETERY.

L/Cpl Harold Surtees. 200407. 1st/4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Ann E. Jackson (formerly, Surtees), and the late Thomas Ralph Surtees; husband of Sarah Surtees, of Waterfall Terrace, Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 10 April 1918. Aged 26.
Born Ayton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried HAVERSKERQUE BRITISH CEMETERY.

Private Robert Theobald, 4464. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 26 July 1916.
Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried KEMMEL CHATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY.

Private Charles Wildman, 200477. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 25 June 1918.
Born Bedford, Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Bletsoe (Beds).
Buried HAUTMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY.
(From the 1911 census, Chares Wildman was born in 1893 in Bletsoe and was an agricultural labourer. However, he is also commemorated on the Great Ayton Waterfall Park Memorial which is dedicated to the miners of Ayton Mines. Although stating that he resided in Bletsoe, he will have been working in Great Ayton, Yorkshire, before joining the Yorkshire Regiment.)

Private Arthur Edward Wilks, 1162. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.Son of Alfred Edward and Hannah Elizabeth Wilks, of Cliff Terrace, Great Ayton, Yorks. Killed 28 February 1916. Aged 21.
Born Great Ayton, Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Ayton.
Buried MAPLE COPSE CEMETERY.

The Great Ayton, Christ Church, First World War Memorial Plaque The Great Ayton, Christ Church, First World War Memorial Plaque
Select the above image for a larger sized image to appear in a new window
Photo : Edward Nicholl

The Great Ayton, Christ Church, Second World War Memorial Plaque The Great Ayton, Christ Church, Second World War Memorial Plaque
Photo : Ray Wilkins, <e2ray3636@ntlworld.com>

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