Showcase result

Stocksfield

The Stocksfield war memorial is a Celtic Cross on a stone plinth, on a two stepped base. There is a sword in relief on the front of the cross. At the base of the shaft is a bronze plaque inscribed with the names of the men who fell in World War II. The names of those of World War I are below this on the base of the main plinth. On the riser of the step below is a plaque with the inscription “Our Glorious Dead”. The memorial is situated next to Broomley First School.

In 2008 War Memorials Trust gave a grant of £725 towards replacement of the bronze plaque inscribed with the names of the fallen of World War I. The original plaque had been stolen in March 2008; the theft had been investigated by the police, but the case closed. An exact replica was produced and fitted to the memorial and was rededicated on Remembrance Sunday 2008.

The memorial was originally dedicated in February 1921, and was rededicated in November 1946 after the names of the fallen of World War II had been added.

First World War Service personnel named on the plaque

Norman Armitage Arkle
Robert Armstrong
Sidney Bewick
David Bibby
Herbert Nicholas Davidson
John Dolan
John Fairess
Sidney Gibson
John William Greener
Frederick Harvey
John William Hornsby
Colin Smith Kynoch
Grace Kynoch
Joseph Bell Milburn
John Moore
William Todd Moore
John Nevin
Basil Rice Nicholl
John Nixon
John Thomas Pattison
John Laurence Pumphrey
John Joseph Reed
Charles Richardson
Thomas Ridley
Joseph Henry Robson
Benjamin Slack
Frederick Smith
John Gordon Steel
Robert Kingsley Steel
Thomas Edward Stobart
William Batey Tiffin
William Stobart Todd
Charles Noel Turner
John English Urwin
William Veitch
John Walker
James Wright
George Alfred E. Wright
Gerrard Elliot Little

Many of the men on the memorial were members of the Northumberland Fusiliers or the Durham Light Infantry. Over one thousand names on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium are of men from these two regiments, and include the name of Captain David Bibby, who was killed in April 1918. Most of the men commemorated at Ploegsteert were killed during the trench warfare that lasted for four years in this area, or during battles that supported the major offensives.

Two of the names on the Stocksfield memorial were of brothers; Robert Kingsley Steel and his younger brother John Gordon Steel. Lieutenant Steel, the older brother, was killed in May 1915. A fellow soldier wrote to Lieutenant Steel’s parents after his death to tell them how their son had marched through Ypres while it was being shelled and had raised morale by encouraging the singing of “Tipperary”. Later that evening he gave his own blanket to three of his men who were without, and himself rested uncovered on the wet ground. He died trying to save a wounded man. Almost exactly two years later his younger brother Second Lieutenant Steel was killed. He is buried in Old Jesmond Cemetery, Newcastle.

William Batey Tiffin, who is also remembered on this memorial, was the holder of the Military Medal, a decoration given to members of the army below commissioned rank for bravery in battle on land. Lance Serjeant Tiffin died in March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM387
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 34267

“A Pleasant Retreat” Robert Browell and Dennis Harding, 2000
North East War Memorials Project S56.03

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

Return to search results | Start a new search