Congleton War Memorial

Congleton's War Memorial is a stone cross set in a small memorial garden. On a wall behind the cross are the names of those from Congleton who fell in the two world wars.

I have managed to link some of the names to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site. There you will be able to find out where the person was laid to rest and information about the battle they fell in. At certain times though, these links will not work. This is due to problems that the CWGC site seems to suffer from.

The memorial is in Lawton Street, Congleton, Cheshire. (pin 1)

The inscription reads:

OUR GLORIOUS DEAD.
In grateful memory
of the men of this borough
who laid down their lives
in the great war
1914 - 1918.

George ARDERN
William F BAILEY
Herbert BAILEY
John J BAILEY
Harold BAILEY: Photograph*
George BAILEY
Walter BALL
Albert BALL: Photograph*
Arthur BALL Chesh R
Arthur BALL Border R
James BARKER
Percy BARKER
John A BARKER
Reginald BARLOW
W Laurence BARLOW: Photograph*
Samuel BARNETT
T Beech BARTON
Frederick O BATE: Photograph*
William C BAYLEY
Ernest BAYLEY
George BICKERTON
Ernest BIRKENSHAW: Photograph*
Emanuel BLEASE: Photograph*
Norman BOFFEY: Photograph*
Moses BOON
James BOON
Frank BOOTH
Zachariah BOOTH
Harold BOSTON: Photograph*
Harold BRAMMER
James F BRATBY
Albert E BRATBY
James BRINDLEY: Photograph*
Herbert BROUGH: Photograph*
Arthur E BROUGH
Amos BROWN
Joseph BUCKLEY
Bertie BUNN
Howard BURGESS
Robert A BURGESS
Peter BURKE: Photograph*
Harry BURSLEM
James CARNEY
Hubert L CARSON
C Graham CARSON MC
Harry CARTER: Photograph*
Ernest CARTLIDGE
James A CARTLIDGE
Walter CAUDWELL
J Bertie CHADDOCK
Fred CHADWICK
Norman CHAMP
A CHARLESWORTH
Norman P CLARK
Walter CLEGG
J Edward COOK
Edward COOK: Photograph*
Enos COPE: Photograph*
Arthur COPESTICK
Harry CORNES
James CUTLER
George DALE
Harry DALE
Harold DALE
Ernest DAVENPORT
James DAVENPORT
Frank DEAN
Harry DEAN
Horace DEAN: Photograph*
Henry R DEAN
Charles DENHAM: Photograph*
Reg. J DEWSBURY
G Stanley DUCKITT
Arthur J DUCKWORTH: Photograph*
George DUCKWORTH
Henry DUFF
Albert EATON
Charles H EATON
John ELKIN
Rowland ELKIN
Richard ESPLEY
John ETCHELLS
William FITZGERALD
George H FLOY: Photograph*
Fred FODEN
Samuel B FODEN
Edwin FOSTER
George FOSTER: Photograph*
Joe FOSTER: Photograph**
James FROST
W Thomas FURNELL
John GALLEY
A GALLIMORE DCM: Photograph*
Charles GALLIMORE
G Arthur GALLIMORE
Thomas GARDINER
Albert GAUNT
Frank GOODALL
Harry GOODALL
Richard GOODALL: Photograph*
Fredk W GOODWIN: Photograph*
Abraham GREEN: Photograph*
George C GREEN
Ernest GREGORY: Photograph*
Richard HACKNEY: Photograph*
Walter HALL
Frank HALL
James A HAMMOND
Frank HANCOCK
Alfred HANCOCK
Arthur HANCOCK
Edward HARVEY: Photograph*
Arthur HASSALL
John W HASSALL: Photograph*
Peter HENRY
J W HIGGINBOTTOM
James HIGGINBOTTOM
Allan HIGGINS
Joseph HIGGINS
Peter HIGGINS
Thomas HIGGINS
George E HILL
Wallace T HILL
Harold HODGKINSON
Percy HOLLINSHEAD
Willie HOLLAND
Charles W HOLLAND
Harry HORTON MM
Peter HORTON
James HOUGH
Walter HOUGH
Herbert R INGLE
Thomas JOHNSON
George W JOHNSON
A Leslie JOHNSON
Roy JOLLEY***
Harry JONES
John JONES
Raymond JONES
William E JONES
William JONES
Frank KEARTON: Photograph*
L Bertram KILBORN: Photograph*
Fred LANCASTER: Photograph*
Arthur LAWTON
James LAWTON
Clarence LEWIN: Photograph*
Arthur LILLEY
John LILLEY: Photograph*
Fred LOMAS
J Edward LUCAS: Photograph*
Harry MacDONALD
John McGARRY MM
John MELLOR: Photograph*
W A MELLOR
Albert MOORES
John F MOORES: Photograph**
William G MORRIS
Jack MOSS: Photograph*
Frank MULLOCK
William MYCOCK: Photograph*
T Ewart NORRIS
William K NORRIS: Photograph*
John NORRIS
Albert OGDEN
Edward OWENS
Norman C OXBORROW
George PARKER
Allan W PAYNE: Photograph*
Issac PEDLEY
James PEMBERTON
Arthur PEMBERTON
Charles POOLE
John F POOLE
Charles E POSTLES
Ben PROCTOR
Edwin PROUDLOVE
E John PULLEN
Percy REDDISH
Frederick RIDGEWAY
Thomas RIDGEWAY
Thomas ROBINSON
Harry ROBINSON
George ROUTLEDGE
Fred SANDBACH: Photograph*
John SCHLANK
William H SHEARD: Photograph*
Martin SHEEN
Walter SHEEHAN
Robert SHENTON
James A SKERRATT
Walter SLATER
J Norman SMITH
William SMITH
Arthur SPROSTON
John SPROSTON
Leonard STARKEY
John H STARKEY
Joseph STOCKTON
David STOCKTON
Frank STUBBS
Thomas L STUBBS
Thomas SUMMERFIELD
Charles SUMNALL
Richard SUMNALL
Frank SWINDELLS
Frank SWIRE
Frank TAGELL
Joseph TAYLOR
William TAYLOR MM
Walter TAYLOR: Photograph*
Harry THOMPSON
Jacob TOMLINSON
Thomas TRUEMAN
Hubert TUNSTALL: Photograph*
Charles TURNER
Frank TURNER
Harry TURNER
Daniel TURNOCK
William A TURNOCK: Photograph*
Albert WARBURTON
Ernest WHALLEY
Herbert WHALLEY
James WHEELDON
Joseph WHITEHURST
Ernest WHITTER
Isaac WILLIAMS
J F Ernest WILLIAMS
Wilfred WILLIAMSON
James WINKLE
Ernest WOOD MM: Photograph*
James WOOD
Thomas WOOTON
William WOOTON
Charles WORRALL: Photograph*
Frank WORRAL
Charles M WORTH
Frederick WRIGHT
George WRIGHT
S Jesse WRIGHT
Isaac WRIGHT
William WRIGHT
James W YATES

1939 - 1942

Stanley J ARMSTRONG
John ASPELL
John F BAILEY
Thomas W BAILEY
Herbert E BANKS
Trevor BANN
Reginald BARLOW
Phyllis BAXTER
Edwin BAYLEY
Jack BERESFORD
Lawrence BETTE
Albert BOOTH
Frederick BRATT
Arthur BROUGH
Dennis BROWN
John BROWN
Sydney J BUNCH
George BURGHAM
Robert BURNS
Alfred BUXTON
Thomas CAMPBELL
William D CAMPBELL
George CHAMP
Clement COOK
Reginald COPE
Arnold CROSS
Ronald CROSS
John S CUNLIFFE
Harold DALE
Elsie M DAVIES
Harry DAVIES
Harry DEAN
George DERBYSHIRE
Jesse DOOLEY
Harold DUCKWORTH
Reginald DUTTON
Kenneth C EAGLAND
Albert W ECCLES
Leonard G EDWARDS
Denis FARRALL
Reginald FARRALL
Harry FINDLOW
James L FINNEY
Norman E FODEN
Norman FORSTER
Sidney GAUNT
Fred HACKNEY
Jesse HANCOCK
William F HARROP
Bert HIGGINS
John T HIGGINS
Roland HILL
Raymond HOLLOWOOD
Arthur HORTON
Frank HULME
George H HULME
Donald W JOLLIFFE
Wallace E JONES
Robert W KELSALL
William A LANCASTER
Robert LILLEY
Thomas LILLEY
Jack LIMEBURNER
Arthur D MACHIN
James A MANDLEY
Arnold McDONALD
John W MINSHULL
Stanley MITCHELL
Wilfred MOSS
John MOULD
James H NADEN
Leonard J NEALE
Frank P NIGHTINGALE
Jack PATTEN
Frank PICKFORD
Arthur POINTON
James PRYOR
William S RATCLIFFE
Clifford ROBINSON
George SANDBACH
Cyril SHAW
Jack SHERRATT
Frank SIMS
Noel SKERRATT
Herbert SLACK
Samuel E SLANEY
Gordon SMITH
Walter D SMITH
Thomas M SNELSON
Wilfred SPARE
Stanley M SPURR
E John SQUIBB
Eric STUBBS
Frank STUBBS
Frank TAGELL
Harry THORLEY
Samuel THORLEY
George TIMMS
Jack TITTLER
Jacob TOMLINSON
Leonard VAN ROY
William W WALLACE
Frank WHITBY
Frank WILLIAMSON
John WINNINGTON
Harold WOOD
Ronald YATES

On the memorial there is also the following inscriptions.

In memory of the men of the Royal Netherlands Brigade Princess Irene.
Formed in Congleton in 1940, who lost their lives in the second world war.

Corporal Douglas Swindells MM
Special Air Services Regiment
Killed in action
Oman 1958

* Extra details and photographs kindly provided by Mr. Andy Barton

** Extra details and photographs kindly provided by Mr. T. Brooke

*** Extra details and link kindly provided by Mr. A. Jolley

I was recently contacted by Mr. Ian Bullock Lt Commander Royal Yachts Muscat. He informed me that he has a photograph of Corporal Swindells final resting place as well as photographs of the cemetery as well. He subsequently emailed these pictures to me and with his kind permission I can now publish them. He also provided the following extra information.

The Christian cemetery where Douglas Swindells is buried is called Shaikh Jabber Cove; an isolated location only accessible by boat. It lies approximately one mile east of old Muscat here in Oman and consists of a sloping, stony beach surrounded by barren hills. Google Earth coordinates are 23° 36’ 34.45” North 58° 35’ 57.89” East.  It is often called the “New Cemetery” although the last burial there was (I think) 1971 with the earliest burial being circa 1910. The white painted graves can clearly be seen on Google Earth.

The “old cemetery” lies in a similar cove (called Sa’Ali Cove) just north of the “new cemetery”. The earliest remaining graves in this one date from 1881 but it was probably in use before then. It is the resting place mainly of sailors who died here on visiting ships over the years.  Enclosed a photo of this cove taken in 1971 (I don’t know who took this, it was passed to me by a friend). It provides an impression of what the local terrain is like.

I last visited the cemeteries in 2002 so the photos date from then. I will try and arrange a visit and take some more photos over the next few months. I work at the Royal Yacht headquarters, which is located in old Muscat, not far (by boat) from the cemeteries.

Sadly time, the elements (and probably some vandalism) has taken its toll and many of the original old headstones have weathered or been broken. The replacements are designed to last a little longer but have less charm than the originals. This cemetery is no longer used for Christian burials here nowadays; another cemetery called Mina Al Fahal (PDO) is the official designated burial ground.
 
I am trying to gather information on all the people who have been buried in these old cemeteries over the years as I have an interest in history, particularly of Oman. I am happy to answer any other queries you or the Swindells family may have. I would also be pleased to receive any further information you may hold on Corporal Swindells.

Corporal Swindells grave
The New Cemetery from the sea
The New Cemetery from the sea 1
The New Cemetery
The New Cemetery 1
The New Cemetery 2
The New Cemetery 3
The Old Cemetery

I cannot be sure that these links to the CWGC are totally accurate with the limited information that I have at present. If you know of any discrepancies in the data or are able to add to any missing information please contact me. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission site hold the copyright of all information on its pages. Further details can be found here: Legal Notice

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