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THORGANBY WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Andrew Dudley-Smith 2014
further research Martin Edwards 2020

The Thorganby war memorial is to be found in St Helen's Church, Main Street, Thorganby, on the south side of the chancel arch behind the lectern. It takes the form of an engraved brass plaque with a Latin Cross at the top centre mounted on a marble backboard with the inscription highlighted in black; the plaque was made by Jones & Willis Ltd. There are 11 names listed with details. The erection of a War memorial was first mentioned in the Minutes of the Parish Council by Cllr. A. Moscrop. He called a special meeting for the whole village to discuss how to proceed.

Thorganby © John E Scurr (WMR-30953)

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE
MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY DURING
THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919

COSSINS Norman Gill
Private 67621, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) posted 3rd Battalion, London Regiment formerly 77478, 89th Training Reserve Battalion. [Memorial states "Died of wounds while a Prisoner of War"] Killed in action 26 October 1917. Aged 19. Born Topcliffe, resident Thorganby, enlisted Selby. Son of Joseph Cossins, of West Cottingwith, York, and the late Emma Mary Cossins. Native of Topcliff, Yorks. In the 1911 census he was aged 12, born Top Cliffe, Yorkshire, at school, son of Joseph and Rachel Cossins, resident Fir Tree House, South Duffield, Selby, Yorkshire. Buried in GENT CITY CEMETERY, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Row B. Grave 13.
DITCHBURN Fred
Bombardier 45039, 77th Small Arms Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery. Died on service in Salonika 26 January 1918. Aged 24. Born and enlisted York. Native of Green Hammerton, York. Son of Christina Annie Ditchburn, of Buckingham House, 35, Bishophill, York, and the late George Ditchburn. In the 1901 census he was aged 7, born Yorkshire, stepson of George and Christina Scaife, resident Cottage, Green Hammerton, Great Ouseburn, Yorkshire. In the 1911 census he was aged 17, born Green Hammerton, Yorkshire, a Horseman on Farm, nephew of Thomas Ditchburn, resident Hessay, Yorkshire. Buried in SALONIKA (LEMBET ROAD) MILITARY CEMETERY, Greece. Grave 1351.
DUNNINGTON-JEFFERSON Wilfrid Mervyn

Second Lieutenant, 7th Battalion attached to 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Killed in action 27 April 1915 [25 April on memorial]. Aged 23. Born 2 April 1892, baptised 1 May 1892 in Bishopthorpe, Yorkshire, son of Mervyn and Louisa Dorothy Dunnington, residemt York. Son of the late Capt. M. Dunnington-Jefferson and Mrs. Dunnington Jefferson, of Thicket Priory, York. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 6 and 8. Also listed on Memorial at St Clement's Church, Scarcroft Road, York.

Extract from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918, Volume 1, page 204:

DUNNINGTON-JEFFERSON, WILFRED MERVYN, 2nd Lieut., 7th, attd. 3rd, Battn. The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt.), yst. s. of the late Capt. Mervyn Dunnington-Jefferson, 33rd Regt., by his wife, Louisa Dorothy (Ashcroft, Old Nunthorpe, York), dau. of the Rev. J. Barry, Rector of Great Smeaton, Yorkshire ; b. at Middlethorpe Hall, York, 2 April, 1892; educ. Radley, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with honours ; entered the Inner Temple, 1912; volunteered on the outbreak of war ; gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 7th Royal Fusiliers, 15 Aug. 1914 ; went to the Front in April, 1915, attd. to the 3rd Battn., and was killed In action at the Second Battle of Ypres, 25 April 1915 ; unm.
His elder brother, Major J. A. Dunnington- Jefferson, is (1916) serving on the Headquarters Staff with the Expeditionary Force in France.

Extract from Bond of Sacrifice - Officers Died in the Great War, Volume 2, page 253:

2nd LIEUTENANT WILFRID MERVYN DUNNINGTON-JEFFERSON 7th (EXTRA RESERVE) attd. 3rd BATTN. THE ROYAL FUSILIERS (CITY OF, LONDON REGT.), the youngest son of the late Captain M. Dunnington - Jefferson, of Thicket Priory, near York, and of Mrs. Dunnington - Jefferson, of Ashcroft, York, was born at Middlethorpe Ball, York, on the 2nd April, 1893.

He was educated at Radley and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with honours. He entered for the Inner Temple, of which he was a member.

2nd Lieutenant Dunnington-Jefferson received his commission in August, 1914. He reached the firing line on the 20th April, 1915, and was wounded on the 125th April, 1915 at the second Battle of Ypres, only five days after his arrival. He died next day, and was buried at Gravenstafel.

GOSLEY Leonard Claude
Private 529, 4th Company, Machine Gun Guards formerly 15896, Coldstream Guards. Killed in action 5 December 1917. Aged 22. Born Goodmanham, Yorks, resident Market Weighton Yorks, enlisted Hull, Yorks. Baptised 21 April 1895 in Goodmanham, son of James and Ann Gosley. Son of Mrs. A. Gosley, of Goodmanham Market Weighton, Yorks. In the 1901 census he was aged 6, born Goodmanham, Yorkshire, son of James and Ann Gosley, resident Goodmanham, Pocklington, Yorkshire. Buried in METZ-EN-COUTURE COMMUNAL CEMETERY BRITISH EXTENSION, Pas de Calais, France. Plot II. Row E. Grave 3.
HANLEY Herbert
Private 14506, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Killed in action 16 September 1915 [memorial states 15 September]. Aged 31. Son of James and Hannah Hanley, of Thornaby, Yorks. Attested 4 January 1915. Buried in GUARDS' CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS, Somme, France. Plot XIII. Row K. Grave 7.
LANCASTER John Henry
Private 32811, "D" Company, Depot, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). Died 12 September 1917. Born Thorganby, Yorkshire, 1885. Baptised 19 July 1885 in Thorganby, Yorkshire, resident Thorganby, Yorkshire, son of Eliza Lancaster. Married Maud Mary Arnold 17 September 1915 at Wheldrake, Yorkshire. Resident Middlesbrough. Enlisted 27 November 1916, aged 30 years 6 months, a Gardener by trade, resident Thicket Priory, York, height 5 feet 5¾ inches, weight 110 lbs, chest 36-39 inches, fair complexion, blue eyes, dark hair. Discharged 10 July 1917 as being no longer physically fit for War Service, under King's Regulations, Sickness Para. 392 (xvi), disability chrnoic bronchitis, intended place of residence Thicket Priory, York. Served in France 15 September 1916 to 29 December 1916. Issued Silver War Badge 31 July 1917. Admitted to 31st Ambulance Train 21 December 1916 with a Carbuncle on left shoulder, discharged 21 December 1916. In the 1891 census he was aged 5, born Thorganby, a scholar, grandson of George and Mary Lancaster, resident Village Street, Thorganby, York, Yorkshire. In the 1901 census he was aged 15, born Thorganby, a Domestic garden Labourer, nephew of George Lancaster (a widower), resident Thorganby, Thorganby with West Cottingwith, York, Yorkshire. Buried 15 September 1917 in THORGANBY WITH WEST COTTINGWITH, Yorkshire (East Riding).
MOFFAT William James
Corporal 2838, 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys). Killed in action 23 March 1918. Born Hawick, Roxburgh, resident York, enlisted Edinburgh. Buried in LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL, Somme, France. Plot 9. Row E. Grave 24.
SPENCER Archie
Private 15542, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Missing believed killed in action 15 September 1915. Born and resident Thorganby, Yorks, enlisted Pocklington. In the 1901 census he was aged 5, born Thorganby, Yorkshire, son of Frank and Emmeline Spencer, resident Thorganby Gale, Thorganby, Thorganby with West Cottingwith, York. In the 1911 census he was aged 15, born Thorganby, Yorkshire, son working on farm, son of Frank and Emmeline, Spencer, resident Thorganby Gale York, Thorganby with West Cottingwith, Yorkshire. Attested 20 february 1915. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 7 D and 8 D.
THOMPSON Arthur Ibbotson
Private 20970, 2nd Battalion, King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry). Died from Tuberculosis of the Lung (Pulmonary Tuverculosis) 24 May 1919, originally taken Prisoner of War 17 June 1918, imprisoned Germany. Aged 35. Born Whitgift, Yorkshire. Husband of Emily Mary Thompson, of 13, Aldwarke Rd., Parkgate, Rotherham. Discharged 29 July 1918 at York, under Para 392 (XVI) King's Regulations as no longer fit for War Service, aged 32 years 11 months, height 5 feet 7¼ inches, weight 135 lbs, chest 36-39 inches, fresh complexion, blue eyes, fair har, intended place of residence 13, Aldwark Road, Parkgate, Rotherham, Sawyer by trade.Buried in RAWMARSH (HAUGH ROAD) CEMETERY, Yorkshire. Grave refeence B. "C." 123.
WILSON Arthur
Private 16750, 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment formerly 17414, 11th Reserve Cavalry Regiment. Killed in action in the Balkans 1 September 1918. Aged 30. Born Westcottingwith, Yorks, resident Howdendyke, Yorks, enlisted Hull, Yorks. Son of James S. Wilson, of Cottingwith, Yorks; husband of Mrs. Wilson, of "Glendene," Spaunton, Sinnington, Yorks. Served from Sept, 1914. In the 1891 census he was aged 4, born Thorganby, a scholar, son of James and Eliza Wilson, resident Village Street, Thorganby, York, Yorkshire. In the 1911 census he was aged 14, born Yorkshire, an Ordinary Farm Labourer, son of James and Eliza Wilson, resident West Cottingwith, Thorganby with West Cottingwith, York, Yorkshire. Buried in KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY, Greece. Plot C. Grave 689.
WILSON George Henry
Acting Corporal 45199, 113th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Died of wounds 17 August 1916 [memorial states 19 August]. Aged 26. Born Butterwick, Yorkshire. Son of Thomas Alfred and Jane Wilson of West Cottingwith. In the 1891 census he was newborn, born Butterwick, Yorkshire, son of Jane Wilson, grandson of George and Hannah Johnstone, resident Cottage House, Butterwick, Driffield, Yorkshire. Buried in BRANDHOEK NEW MILITARY CEMETERY NO.3, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot II. Row F. Grave 19.

"MAKE THEM TO BE NUMBERED WITH THY SAINTS
IN GLORY EVERLASTING."

Last updated 16 December, 2020

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