War memorials, North Yorkshire
War Memorials Elsewhere, -
Woodchester, Gloucestershire
War memorials, North Yorkshire
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The Woodchester War Memorial close to the Church of the Annuciation at Inchbrook.
The Woodchester War Memorial close to the Church of the Annunciation at Inchbrook.
(Photo : Richard Roberts <richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)

Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) supplies the following information on the Woodchester memorial and the name of the Yorkshire Regiment soldier commemorated on it;-

"This memorial in the form of a wooden cross is situated at the bottom of the hill leading up to The Church of the Annunciation at Inchbrook which is close to Woodchester. Erected in 1917, it is believed to be the oldest WW1 memorial in the country.

Amongst the weathered names on a stone plinth is that of Pte. Basil Thomas Martin 9837 of the 2nd Bn., (6th name down). The inscription says "Signaller" which seems unusual.

His older brother William Eric Martin (top name) served in the Queen's Own Royal Kent Regiment and was killed in action on 1/7/1915. Neither brother was born locally and the family seems to have moved around quite a lot. However, I have ascertained that in 1911, their father was employed on an estate in the area."

Private Basil Thomas Martin. 9837. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William James and Emily Martin, of 20, Avenue Rd., Swindon, Wilts. Born at Bicester, Oxon. Killed 1 November 1914. Aged 19.
Born Bicester (Oxford), Enlisted Bristol, Resided Alerchurch (Worcester)
Buried YPRES TOWN CEMETERY EXTENSION.

Private Martin is also commemorated on the War Memorial for Swindon, where his parents were living at the time of his death.
Although it might be expected that he would be commemorated on the Bicester War Memorial, that particular memorial has no names shown on it. However, the November 2014 Newsletter of the Bicester Historian includes Private Martin's name in a Roll of Honour for men from Bicester who lost their lives in November 1914. Unfortunately, it is not clear as to the source of these names.

The Commemoration on the Woodchester War Memorial (Pte Martin's age is given as 20), - this photo has been enhanced to render the names more legible. The actual commemoration has become very faint with age.
The Commemoration on the Woodchester War Memorial (Pte Martin's age is given as 20), - this photo has been enhanced to render the names more legible. The actual commemoration has become very faint with age.
(Photo : Richard Roberts <richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)

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