Gonalston St Laurence

War Memorial

First World War

A small but ornate war memorial is attached to the wall of the north aisle. It is of carved marble, with brightly coloured angel figures at either side enclosing the inscription plaque. Above the angels is the inscription (from Revelation 2.10):

BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE

Below each is a carved laurel wreath encircling the dates 1914 and 1918.

In the upper part of central plaque is the text:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN
SACRED REMEMBRANCE OF GALLANT MEN
OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
 THE GREAT WAR

This is underlined by a row of five small blue medallions each bearing the insignia of the regiment or service of those recorded, viz:

Royal Navy   Royal Flying Corps   Army Service Corp   Sherwood Foresters  

Kings Own Yorkshire Light

Infantry

below which are the names themselves:

Francklin - Captain Philip. R.N. M.V.O.   H.M.S.Good·Hope
Pearson - 2nd Lieutnt. Oliver·C. 70th Squadron   R.F.C.
Lindsey - Pte Horace. 14th Field·Bakery   A.S.C
Sheppard - Private · Wilfred.   7th Sherwood·Foresters
Vann - Pte Arthur. 6th Battn. K.O. Yorkshire·L.I

Followed by:

THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE

Second World War

There is no memorial relating to the Second World War, but in September 2008 the name of a former resident of Gonalston was added to the Lowdham Village War Memorial. 2nd. Lt. John Wright was killed in Norway and is buried in the Military Cemetery at Lillehammer in Norway

Additional Information

Further information about those whose names are recorded on the Memorial

Captain Philip Francklin – d. 1 November 1914

Captain Francklin was serving on HMS Good Hope off the Chilean coast when it engaged with other British ships in a battle with a larger German naval force led by the battleship Scharnhorst. HMS Good Hope was an older ship recently bought out of the reserve fleet, mainly manned by an inexperienced crew and was quickly lost with all 1600 crew.

Captain Francklin is recorded on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Lt. Oliver Pearson - d. 10 September 1917

Recorded on the Arras Flying Services Memorial, Arras, France.

Private Horace Lindsey - d. 1 July 1916

Aged 27. He is buried in the Boulogne Memorial Cemetery.

Private Wilfred Sheppard - d. 1 July 1916

He was aged 17 and died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. His name is recorded on the Thievpal War Memorial. His mother was Mrs Kate Patchett.

Private Arthur Vann - d. 31 August 1915

Aged 26 years. Recorded on the Yypres War Memorial. His father was Mr. Joseph Vann.