GRID REF: NY32868 59143 Postcode CA5 6AW
Burgh by Sands lies within the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, west of the City of Carlisle.
It is situated on Hadrian’s Wall, probably the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain. The Wall stretches seventy-three miles from Wallsend near Newcastle, across the neck of England to Bowness-on-Solway, in North West Cumbria, and stands today as a reminder of the past glories of one of the world’s greatest empires.
St Michael’s Church was built within the Roman fort on Hadrian’s Wall late in the 12th Century. It occupies the probable site of one of the central buildings in the fort – perhaps the granary. Much of the stone used to build the Church came from the fort, or from the wall. The ancient churchyard contains the graves of generations of past inhabitants of the district.
Just by the churchyard, on the opposite side of the public road, is the local civic burial ground. It too occupies a place within the boundaries of the ancient Roman Fort.
The War Memorial, prominently situated in the centre of the cemetery, bears the names of those of the community who made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Great War and in subsequent conflicts.
Those who fell in the Great War are;
Pte William Abbott, who was born in Lazonby, the son of Mr and Mrs T Abbott, of Langworth Cottage , Low Moorhouse, Carlisle. He was serving with 12th Bn Machine Gun Corps (Inf) when he died on 1st Oct 1918 of wounds received in battle. He is interred in Doingt Communal Cemetery Extension, near Peronne in the Somme Region, in Grave III.E.8.
Pte William Bell served with the (48th?) Canadian Highlanders. Nothing else is known of him.
2nd Lt Robert Mayson Calvert served with the Manchester Regiment. He was the son of Robert and Fanny Maria Calvert, of Burgh-by-Sands. He was killed in action on 9th July 1916, aged 20 and is interred in Serre Road Cemetery, in the Somme Region. See more detail at Memorial 30 St Michaels Parish Church, Burgh-by-Sands.
Private Joseph Elliot died on 20th November 1917 while serving with 1st Bn Border Regiment. He is interred in Marcoing British Cemetery, Cambrai, in Grave II.A.36. His death, on the first day of the Battle of Cambrai, suggests his involvement. Joseph was born at Aikton and lived at Thurstonfield, the son of Pattinson and Jane Elliot. He is named on the family gravestone in nearby St Michael’s churchyard.
Cpl Robert Carruthers Fitch, serving with 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs), (The Duke of Albany’s), was born at Highfield Moor, in Cumberland. He enlisted in Perth, in Scotland, and died on 11th April 1917. Joseph is named on the family grave in the nearby St Michael’s Church, where his father had been vicar for 13 years. Carruthers, as his family called him, was 39 years old when he died. See Memorial 30 for more information.
Pte John Morrison Jessamine was born in Burgh-by-Sands and lived at Kirkandrews-on-Eden. He enlisted in Edinburgh into the 16th Bn Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). John died on 1st July 1916 on the first day of the Somme Offensive. His body was not recovered and he is listed among the Missing on the Thiepval Memorial, on Pier/Face 6D/7D. John is also commemorated on the War Memorial of Beaumont Parish Church, (Memorial 24).
Pte Edward Lighfoot, of A Coy 11th Bn Border Regiment, was born in Dalston and lived at Cummersdale. He was the son of Thomas and Ruth Lightfoot, of Halfway House, Dalston Rd, Carlisle, and husband of Margaret. He died in battle on 1st July 1916 at the age of 24 and is interred in Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme Region.
Pte Richard Lightfoot, who served initially with 11th Border Regiment, was with 9th Bn Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), when he died of wounds, in hospital, on 5th June 1917. He is interred at Feuchy British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, in Grave I.D.6. He was born in Keswick and enlisted at Carlisle.
Pte David Little, of 15th Bn Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), died a Prisoner of War on 17th October 1918, aged 24 years. He is interred in Hamburg Cemetery, Germany, in Grave I.E.3. He was born, the son of David and Catherine Little of Amberfield, Burgh-by-Sands, but had enlisted at Galashiels, Roxburghshire.
Pte Thomas McCrone served initially with the Durham Light Infantry, and later with 50th Bn Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). He was the husband of Margaret, of Spennymoor, Co Durham. Thomas was killed in action on 1st April 1918, aged 31 and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the Missing. Pozieres is just north of Albert in the Somme Region.
Pte Robert Moffatt died of wounds on 8th June 1917 at the age of 23 while serving with 8th Bn Border Regiment. He is interred in Grave II.B.11., in Westhof Farm Cemetery, approximately 13 kms south of Ieper. Robert was born in Burgh-by-Sands.
Pte William Peal, for a time with the East Yorkshire Light Infantry and latterly with 9th Bn Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, was born at Fleetwood, in Lancashire. He had been living in Carlisle but enlisted at Bradford, Yorkshire. He was killed in action on 26th April 1916 at the age of 32. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 6 of the Ploegsteert Memorial, at Hainaut, near Ieper.
Pte Andrew Scott is believed to have served with the Signals unit of a South African regiment. He died in Johannesburgh on 12th March 1915 and is interred in Johannesburgh (Brixton) Cemetery.
Pte Mason Story, serving with Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the time of his death, had previously been with 11th Border Regiment. He died on 12th February 1919, probably from the effect of earlier combat injuries. He was 26 years old, the son of Thomas and Frances Story, of Cumwhinton. He is interred in the nearby St Michael’s Churchyard, marked by a CWGC headstone.
Pte William Wallace died on 27th November 1916, and is interred in Villers Station Cemetery, Villers au Bois, in Grave III.B.13., in the Pas de Calais, north of Arras. William served with 3rd Canadian Division, in 8th Bn Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment), 90th Canadian Infantry (Winnipeg Rifles).
Pte William Wilson was serving with 11th Border Regiment when he was killed in action on 1st July 1916 at the age of 25. He was one of more than 500 officers and other ranks of the 11th Bn who became casualties on that fateful day. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, on Panel/Face 6A/7C. Born in Kirkbampton, he was the son of William and Mary Jane Wilson, of Thurstonfield.
