My thanks to Stan for taking the photos below for me.
Memorial and plaque
Liberator Memorial on Porlock Marsh
Memorial Plaque listing the names of those who died
Monday 27 June 2016
Liberator Crash Memorial - Porlock Marsh
On 29th October 1942 a US Air Force Liberator plane crashed on Porlock Marsh having clipped the top of Bossington Hill in poor weather conditions: rain and low cloud. There were 12 crew men on board but was only one survivor: Staff Sergeant H B Thorpe. The Liberator, which was working for RAF Coastal Command, had taken off at 7.20 am from Holmsley in Hampshire on a routine U-boat patrol mission over the Bay of Biscay. On its return journey, at about 3.30 pm, it crashed in West Somerset. The memorial was erected by the British Legion in 1945 and was originally situated on the coast at the back of the shingle ridge but was moved inland in 2006, so that people could access it more easily. It is now located on the South West Coast Path at grid reference SS 881 476.
My thanks to Stan for taking the photos below for me.
My thanks to Stan for taking the photos below for me.
Sunday 5 June 2016
Burton Pynsent Monument, Curry Rivel
The Burton Pynsent Monument stands on Troy Hill at the top of a steep slope overlooking the levels of West Sedgemoor to the north. The monument, which is 42 metres high, was designed by Capability Brown for William Pitt the Elder and built by local builder Philip Pear in 1767. It commemorates Sir William Pynsent, who died in 1765. Sir William Pynsent, whose only son had predeceased him, left his Burton estates to William Pitt in his will in gratitude for Pitt's opposition to a government tax on cider in 1763. There is no record of Sir William Pynsent ever having actually met William Pitt.
The monument, which is located 700 metres to the north west of Burton Pynsent House, is also known as the Cider Monument; Parkfield Monument; Burton Steeple or Tower; Pynsent Steeple, Column or Tower. It was built mainly with local stone but was faced with Portland stone. It was restored in the 1990s by the John Paul Getty Trust and English Heritage.
There is a possibly apocryphal story about a cow who walked up the stairs on the inside of the tower three times. On the first two occasions she was coaxed back down but on the third occasion she fell off the viewing platform and was killed. Another version of the story says that the cow only ascended the tower once but it proved impossible to turn her round at the top, so she was killed and decapitated, so she could be brought down in pieces.
Grid reference: ST 376 252
The monument, which is located 700 metres to the north west of Burton Pynsent House, is also known as the Cider Monument; Parkfield Monument; Burton Steeple or Tower; Pynsent Steeple, Column or Tower. It was built mainly with local stone but was faced with Portland stone. It was restored in the 1990s by the John Paul Getty Trust and English Heritage.
There is a possibly apocryphal story about a cow who walked up the stairs on the inside of the tower three times. On the first two occasions she was coaxed back down but on the third occasion she fell off the viewing platform and was killed. Another version of the story says that the cow only ascended the tower once but it proved impossible to turn her round at the top, so she was killed and decapitated, so she could be brought down in pieces.
Grid reference: ST 376 252
Burton Pynsent Monument overlooking West Sedgemoor
Burton Pynsent Monument
Looking upwards
Wednesday 1 June 2016
Hungerford Colston Memorial, Great Breach Wood
Hungerford Colston (what a wonderful name!) was out shooting with a group of his friends in Great Breach Wood/New Hill Wood near the village of Butleigh on October 30th 1852 when he was accidentally shot and killed by one of them. Hungerford Colston was the only son of the Rev William Colston, Rector of West Lydford from 1797 until his death in 1855. A memorial obelisk was erected to Hungerford at the place where he was shot. The inscription on it reads:
"Here fell mortally wounded by the accidental discharge of a gun whilst shooting with some friends 30th October 1852 Hungerford Colston DCL only son of William Hungerford Colston DD Rector of West Lydford. This obelisk is erected by his only sister."
A report of an inquest into Hungerford Colston's death was covered by The Times newspaper on November 8th 1852. He was accidentally shot in the knee by Mr Tudway, who was the MP for Wells, and who had just shot a woodcock and was looking for the dead bird. He did not die immediately but was taken to a nearby house where his leg was amputated by a Mr W.E. Miller of Castle Cary. Hungerford died of blood loss during the operation. Before he did so he absolved Mr Tudway of any blame. The verdict of the inquest was "accidental death".
According to the West Lydford parish register Hungerford Colston's full name was William Hungerford Morris Colston. He was baptised at St Mary's Church in West Lydford in 1817 and was buried there on 5th November 1852 aged 34.
The memorial is deep in the wood but it is adjacent to a public footpath. It was first brought to my attention by a geocache placed close by. The memorial is now part of the Somerset Wildlife Trust's Discovery Trail in Great Breach Wood. When I first visited 12 years ago I think there was more of a clearing around the obelisk.
Great Breach Wood was given to the Somerset Wildlife Trust by its previous owner Colin Trapnell in 1972. On sunny days in the summer butterflies, including silver washed fritillaries, speckled woods, meadow browns, purple hairstreaks and marbled whites, can be seen in the glades and along the rides. Roe deer are present in the wood and more than 600 types of fungi have been recorded. Most of the oak and ash trees in the wood were planted in the 1830s. Copley House once stood in the wood but was demolished at some time before 1900. The wood was also used as an army training camp in the Second World War.
"Here fell mortally wounded by the accidental discharge of a gun whilst shooting with some friends 30th October 1852 Hungerford Colston DCL only son of William Hungerford Colston DD Rector of West Lydford. This obelisk is erected by his only sister."
A report of an inquest into Hungerford Colston's death was covered by The Times newspaper on November 8th 1852. He was accidentally shot in the knee by Mr Tudway, who was the MP for Wells, and who had just shot a woodcock and was looking for the dead bird. He did not die immediately but was taken to a nearby house where his leg was amputated by a Mr W.E. Miller of Castle Cary. Hungerford died of blood loss during the operation. Before he did so he absolved Mr Tudway of any blame. The verdict of the inquest was "accidental death".
According to the West Lydford parish register Hungerford Colston's full name was William Hungerford Morris Colston. He was baptised at St Mary's Church in West Lydford in 1817 and was buried there on 5th November 1852 aged 34.
The memorial is deep in the wood but it is adjacent to a public footpath. It was first brought to my attention by a geocache placed close by. The memorial is now part of the Somerset Wildlife Trust's Discovery Trail in Great Breach Wood. When I first visited 12 years ago I think there was more of a clearing around the obelisk.
Great Breach Wood was given to the Somerset Wildlife Trust by its previous owner Colin Trapnell in 1972. On sunny days in the summer butterflies, including silver washed fritillaries, speckled woods, meadow browns, purple hairstreaks and marbled whites, can be seen in the glades and along the rides. Roe deer are present in the wood and more than 600 types of fungi have been recorded. Most of the oak and ash trees in the wood were planted in the 1830s. Copley House once stood in the wood but was demolished at some time before 1900. The wood was also used as an army training camp in the Second World War.
Hungerford Colston's Memorial Obelisk
The Obelisk in Great Breach Wood
Hungerford Colston's Obelisk
Somerset Wildlife Trust's Discovery Trail
Shot at Dawn - Somerset Light Infantry
In 2006 the 306 British and Commonwealth soldiers who were executed mainly for desertion during the First World War were finally pardoned by the British government. The men who were executed for murder were not pardoned.
In all 3,080 men were sentenced to death under the British Army Act between 4th August 1914 and 31st March 1920. The rationale behind the execution was that it would deter other soldiers from deserting, mutiny, disobedience etc. The first execution by firing squad to be carried out by the British Army in the First World War was on 8th September 1914. 90% of the death sentences were not carried out but 346 men were executed by firing squads.
Before their trials soldiers were offered the assistance of an officer to act as their defending counsel. Not all soldiers accepted the help offered and those that did were assigned officers who were rarely legally qualified or skilled in advocacy work. There were plenty of qualified solicitors and articled clerks in the army but they were rarely called upon to defend the accused soldiers. In many cases the soldiers were clearly suffering from mental collapse or shell shock. Today we would call it post-traumatic stress disorder. However there was an absence of informed medical opinions at the courts martial. Therefore the soldiers cannot be considered to have had fair trials.
The reasons for the death penalty were as follows:
268 for desertion
18 for cowardice
7 for quitting their post
5 for striking a superior officer
5 for disobedience
4 for mutiny
2 for sleeping at their post
2 for casting away arms
At least 37 for murder
Military capital punishment was abolished in 1930 for all offences except mutiny and treachery.
There is a poignant memorial to the soldiers at the National Memorial Arboretum near Alrewas in Staffordshire. There is a post with a name label for each of the 306 executed soldiers arranged in a semi-circle behind the statue of a blindfolded young soldier. The semi-circle is in the style of a Greek theatre and symbolises "tragedy".
The 10ft-high figure is modelled on Private Herbert Burden, of the Northumberland Fusiliers. He lied about his age in order to be allowed to join up and was executed for desertion, aged 17 on 21st July 1915. The memorial was created by Birmingham artist Andy de Comyn and it was unveiled in 2001.
Two members of the Somerset Light Infantry were executed, although neither of them actually came from Somerset:
Private Louis R Phillips
Louis Phillips lived in London but chose to serve with the Somerset Light Infantry. He was sent to France in April 1915 and served near Ypres, where there was heavy fighting. He went missing for 4 days in July the same year. He was sentenced to death by a court martial and was executed in Ypres at 4.20am on 19th August 1915
Private Alfred Leonard Jeffries
Alfred Jeffries, who lived in the St Philip's area of Bristol, enlisted on the outbreak of war in 1914. He was sent to France in May 1915 but was injured shortly afterwards. He was hospitalised in November 1915 suffering from a nervous breakdown. He returned to his regiment in early 1916 but he deserted in August 1916 because he was unable to stand the strain. He was arrested in Le Havre while trying to catch a ferry back to England. His brother Arthur, who was serving in the same battalion, was killed in action in September 1916. Alfred was executed near the village of Penin at 6.10am on 1st November 1916.
Further Reading:
Shot at Dawn: Executions in World War One by authority of the British Army Act: Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes. Wharncliffe Publishing, 1989
In all 3,080 men were sentenced to death under the British Army Act between 4th August 1914 and 31st March 1920. The rationale behind the execution was that it would deter other soldiers from deserting, mutiny, disobedience etc. The first execution by firing squad to be carried out by the British Army in the First World War was on 8th September 1914. 90% of the death sentences were not carried out but 346 men were executed by firing squads.
Before their trials soldiers were offered the assistance of an officer to act as their defending counsel. Not all soldiers accepted the help offered and those that did were assigned officers who were rarely legally qualified or skilled in advocacy work. There were plenty of qualified solicitors and articled clerks in the army but they were rarely called upon to defend the accused soldiers. In many cases the soldiers were clearly suffering from mental collapse or shell shock. Today we would call it post-traumatic stress disorder. However there was an absence of informed medical opinions at the courts martial. Therefore the soldiers cannot be considered to have had fair trials.
The reasons for the death penalty were as follows:
268 for desertion
18 for cowardice
7 for quitting their post
5 for striking a superior officer
5 for disobedience
4 for mutiny
2 for sleeping at their post
2 for casting away arms
At least 37 for murder
Military capital punishment was abolished in 1930 for all offences except mutiny and treachery.
There is a poignant memorial to the soldiers at the National Memorial Arboretum near Alrewas in Staffordshire. There is a post with a name label for each of the 306 executed soldiers arranged in a semi-circle behind the statue of a blindfolded young soldier. The semi-circle is in the style of a Greek theatre and symbolises "tragedy".
The 10ft-high figure is modelled on Private Herbert Burden, of the Northumberland Fusiliers. He lied about his age in order to be allowed to join up and was executed for desertion, aged 17 on 21st July 1915. The memorial was created by Birmingham artist Andy de Comyn and it was unveiled in 2001.
Two members of the Somerset Light Infantry were executed, although neither of them actually came from Somerset:
Private Louis R Phillips
Louis Phillips lived in London but chose to serve with the Somerset Light Infantry. He was sent to France in April 1915 and served near Ypres, where there was heavy fighting. He went missing for 4 days in July the same year. He was sentenced to death by a court martial and was executed in Ypres at 4.20am on 19th August 1915
Private Alfred Leonard Jeffries
Alfred Jeffries, who lived in the St Philip's area of Bristol, enlisted on the outbreak of war in 1914. He was sent to France in May 1915 but was injured shortly afterwards. He was hospitalised in November 1915 suffering from a nervous breakdown. He returned to his regiment in early 1916 but he deserted in August 1916 because he was unable to stand the strain. He was arrested in Le Havre while trying to catch a ferry back to England. His brother Arthur, who was serving in the same battalion, was killed in action in September 1916. Alfred was executed near the village of Penin at 6.10am on 1st November 1916.
Further Reading:
Shot at Dawn: Executions in World War One by authority of the British Army Act: Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes. Wharncliffe Publishing, 1989
Shot At Dawn Memorial
Louis Phillips's post
Alfred L Jeffries's Post