sharing Solihull's local history
Easter Sunday, 9th April 1917, saw the unveiling in Solihull of a War Shrine to the Fallen of the First World War, pictured above (image courtesy of Gordon Bragg).
The Calvary shrine was the gift of a parishioner and was designed by local artist Elphege Pippet (1868-1942). It was built by Charles Timms of Messrs. Thompson, builders of Knowle, causing the Rector of Solihull to note: “everything connected with it has been done in our village, which is as it should be.”
Lieutenant Colonel Rowland John Beech died on 30th August 1919, aged 64, whilst Commander of the Warwickshire Yeomanry. He had served in France with the 36th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery during the First World War but was invalided home in 1918.
Major the Honourable Rupert Leigh died at Stoneleigh Abbey on 14th August 1919, aged 62. He served with the War Office general staff from 1915 until his death, having been a pupil at Sandhurst and a career officer with 15th (King’s) Hussars and the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards.
Private Ernest Vivian Freeman, Royal Army Medical Corps, aged 22, died at 10pm on 19th July 1919 whilst serving with the 3rd British General Hospital in Iraq. The telgram sent to his mother gave his cause of death as influenza, although entries in his service record first indicated the cause of death as cholera, before stating influenza (acute septicaemic type)
He was born in Olton and baptised at St Margaret’s Church on 20th June 1897.
Private Wilfred Garner died of pneumonia on 28th June 1919 at 250 Highbridge Road, Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, aged 20. He had served in the Army from 1915 until discharge on 20th March 1919.
Private George Harold Timms Poole, Royal Army Veterinary Corps, died on 27th June 1919 when he accidentally drowned whilst serving with the 4th Cavalry. He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial to the Missing. Researchers in Meriden have discovered that he was buried 150 yards south-west of Homs Railway Station, Syria, but the grave must have been lost, hence his commemoration on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Driver Alfred Wild , Royal Army Service Corps, died in Nottinghamshire War Hospital, Radcliffe on Trent, on 12th June 1919, aged 29.
Sergeant Edward Arthur Irons, 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (attached to the Supply and Transport Corps) died in India on 6th June 1919. He was the third of three brothers from Castle Bromwich to die as a result of service in the First World War.
Gunner Alfred George Barber, 3rd Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, died on 30th May 1919 in the Hospital of St Cross, Rugby. Canon Downing, who kept notes on men from Knowle who enlisted, had noted that he died as a result of injuries after being kicked by a horse whilst in France. In fact, thanks to recent research by the local history team from Knowle Society, it’s now known that he died from “tuberculosis of hip” and “lardaceous disease” and is buried at Clifton Road Cemetery, Rugby. Continue reading “30th May 1919”
Captain Edwin Tufnell Hayne DSC DFC, Royal Air Force, died in a flying accident on 28th April 1919 when his plane suffered engine failure after taking off from Castle Bromwich aerodrome. He was a flying ace, credited with destroying 15 enemy aircraft during the war. He continued his RAF career after hostilities ended, flying with No.14 Aircraft Acceptance Park (AAP) from March 1919.
Solihull Life 