GRID REF: NY32905 54287 Postcode CA5 6LY
St Giles Churchyard, Great Orton
The Memorial to the Fallen of Great Orton is just within the entrance to the churchyard. It is a perpetual reminder of the Great War 1914-18 and commemorates all those from Orton parish who fell serving their country. In April 1920, Rev. Gilbanks convened a meeting to approve the erection of a memorial to the men of Orton who had fallen in the war and to discuss what kind of memorial it should be. Proposals included a brass tablet within the church and a smaller tablet of stone and marble and a ‘big stone’ memorial to be placed in the churchyard.
The latter proposal was carried after a show of hands, with the formation of a committee of nine people to bring the scheme to fruition. On 30th May 1920, the memorial was dedicated by the Bishop of Barrow. He was assisted by Rev. Gilbanks who had been the principal agent in the design and location of the monument and no doubt held it dear to his heart having sent three sons to the war, the eldest, Richard being the first Orton resident to lose his life.
The memorial consists of a pear shaped boulder mounted on a square stone plinth. Affixed to the stone is a large iron cross and an iron plaque on the front, bearing the name, rank and regiment of nine men who fell in battle, together with the date and location of death. Surmounting the plaque is an enamel badge of the Border Regiment (although not all served in that regiment).
At each corner of the plinth stands a large shell case supporting iron chains that surround the monument.
The names of the Fallen inscribed thereon are;-
Lieutenant Richard Parker Gilbanks BA (Trinity Ox). He was 24 on his death on 10th August 1915 and the son of Reverend and Mrs Gilbanks, of Orton Rectory. Carlisle. He was killed in action during the assault at Suvla Bay during the Gallipoli campaign. He served with 6th Bn Border Regiment. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial to the Missing at Gallipoli.
Pte George William Dalzell. George was born at Orton Rigg, Cumberland in 1896, the son of William and Isabella Dalzell, of Field View, Great Orton. He died in a military hospital in Poperinge on 14th December 1915 from wounds received while serving with 7th Bn Border Regiment. He is interred in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
Pte Matthew Dalzell, the brother of George Dalzell, was killed on 18th November 1916 while serving with B Coy of 11th (Lonsdales) Bn Border Regiment. He was 28 years old. He was a casualty of the straggling battles on the Ancre as the Somme offensive drew to its bloody and inconclusive end. Matthew is interred in Waggon Road Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel.
Pte Thomas Gilbertson died of wounds at the age of 20 while serving with 1st Bn Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry. He died on 18th Aug 1916 at No1 Casualty Clearing Station while awaiting evacuation. He is interred in Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas De Calais (North-West of Bethune). He was born in Carlisle, the son of John and Martha Gilbertson, later of 49, Station Road, Wigton.
Pte Joseph Gilbertson was serving with 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers when he was killed in action on 14th April 1918 at the age of 19. He was the younger brother of Pte Thomas Gilbertson. His mother had recently pre-deceased him. He was born at Broomfield, Co Durham, and had also lived for a time at Gretna. Dumfriesshire. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, at Ploegstreet.
Pte George Norman was killed in action in France on 12th Oct 1917 while servng with 1st Bn Otago Regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. His parents were Thomas and Jane Norman, of Bow, at Brough by Sands, near Carlisle. He had emigrated to New Zealand just before war was declared. He was one of the many thousands of young men who travelled far from home and family to seek a new life only to answer the call of the motherland, returning to die in a muddy battlefield in France. He was 27 years of age. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, in the New Zealand Apse.
Pte William Barnes, serving at the time of his death with 151st Coy, Machine Gun Corps, (having previously served with the Border Regiment), died in action on 14th April 1917. He was born in North Shields but had been living at Wreay, near Carlisle. He fell in one of the many battles around the town of Arras. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Bay 10 of the Arras Memorial to the Missing.
Pte Thomas William Pattinson, 20 at the time of his death in action on 23rd July 1917, was the son of Robert and Mrs M Pattinson, of The Flatt, Kirkbampton, near Carlisle. He was born at Bowness-on-Solway and was serving with 6th Bn Border Regiment when he died. The 6th Bn saw action at various times on much of the Western Front. He is interred in La Brique Military Cemetery No 2.
Pte Robert Varty, died in battle on 26th Aug 1918, probably while serving with 7th Bn Border Regiment although the memorial states that he was a Northumberland Fusilier. He was born at Stainton, near Carlisle, and had lived at Silloth. He is interred in Warlencourt Military Cemetery, Pas De Calais.
