GRID REF: NY46926 50178 Postcode CA4 0ED
St John's Church Cotehill
The War Memorial of the Parish of Cotehill stands just within the churchyard of St John's Church, Cotehill. It is a plain granite cross of traditional style on a matching plinth on which are inscribed the names of the Fallen. Within the churchyard are a number of graves of those who died in war and, on family headstones, references to lost relatives who lie in distant graves.
Those casualties of the Great War whose names appear on this memorial are;-
Sapper Thomas Bulman, who served with the Army Service Corps 40 Remount Squadron in Egypt until his death on 19th May 1915. He is interred in Alexandria (Chatby) Military Cemetery and War Memorial, in grave M144.
Pte James Wallace, who is interred here in the churchyard, having died in a local hospital of wounds received on 10th Sept 1916 while serving with 7th Bn (Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry) Border Regiment. He was 22 years old. He lies here in the land of his ancestors, under a CWGC headstone. He was the son of Francis and Mary Jane Wallace, of Cotehill.
Cpl Robert B. Ritchie, who was born at Wetheral, died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916. He was serving with 11th Bn Border Regiment. The losses were grievous and the bodies of many of the dead were never recovered. Robert, like thousands of others, has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Fallen, on Panel/Face 6A/7C.
Pte William J. Bell, who was serving with 11th Bn Border Regiment also died on that fateful day, 1st July 1916. He was the son of James and Elizabeth McGregor Bell, of Edenglen, Cotehill, and was born at Armathwaite. He was 21 years old on his death. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel/Face 6A/7C of the Thiepval Memorial to the Fallen.
L/Cpl Thomas Bell, who died on 1st July 1916 while serving with C Coy 11th Bn Border Regiment. His body was recovered and he is interred in the Lonsdale Cemetery, in grave I.D.11. He was 22 years old on his death, the son of William and Sarah Bell, then living at Froddle Crook, Armathwaite. His brother Adam also died while serving. Both are commemorated on the family headstone in the churchyard.
Cpl Thomas Atkinson, who was killed on 20th Sept 1917 at the age of 19 and is interred in Dochy Farm New British Cemetery, in grave IX.B.18. He is commemorated in this churchyard on the grave of his parents, Richard and Mary Atkinson. He was serving with 1/5th King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.
2nd Lieut George Bott, who died on 9th Feb 1917 while serving with 3rd Rifle Brigade. He was 30 years old and the son of the Reverend Richard and Mrs Sarah Bott, of The Vicarage, Cotehill. He was born at Hayton Rectory. His grave, I.M.1., is in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais.
Driver David Milburn, who died on 29th May 1917 at the age of 27 and is interred in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, in grave III.B.187. He had been serving with the Army Service Corps, 41 Divisional Train. Bailleul was a Railhead, Air Depot, and Hospital Centre at the time. David was the son of Joseph and Jane Milburn of Cotehill, and the husband of Annie, of 24 Linton St., Carlisle.
Pte Jonathon Hope, who was serving with the 21st Bn Manchester Regiment when he died on 24th Oct 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 120/124 – 162/162a at Tyne Cot.
Pte Robert W. Brayton, who died on 20th Nov 1917 while serving with 1st Bn Border Regiment. He has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 7 of the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval. He was 26 years old. The Battle of Cambrai began on 20th November. Initially successful, itended nine days later with no practical gains. Robert died as the battle opened. He was born at Cotehill.
Pte George H. Ritchie, who was serving with 7th Border, died on 30th Aug 1918 and is interred in Bancourt British Cemetery. He was born in Carlisle and enlisted in Penrith.
Pte Robert Hill, the son of John and Sarah Hill, of Cotehill, served with 5th Bn Border Regiment until his death on 10th Aug 1918 at the age of 33. He is interred in Rosieres Communal Cemetery, in grave III.E.13.
Pte Robert Arthur Richardson, who died of wounds on 21st May 1918 while serving with 1/7th Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. He was 19 years old. He is interred in grave I.F.30. Pernes British Cemetery, Pas de Calais.. Robert was the son of Charles and Mary Richardson, of Croft Head, Cotehill.
Pte Adam Bell, who was serving with 8th Bn Border Regiment, died of wounds on 18th April 1918 at the age of 25. He is interred in grave XXIX.F.11. Etaples Military Cemetery. He was the second son of William and Sarah Bell, of Froddle Crook, Armathwaite to make the Supreme Sacrifice. Adam and his brother William are commemorated on the family headstone in the churchyard at Cotehill.
Trooper Joseph Richardson, of the Auckland Mounted Rifles, NZEF, was 23 years old when he died on 22nd Sept 1918. He was serving in the Palestinian campaign and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial on panel 1. He was the son of Albert and Agnes Richardson, of Town Head, High Cotehill.
L/Cpl Thomas E. Little, who was serving with 2/4th Bn Border Regiment in India when he died on 5th Nov 1918 at the age of 21. He is interred at Peshawar Cemetery, grave B. C. XLV. 28, and commemorated on the Delhi Memorial (India Gate) as his and other graves there are difficult to access. He was the son of Mr and Mrs J. G. and J. E. Little, of Wragmire House, Cotehill.
Pte (Sapper?) John Morland Bainbridge, who died on 22nd Oct 1918. He was 32 years old and serving with 880th M.T. Coy Army Service Corps in the Republic of Macedonia in a campaign against the Bulgarian forces. Although the Bulgarian Army had ceased hostilities at this time many soldiers succumbed to a major outbreak of influenza. John is interred in Skopje British Military Cemetery. He was the husband of Mrs M Bainbridge, of Wath Green, Cotehill, and lived near where he was born.
Other names which appear on this memorial and of which we have little knowledge are;-
John W. Richardson. Died 1916.
Edward Martin. Died 1917.
Frank Wallace. Died 1917.
Edmund E. Johnstone. Died 1918.
Joseph Moore. Died 1918.
Assistance in providing more information on these and others would be appreciated. Please use the CONTACT details in our Home page.
In the churchyard we find the grave of Pte Herbert Howe, of 2/8th Lancashire Fusiliers. His Commonwealth War Grave headstone tells us he died on 27th Oct 1916 at the age of 19. He had been wounded and brought back to his family, but subsequently drowned in Colchester. Herbert was the son of Mr and Mrs E. H. Howe, of Cumwhinton, Carlisle. On the death of her husband his mother remarried and moved to Milbourne Cottage, Norwich Road, Carlisle. Herbert lies here next to his grandparents and his mother, Mrs H. J. Winder. His name does not appear on the War Memorial.
The Memorial also names those of Cotehill who lost their lives in World War II. They are;-
Lt Col I.O. Innes.
Cpl C.S. Sanderson.
Pte A.B. Graham.
Pte J. Milburn.
AB E.C. Glendinning.
LAC D. Waites
Nurse Helen Armstrong (a civilian killed by enemy action).
Cotehill Primary School Memorial
The marble plaque pictured here is currently in the now disused and derelict nearby Cotehill Primary School. It is hoped that this can be moved to another location before the school building is demolished. It is a Roll of Honour of the men of the Cotehill district who served, and includes the names of those who made the Supreme Sacrifice.
It tells us this plaque ;-
"Was erected to keep ever in memory, the names of the men of Cotehill who helped to save their country in the Great War 1914-1918".
