Information about Grove
War Memorial – Introduction
Have you ever wondered who those people that are commemorated on a war memorial were? Where they lived? What they did? Where they died?
In this era of anniversaries and before those who lived and perhaps fought in the wars die along with their memories, the Parish Council decided to investigate and try to answer these questions. By so doing part of the social history of the village was discovered and some family questions answered.
However, there is a flaw in that only those who died are researched but the survivors are not. Both groups fought for our country and should not be forgotten.
Perhaps when people read this they can add or correct the text, so that this is a living document.
The Council’s thanks go to Trevor Hancock for all his research and to John Hill for the photographs. Wherever possible we have used birth, marriage and death certificates to verify information, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) website for details of memorials, Grove Parish Church records held at Berkshire Records Office at Reading, Grove Parish Council records held at Oxfordshire History Society. Other references are shown under each person.
We repeat the Kohima Epitaph which is the epitaph carved on the Memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery of Kohima (North-East India). It reads:
‘When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.’
The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875-1958), and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides to honour the Greeks who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC.
It is appropriate for all people of all ages at all times.
June Stock
Chair of Grove Parish Council
7 December 2020