Cusop History Group

 Those from Cusop parish who gave their lives in the 1st World War and are remembered on the War memorial tablet for 1914-1918 in Cusop Church.

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2nd Lieutenant Ronald William St. George Cartwright.

Born 1895, killed 26 February 1918, age 23. Served in the 16 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.

Parents - Arthur & Ellen Mabel Cartwright of Rothbury, Cusop.

 

 

 

 

2nd Lieutenant Eric Percival St George Cartwright.

Younger brother of Ronald, born 1897, fell to a sniper’s bullet, being killed instantly, on August 13th 1916, age 19.

Serving in the 4th Battalion Leinster Regiment then the 45th Company of the Machine Gun Corps.  A scholar of Charterhouse he had written a number of poems, one of which he wrote on the eve before going over the top for the last time.

The 4th Battalion Leinster Regiment was an ‘extra reserve’ battalion mainly based in Ireland. The transfer to the newly formed Machine Gun Corps placed Eric in the line of fire at the Somme.

This poem by Lieutenant Eric Cartwright of Rothbury, Cusop was found in his note book after he fell at daybreak on August 13th 1916.

Alphabet of the War

A is for “Archibald” anxious to try conclusions with aeroplanes up in the sky

B is for bombs that can boastfully tell of the numbers of Bosch they have hastened to hell.

C is for Crump that appears to be sent direct at our heads with malignant intent

D, the delight of us all in a ‘dud’ when it strikes on the ground with a confident thud.

E’s the explosion, we bob if discreet but if others can be we remain on our feet

F, Flamenwerfen we don’t want to meet, the war’s hot enough without any more heat.

G is for Gas just despatched by the Hun, but we’re not slow to follow where he has begun.

H are the ‘heavies’ who’s shooting is fine when they strafe his positions behind the front line.

I is for “if” which we frequently use to explain a mistake that we cannot excuse.

J is a Johnson, a very big shell, - there is not much left on the spot where it fell.

K, Kite balloons that are soon on the track of a naughty headquarters that plans some attack.

L is for land-mine that gives us the pip; when we’ve got to crawl forward and lie on the tip.

M, Minenwerfer or “Minnie” for short, - “Miss Minnie’s” advances in vain have I sought,

For all who have wooed her with quivering knees have not arms to enfold her nor lips to appease.

N’s for “Napoo”, the result of above, or the fate of all those who to Minnie make love.

O is the Omnibus, worshipped and blest, when it carried us back to our long deserved rest.

P is for “pip-squeak”, an impudent lout, who entered my dug-out when I was without.

Q is for queue, daily lined up and dressed for the Military Cross to be pinned on their breast.

R is the rifle-grenade in the air, - if I see them descending, I’m not often there,

But with trying to spot them I find pretty quick that my neck has developed a vertical crick.

S is the sniper who aimed at my head, also the sandbag he peppered instead.

T was the time I had to attack, ‘twas the thought that I might not ever come back.

U’s an unwelcome and impudent guest, whose unceasing attentions destroyed my rest.

V is for Vary-light nosing around to discover a ‘party’ prostrate on the ground.

W stands for the whiskey we quaff when we’ve got to go out on the night of a strafe

And W’s water that robs it of heat – If you’ve got any sense, you will swallow it neat.

X is the number of prisoners shown, the number of anything never made known.

Y is the yawn which is hard to conceal, a sign of the boredom you certainly feel –

Z is for Zero, - at five minutes past, I’ve got to go over, so Z is my last.

 

Corporal Arthur F Clarke.

Corporal Arthur Frederick Clarke of Middleton House, Cusop was killed in action on 29th September 1918 aged 37. Served in the Dorset Yeomanry and the Worcester Regiment in Ireland and France and is buried at Pidgeon Ravine Cemetery on the western front in France. Mrs Laura Clarke, (the daughter of Police Sargeant Henry Jones, deceased) married Corporal Clarke on 15th January in 1915 and their son Arthur was born in October 1915.

 In a letter to Mrs Clarke, his chum says that they went over the top together and nothing was heard of him afterwards.

 

 

 

 

Sergeant Herbert Edward Gordon Davies.

Born 1885, killed in action 10 November 1917, age 32.

Served with the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers in France and Flanders.

Husband of Lily Davies of 4 Dulas Terrace, Cusop.

 

Private George G Duggan.

Born 1890, killed in action 26 October 1917, age 27.

Served with the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers in France and Flanders.  Husband of Mrs F L Duggan.

 

Lance Corporal Charles Thomas Roger Jones.

Born in Cusop, age unknown, killed in action 13 April 1918.

Served with the Grenadier Guards in France and Flanders.

 

 

Corporal Gilbert Charles Reynolds.

Born 1897, died 27 October 1918, age 21. Died of pneumonia.

Served with the 1/1st Brecknockshire Battalion South Wales Borderers in India.

Parents – Malcolm & Alice Reynolds, Cooper’s Hall, Cusop.

 

 

 

 

 

Sergeant Fred Hugh John Stephens.

Born 1880, died 2 April 1919, age 38.

Served with the 1/1st Brecknockshire Battalion South Wales Borderers in India.

Parents Alfred & Isabella Stephens, husband of Ada Stephens

 

The memorial plaque in Cusop Church, installed in 1922.