The War Memorial

Undated War Memorial High Street TUCK BGHM4
[BGHM.4.] “The Memorial and Village, Bassingham” (Raphael Tuck, c1942)
Situated at the junction of the southern end of the High Street, Newark Road and Lincoln Road, the village war memorial is an obelisk which was unveiled in 1920 by Col. E. Royds M.P., and the mason who fashioned it, Mr. J. Boulton. Made of red Aberdeen granite, standing 12ft 10in high on a 2ft 10in square plinth, the memorial came at a cost to the village of £211-15s-0d (£211.75).

Upon the plinth are inscribed, in raised lead letters, the names of the twenty-two village men who gave their lives in the Great War, and to which have been added seven more who were lost in the Second World War. The wording is as follows:

“TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN OF BASSINGHAM WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918. ALSO A TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SERVED THEIR KING AND COUNTRY AND RETURNED.”
“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN.”
“ALSO IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL IN WORLD WAR II 1939 -1945.”

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Those names (and regimental details) are:

W. ANSELL, LINCS. REGT.    A. DALTON, LINCS. REGT.    E. DALTON, NOTTS & DERBYS.
J.T. DALTON, GLOS. REGT.    J. ELSAM, R.G.A. (ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY)
A. GRANTHAM, LINCS. REGT.    F. GRANTHAM, LINCS. REGT.    B. GRAVES, HUSSARS.
E. GRAVES, COLDSTREAMS.    L. HEATON, LINCS. REGT.    A. JESSOP, LINCS. REGT.

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T. KNIGHT, SHERWOODS    J. MARTIN, LINCS. REGT.    W. MATTHEWS, LINCS. REGT.
F. NORTON, N. STAFFS.    J. NORTON, LINCS. REGT.     A. REVILL, LINCS. REGT.
W. SALMONS, LINCS. REGT.    F. SEWARDS, N. STAFFS.     C. SINGLETON, LINCS. REGT.
W. TALBOT, LINCS. REGT.    T. WILLIS, LINCS. REGT.

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1939-1945
J. CLARKE, LINCS. REGT.    B. GRAVES, R.N.    A.E. METTAM, LINCS. REGT.

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S. RODGERS, R.N.    F. METTAM, LINCS. REGT.    N.M. WESCOMBE, R.N.    J. WINN, R.A.F.

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Finally, Ralph Perkins’ blacksmith’s shop once occupied this site and rumour has it that it was from here that the “Great Fire of Bassingham” spread in 1664.

In addition, there seems to be a memorial plaque inside the Wesleyan Chapel on the High Street. I have not been able to view/verify this but, apparently, the inscription reads as follows:

“To the Glory of God and the imperishable memory of those who fell and in honour of others connected with this Sunday School who served King and Country in the Great War 1914-1918”

Fallen: E. DALTON; B. GRAVES; E. GRAVES; L. HEATON; W. TALBOT; F. NORTON; J. NORTON; T. WILLIS; J. ELSAM; J.T. DALTON; F. SEWARDS; A. DALTON

Served: W.E. JOHNSON; W. PETCH; E. HOLMES; H. TALBOT; A. DALTON; F. WILKINSON; G.H. WATTAM; G.P. BUTLER; S. POWDRILL; W. HARRIS; A. WOODCOCK; H. CROSSLEY; J. ATKINSON; G.W. NORTON; H. ASH; S. DALTON; J. NORTON; A.H. WILLIS; W. BROCKLESBY; S. BATES; F. HART; A.H. DALTON; R. ATKINSON; H. WORSDALL; G. HARRIS; H.P. BUTLER; W. WORSDALL; W. ATKINSON; L. NORTON; H. BROCKLESBY; H. HARRIS; A. WILKINSON; C. WOODCOCK; W.E. HEWSON; H. ATKINSON; E.H. POUCHER

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