London Road, Carlisle
GRID REF: NY41373 54665 Postcode CA1 2PD
Freestanding granite obelisk with surrounding railings located on the roadside north of London Road near Petteril Bridge.
This Memorial, on the main arterial route from Carlisle to London, and onwards to the battlefields of Europe and Asia, includes the name of 2nd Lieut Joseph Henry Collin VC. He was born at Jarrow and lived with his parents Joseph and Mary, at 8 Petteril Terrace, Harraby, Carlisle, until he answered his country’s call to arms. He is also named on the Memorial at Our Lady and St Joseph's Church (Mem 36). Joseph was killed in action in France on 9th April 1918. At Givenchy, on that date, in the face of superior numbers, Lieut Collin manned a machine gun while his men lay wounded and dead around him. He disabled an enemy machine gun and held off the advancing foe long enough for his injured comrades to escape to safety. Wounded in the head, he died shortly after. For this selfless action he was posthumously awarded his country’s highest battlefield honour, the Victoria Cross. He was 24 years old and serving with 4th Bn Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment at the time of his death. He is interred in grave III.A.11 in Vielle-Chapelle New Military Cemetery, Lacouture. Just off Newtown Road is Collin Place, a street named in his honour.
2nd Lieutenant Joseph Henry Collin VC
An extract from The London Gazette dated 25th June, 1918, records the Citation:- "For most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty and self-sacrifice in action. After offering a long and gallant resistance against heavy odds in the Keep held by his platoon, this officer, with only five of his men remaining, slowly withdrew in the face of superior numbers, contesting every inch of the ground. The enemy were pressing him hard with bombs and machine-gun fire from close range. Single-handed 2nd Lt. Collin attacked the machine gun and team. After firing his revolver into the enemy, he seized a Mills grenade and threw it into the hostile team, putting the gun out of action, killing four of the team and wounding two others. Observing a second hostile machine gun firing, he took a Lewis gun, and selecting a high point of vantage on the parapet whence he could engage the gun, he, unaided, kept the enemy at bay until he fell mortally wounded. The heroic self-sacrifice of 2nd Lt. Collin was a magnificent example to all."
This a Roll of the men of Harraby who gave their all in the Great War. Their stories will be told in greater depth:-
Lieut Joseph Collin VC. King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment.
Pte George Harry Harris was serving with the 8th Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers when he died at the age of 21 on 25th September 1915. He lies in an unknown grave. George, the son of John and Mrs Harris, 6 Lazonby Terrace, Harraby, Carlisle, is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing.
PRIVATE WILLIAM HAYES
Sgt James Kay MM was serving with B Coy of 1/5th Border Regiment when he was killed on 24th August 1918. He was 27 years old. He is interred in Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, grave III.E.51. in Somme Dept. James was the son of James and Christina Kay, of Harraby Green, Carlisle.
Pte Christopher N Lowes, who was born and had enlisted in Carlisle, died on 2nd December 1917 while serving with 11th Border Regiment. Reported Killed in Action, he has no known grave and is commemorated at Tyne Cot, on panel 85/86.
Pte James B Morley is believed to have served with 1st Bn Black Watch and may be interred in Caterpillar Valley, Longeuval.
Pte Albert Newbold, who was born in Carlisle, died of wounds on 23rd November 1915 while serving with 4th Bn Border Regt in Mesopotamia. He is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, panel 20.
Pte Edwin Newbold died of wounds on 15th December 1915 while in Mesopotamia with 1/4th Bn Border Regt. He is interred in Amara War Cemetery grave I.A.24. Edwin was the son of John and Janet Newbold, of Carlisle.
Pte Charles Shilliday died of wounds in a Carlisle hospital on 18th July 1918. He was 35 years old.He had enlist in the Border Regimnet but due to his injuries, he had been transferred to 375th Coy Labour Corps. He is interred in Carlisle City Cemetery, Dalston Road, in grave 8.C.67.
Pte Robert Silverwood died on 20th August 1918 at the age of 23 while serving with 8th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment. He is interred in grave IV.D.4. Sandpits British Cemetery, Fouquereoil, Pas-de-Calais. Robert was the son of Ernest and Mary Ann Silverwood.
PTE THOMAS THOMSON
Signaller John Tyrell, 38 years old on his death, died of wounds in Norfolk on 25th May 1915. He was serving with 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry. He is interred in Holt Burial Ground, Norfolk, in grave D.275. John was born in Carlisle.
RFLMAN F NOEL WRIGHT
LCpl Robert Anderson, born in Gateshead, had enlisted in Carlisle into 11th Bn Border Regiment. He died of wounds on 2nd December 1917 and is interred in Hunhallows ADS Cemetery,Boezinge Ieper, grave II.D.10.
LCPL JOHN M BAINBRIDGE
SAPPER JOHN J BELL
PTE SAMUEL BOUSTEAD
Pte Robert Blain, 26 years old, died on 13th June 1918. He was serving with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt attached to the 2nd Trench Mortar Battery. Robert was the son of David and Alice Blain, of Ivy House, Harraby Green, Carlisle. He is interred in grave P.6. Cambrin Military Cemetery, Bethune.
CPL FREDERICK W BURROWS
Pte Harold Bushby, born in Newcastle, had been serving with 55th Bn Machine Gun Corps, when he became a Prisoner of War at the age of 19. He died on 6th May 1918, shortly after capture, in a bombing raid on enemy positions behind the front line. His body was lost and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, on panel 136. Harold was the son of Mr and Mrs John Carrick and Ruth Ann Bushby, of 23 Herbert St Carlisle.
Pte William Strafford Curtis died on 25th May 1915 at the age of 27. He served with 15th Bn London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles). He has no know grave and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, panel 45. He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Curtis, of London Road Terrace, Carlisle.
2/Lieut Robert C Foster BA, (London University), was the son of Mr and Mrs James Thompson Foster. He died on 10th April 1918 at the age of 25 years, while serving with 11th Suffolk Regiment. He lies in an unknown grave and is commemorated on panel 3 of the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing.
Able Seaman Edward J Graham, serving with Howe Bn Royal Naval Division, died at the age of 21 on 13th November 1916. He is interred in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel. Edward was the son of George and Mrs M A Graham, of 3 Harraby Green Road, Carlisle.
And a casualty of the Korean War:-
PTE SIMPSON GREARS KOREA/23-6-1952
ACCESS Located behind a wrought iron fence this memorial is accessible to view at all times.
