Blakenall Heath in the Great War

2014 is the centenary of the outbreak of World War One. All over the country, events will be taking place to commemorate the lives of those who died or were injured in that terrible war.

Inside Christ Church, in the Lady Chapel, is a memorial to those from Blakenall Heath parish who were killed. It is frightening to see just how many men‘s names are on it, for the population of the area then would have been much smaller than it is today.

Christ Church is hoping to stage a commemorative exhibition later this year, and with that in mind we are hoping to find out at least a little about the men on the memorial. For example, the webmaster's great uncle, Samuel Birch was killed when a mine exploded in his trench. He was a single man of 47 who had volunteered to serve with the South Staffordshire Regiment in September 1914 and he died on 13th April 1916 near Arras in northern France. Prior to enlisting he had been a miner who lived with his parents Samuel and Janetta at 6, Field Street. We have a picture of him that appeared in the Walsall Observer.

If you have a connection to , or have any information on, any of the men whose names appear on the Memorial, please contact Father Paul, Father Mark or the webmaster. Below are the names which are on the memorials and also pictures of the memorials.

Job Allen Robert Allen William Allen Josiah Allport George Allsopp Joseph Allsopp Isaac Andrews Harry Arrowsmith Charles Arrowsmith Harold Baugh Joseph Battison Leonard Beech Harry Bentley Samuel Birch Thomas Albert Bricknell William James Brindley Harry Broom Wilfred Brough Charles Bullock Charles William Burrowson Alfred Bushnell Giles Bloomer James Bryan Charles Burns		George Bushnell Walter Carter John Cockayne John Thomas Cooper Thomas Cooper William Holden Davies James Dawson David Downs William Duce James Dunn Thomas Dunn Stephen Edgerton Charles Edwards Bertram Elkes Robert Elmore Thomas Evans Hyla Fletcher Josiah Fletcher Harry Forest Charles Fox William Gallear David Thomas Gee Godfrey Fletcher William Golby
Edgar Goodall Samuel Goodall Charles Hall Samuel George Harrison Frank Harvey Arthur Henry Hasketh Percy Hawes Aaron Haywood Ernest Haywood James Heeley Amos Henden Henry Hobson Joseph Hobson Albert Sidney Hooper Bernard Hooper Leonard Hooper Bartholomew Hopley John Horton John William Harriman John Ison Alfred Jennings Henri Labot William Lavender William Henry Lawley		Arthur Linnell Percy Llewellyn Frederick Lord Elijah Marsh Reginald Marsh Charles Edward Martin Clifford Mason Roland Mason William Mason Leonard Morris William Newens Fred Owen Jack Owen William Parkes Jack Parton Ezekiel Perks Albert Pitt William Henry Powell Josiah Price Gwynedd Pritchard MC Joel Raybould William Redfern Alfred Ross William Thomas Ross
Richard Reeves Frank Rowbotham Alfred Rudd Harry Rudd David Scott MM William Sharratt John Shepherd Sidney Shepherd Albert Edward Smith Frank Edgar Smith James Smith James Thomas Smith Joseph Smith Tom Smith Ambrose Squire Joseph Stackhouse Eli Stanley		Arthur Stanton James Stanton Herbert Victor Stead Harry Stokes William Tasker Harry Taylor Harry Samuel Taylor Herbert Taylor William Turner Richard Walters George Whitehouse Job Whitehouse John Henry Willett Frank Edward Wilmore Frank Yates James Yates Tom Yates

Christ Church Peace Celebration

In July (2014), Christ Church, together with Christ Church Primary School, will be remembering those men of Blakenall Heath who gave their lives in the Great War and those who were gassed, suffered injury, shell shock or became Prisoners of War. Altogether there are 128 names of the Memorial in Christ Church Lady Chapel, a large number for the population as the parish was much smaller then than it is today.

The week will begin with a Peace Service on Sunday 13th July at 3.00 pm, and the children of Christ Church School will be contributing to this with songs, poems and an act of remembrance. During the week there will be an exhibition of artwork, WW1 field finds and artifacts. There will also be a display of WW1 literature, in particular the poems of the Anglican Chaplain, 'Woodbine Willie' (Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy). Why not come along and find out about the heroes of Blakenall Heath.

Pictures of the WW1 Memorials

1: Click here to see the picture of the War Memorials on the wall of the Lady Chapel. The World War 1 memorials are at the top just below the windows. The WW2 memorials are just below the WW1 memorials.

2: Click here to see the memorials in more detail.

3: Click here to see the two left hand panels in more detail.

4: Click here to see the two right hand panels in more detail.

5: Click here to see the title panel in the centre.