Roll of Honour - Cornwall

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

MOUNT HAWKE WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Colin Harris 2020

The Mount Hawke memorial is in the grounds of St John the Baptist Church, just inside the graveyard gates. It takes the form of a tall wheel Cross on a rough hewn, square, plinth with a single step; the commemoration is inscribed on the shaft of cross with the names on tablets on the front of plinth and base. There are five names listed for World War 1 and seven names for World War 2.

Details of the World War 2 unveiling appear in the West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser 17 June 1948, page 4:

MEMORIAL UNVEILED
To Mount Hawke's Seven War Dead

The names of seven men (Messrs. Reginald John Barkle. Harold Carter, Ralph Carpenter, Joseph Norman Eslick, George Edgar Pascoe, Alfred John Roy Pearce, and Henry Stephens) from the ecclesiastical parish of Mount Hawke who made the supreme sacrifice in the late war have been inscribed on a block of granite, together with the inscription underneath : “We will remember them.” This has been placed at the base of the fine Cornish granite cross erected at the entrance to the parish churchyard after the First World War as a memorial to four men from the parish who lost their lives in that conflict.

Arrangements for the memorial scheme were in the hands of members of the Parochial Church Council and a committee from the Methodist Church, with Messrs. H. C. Farr and R. A. James as hon. secretaries. Funds were collected in the village and surrounding district by Mrs. Barnett. In the presence of a large and representative gathering, the memorial was unveiled, on Sunday, by Mrs. Greaves and dedicated by the Rev. F. N. Greaves (vicar of Mount Hawke). The singing was led by combined choirs of the Parish and Methodist Churches, under Miss G. Rodda. Members of the men's and women's sections of St. Agnes British Legion attended, under Capt. G. H. Keast. Standard bearers were Mr. H. Mitchell and Mrs. T. V. Trezise and escorts were Messrs. F. G. Olds and W. J. Shrimpton, Mesdames A. L. Harris and Bonython. Others present included Mount Hawke Girl Guides, under Mrs. Greaves; Mount Hawke Red Cross Detachment (Miss Rowe); Messrs. John Berryman (county councillor for the parish of St. Agnes); G. S. Williams, Blackwater (chairman of St. Agnes Parish Council); P. Thomas (representative of Mount Hawke on St Agnes Parish Council and Burial Board); J. S. Repper and E H. P. Whitford (vice-chairman and hon. secretary, respectively, of St. Agnes British Legion). Mr. John Kinsman placed on the memorial a wreath of poppies on behalf of residents of Mount Hawke, and Capt. Keast did so for the British Legion, reciting the Legion vow.

The Rev. E. J. Le Poidevin, St. Agnes (minister of Mount Hawke Methodist Church), in a short address, said they remembered with gratitude the devotion, courage, and self-sacrifice of the men who had given their lives and also those spared to return. He believed it to be a man's duty to be prepared to defend his country in time of danger, though they were all of the same mind in their abhorrence of war and all that it stood for as an act of aggression. The best memorial those of them whose lives had been spared could construct to the memory of their fallen comrades was to re-dedicate themselves to the great principles for which those men had laid down their lives and to devote their energies to the betterment of the world, with justice and equality of opportunity for all. They could best emulate their noble sacrifices by determining to be good Christians.

Mr. K. White sounded " Last Post " and " Reveille."

No photograph currently availabke

THE MEN WERE
VERY GOOD TO US
AND WE WERE NOT HURT
THEY WERE A WALL
UNTO US BOTH BY
NIGHT AND DAY
1 SAM XXV VV 15 & 16

IN REVERED MEMORY
OF

BLACKNEY	William	Private 34906, 1st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Killed in action 31 August 1918. Aged 34. Born Redruth, Cornwall, resident Scorrier, Cornwall, enlisted Truro, Cornwall. Son of the late William and E. Blackney; husband of Ellen Blackney, of Mount Hawke, Truro. In the 1891 census he was aged 7, born Redruth, Cornwall, a scholar, son of William and Ellen Blackney, resident Menagissey, St Agnes, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1901 census he was aged 17, born Redruth, Cornwall, a Farmer's son, son of William and Ellen Blackney, resident Menagissey, St Agnes, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he was aged 27, born Redruth, Cornwall, husband of Ellen and father of William Howard Blackney, a Farmer, resident Mount Hawke, Scorrier, St Agnes, Cornwall. No known grave. Commemorated on VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 6.
ELY	William James	Private 241042, 1st/5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Killed in action 11 April 1918. Born St. Agnes, Cornwall, resident Scorrier, Cornwall, enlisted Redruth, Cornwall. In the 1901 census he was the son of Minnie Ely (a widow), aged 11, born St Agnes, Cornwall, resident Skinners Bottom, St Agnes, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he was the son of Minnie Ely (a widow), aged 21, born St Agnes,, Cornwall, single, a Tin Miner, resident Skinners Bottom, Scorrier, St Agnes, Cornwall. No known grave. Commemorated on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 6.
MANNELL	Eldred Leonard	Sapper 546822, 15th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died on service 22 May 1918. Aged 27. Resident Scorrier, Cornwall, enlisted Chelsea, Middlesex. In te 1901 census he was aged 10. born Camborne, Cornwall, son of John Henry and Mary Ann Mannell, resident Daniell Street, Kenwyn Urban, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he was the son of John H and Mary Ann Mannell, aged 20, born Camborne, Cornwall, working at home, resident Tywarnhaite, Mount Hawke, Scorrier, St Agnes, Cornwall,. Buried in HERMONVILLE MILITARY CEMETERY, Marne, France. Grave lost. Special Memorial 3.
PRYOR	Herbert	Private 33712, "B" Company, 1st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Killed in action 30 October 1917. Aged 31. Born St. Agnes, Cornwall, resident Scorrier, Cornwall, enlisted Truro, Cornwall. Son of Thomasine Pryor, of Primrose Villa, Skinner's Bottom, Scorrier, Cornwall, and the late John Pryor. In the 1891 census he was the son of John and Thomasine Pryor, aged 4, born St Agnes, Cornwall, a scholar, resident Skinners Bottom, St Agnes, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1901 census he was the son of John and Thomasine Pryor, aged 14, born St Agnes, Cornwall, a Wheelwright, resident Skinners Bottom, St Agnes, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he wass the son of Thomasine Pryor (a widow), aged 24, born Skinners Bottom, Cornwall, a Packer on Ralway, resident Skinners Bottom, Scorrier, St Agnes, Cornwall. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 80 to 82. Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1918: PRYOR Herbert of Skinner's Bottom St. Agnes Cornwall private 1st D.C.L.I. died 3o October 1917 in France Administration Bodmin 12 April to Thomasine Pryor widow. Effects £119 10s. 4d.
RICHARDS	Ernest	Gunner 178500, 139th Siege Battery. Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 7 September 1918. Aged 23. Born and resident St. Agnes, Cornwall, enlisted Spokane, U.S.A. Son of Alexander and Annie Richards, of Wheal Rose, Scorrier, Cornwall. In the 1901 census he was the son of Alexander and Annie M Richards, aged 5, born St Agnes, Cornwall, resident Goonearl Farm, Wheale Rose, St Agnes, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he was the son of Alexander and Annie Richards, aged 15, born St Agnes, Cornwall, a General Labourer, resident Stencoose, Scorrier, St Agnes, Cornwall. Buried in WANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot III. Row D. Grave 13.
WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 18 1939-1945
BARKLE	Reginald John	Private 14878054, 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Died in Greece between 2 and 3 March 1946. Aged 19½. Born and resident Cornwall. Son of John and Beatrice Maud Barkle, of Mount Hawke, Cornwall. Obituary in The West Briton, Thursday 1 March 1951, page 5. Buried in PHALERON WAR CEMETERY, Greece. Plot 20. Row D. Grave 1.
CARPENTER	Ralph	Able Seaman D/JX 163311, H.M.S. Drake, Royal Navy. Died of acute nephritis in Redruth 6 July 1942. Aged 18. Born 18 November 1923 in Newport, Monmouthshire. Son of Archibald and Margaret Carpenter, of Skinner's Bottom. Buried in ST. AGNES (SHORT CROSS) CEMETERY, Cornwall. Unconsecrated Grave 486.
CARTER	Harold	No further information currently
ESLICK	Joseph Norman	Pilot Officer (Wirless Operator/Air Gunner) 106076, 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Killed in action flying out of Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, in an Avro Lancaster I, serial number R5696, on a day raid to Danzig when the aircraft was shot down by flak near the target area during a raid on the U-boat yard at Danzig, crashed in Poland, 11 July 1942. Aged 30. Son of Arthur and Olivia Eslick; husband of Kathleen Clarice Eslick, of Plymouth. Buried in MALBORK COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY, POland. Plot 3. Row B. Collective grave 12-14.
PASCOE	George Edgar	Sergeant (Air Gunner) 1585869, 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Bomber Command). Killed in action flying out of Waltham, Lincolnshire, in an Avro Lancaster III, serial number ED653, when the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter at Bohain-en-Vermandois 13 miles southeast of Cambrai when returning from a raid on Stuttgart 15 April 1943. Aged 20. Native of Mingoose, Mount Hawke, Cornwall. Son of Mr & Mrs B.G. Pascoe, of Mingoose House, Mingoose, Mount Hawke, Cornwall. Buried in BOHAIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Aisne, France. Collective Grave.
PEARCE	Alfred John Roy	Stoker 2nd Class D/KX 97722, H.M.S. Glorious, Royal Navy. Died at sea when the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her two destroyer escorts, H.M.S. Ardent and Acasta were sunk, returning home from Norway, by the German battlecruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, 8 June 1940. Aged 20. Born 6 April 1920 in St. Agnes, Truror, Cornwall. Son of Richard John and Susan Pearce, of Mount Hawke, Cornwall. No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 41, Column 3.
STEPHENS	Henry	No further information currently

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Last updated 25 November, 2024

War Memorials Trust