Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tuesday, November 2, 2010 20:22 |
Sutton war memorial will feature on Calender News on 11th November 2010
Ladies & Gents, a notice to say that the Sutton-in-Craven war memorial in the village park will feature in a 2.5 minute report on ITV Calender News next Thursday, 11th November at 6.00pm, or somewhere within the 30 minute time slot.
Basically it’s all to do with the name S. Lund who is listed on the memorial from WW1. I tried looking up who he was because I was interested in finding out more about him. However my investigations drew a blank.
So a couple of months ago I posted an inquiry on the ‘Great War Forum’ asking if anyone could shed some light on who S. Lund was, in particular I was confused about the unit he served with which was R.A.M.C. (ATT, R.N.D.). I realized he had served with the Royal Army Medical Corps but couldn’t for the life of me work out why he would have been attached to the Royal Naval Division.
Anyway, the thread attracted over 9,000 individual viewings and 444 replies. The information uncovered on S. Lund was absolutely STAGGERING and it’s difficult to condense it all into a short summary, but I’ll try!
The reason nobody could find any information on Samuel Lund was because he preferred to be known as Harry! He even enlisted into the army under the name Harry Lund.
The investigation on the Great War Forum was going around in circles. Then 4 days after my initial inquiry, a very vigilant member checked out the public tree on Ancestry and spotted a Samuel Lund born at Slippery Ford in 1892, who died on 26th February 1918. His place of death was given as the Bristol Channel.
My immediate gut feeling was “this is him” and of course it was, however we needed to prove it. I needn’t have worried because once we had the makings of a working line of enquiry, the whole investigation took off and became bigger then Ben Hur!
The person who included Samuel Lund on the public tree of Ancestry is called Mona who is Samuel’s great niece. Had she listed him as Harry we would never have been able to solve the mystery. Mona lives at Cowling and will feature on the Calender report next Thursday. She will be attending the Sutton war memorial on Remembrance Day for the first time ever, because she never knew that Harry (Samuel) was listed on the Sutton memorial despite living only 2 or 3 miles away in Cowling all her life.
Harry lived at number 15, West Lane in Sutton and as a youngster he fell off his bicycle and injured himself quite badly. This left him unfit for front-line regimental duties during the Great War, hence he served as a Dispensary Clerk in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
His fate was unfortunately sealed when he was serving on board the British hospital ship Glenart Castle as it left the Bristol Channel on its way to France to pick up wounded and sick soldiers. It was torpedoed by a German submarine at 4.00am on the 26th February 1918. The ship sank in 7 minutes and most of the 206 crew and medical staff perished.
A near by American destroyer (US Parker) came to the rescue and picked up 9 survivors from the freezing water, one of whom was unconscious. This man happened to be Harry Lund. One of the other survivors, Jesse White was too weak and hypothermic to hang onto the rope thrown to him. He drifted into the ships propellers suffering horrific injuries and died on board the ship.
Jesse White was from Southampton and is commemorated on the Tower Hill memorial in London because there is no known grave for him. The Tower Hill memorial commemorates men & women of the Merchant Navy who have no known graves.
Ironically the Harry Lund investigation spawned a new line of enquiry determined to find out where Jesse White was buried, or was he buried at sea?
Sure enough and against all the odds, Fireman Jesse White was discovered buried in an unmarked grave in the Southampton old cemetery together with his 3 month old son who died in 1916. All this information has been forwarded to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Jesse will get now get a CWGC headstone in due course which will be a fitting end to a brave WW1 serviceman who gave his life.
Back to Harry who was unconscious when he was rescued. He was transferred to hospital on land but died the next day. He is buried in Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery. His CWGC head stone reads: 115666 Private H. Lund, Royal Army Medical Corps, 27th February 1918.
Harry’s Death Certificate has been located, despite the name on it referring to “an unknown man”! Cause of death was heart failure. Efforts are now being made to have the General Register Office amend this death certificate to include his full name in view of the fact there is overwhelming and unequivocal evidence proving this death certificate belongs to Harry Lund.
Folks, this is just the tiniest snap-shot of how the Harry Lund story unfolded over a 2 month period. It was an absolute privilege for me to be involved in this investigation, full of twists, turns and revelations. The depth to which my research friends, Andy, Louise, Neil, Ady, Barbara, Robert and a couple of others (known as ‘Go Team Harry’!) went to in order to uncover the facts surrounding Harry Lund was totally phenomenal. So much so it is being featured on the Calender News next Thursday. The full story also has the makings of an intriguing novel (another project sitting in my 'to do' list!)
Webmaster, I wonder if it would be appropriate to include the photographs of Harry Lund on this thread or perhaps in the gallery? thanks. |
Brenda Whitaker was Grime
Queensland Australia
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 04:02 |
What an incredible story Andrew - you are to be congratulated. Thank you for sharing more detail with us. I followed the earlier exchanges that were on this forum and was impressed by the commitment of you and others in establishing what happened - the outcome is great and you should be feeling highly delighted as I am sure you are.
|
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 12:48 |
I had to de-activate this post last week due to a press embargo - it's now back on-line, complete with photos of Harry Lund in the gallery. |
Lynda Blundell nee Phillips
Vancouver, Canada
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 15:57 |
Does anyone know if Samuel (Harry) Lund was married to Nellie Lund (nee Healey) who lived on Main Street? She was my mother's cousin and I believe her husband died during WW 1. She never remarried and lived a long life. As far as I can remember, Nellie had 2 sisters, Doris and Annie Healey. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 20:52 |
Hi Lynda,
Harry could not be found on the 1911 census in any shape or form, he was ‘missing’…..until ‘Go Team Harry’ proved the notion that persistence breaks down resistance! He was eventually found listed as Harry LORD, the enumerator having inked his name in over the penciled original. He was living in Wakefield at the time with his brother John Thomas Lund.
He was still living in Wakefield when he enlisted into the army and was engaged to be married to his fiancé Miss Hilda Severn. After his death in 1918, Harry’s sister Elizabeth Anne kept in contact with the grief stricken Hilda.
The ‘Ancestry Wills section’ shows that Harry named Hilda in his will. However, it was Harry’s brother John Thomas who ended up received the Effects totaling 643 pounds and 4 shillings.
So the Nellie Lund you refer to was not connected to Harry Lund. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Thursday, November 11, 2010 06:07 |
Just to add, this report on Harry Lund is now going to be aired on the ITV Yorkshire Breakfast News at 8.10 am tomorrow (Friday) as well as the Calendar evening news today at 6.00 pm. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Thursday, November 11, 2010 06:45 |
Correction folks, the story will be shown in brief at 8.10am today and again in full tonight between 6.00 - 6.30pm, which means the short version will be on your screens in less than half an hour!
Sorry about the confusion. Emails are flying in and out of my computer furiously the nearer this thing gets and I'm 12,000 miles away from all the action! |
Denis Marshall Pickles
Norfolk
Thursday, November 11, 2010 17:19 |
I have just managed to watch the item on Harry Lund on Yorkshire TV. It was a blurred picture - I usually watch Look East not Calendar, but I saw it all. Your story got great coverage Andrew and you should [probably are!] be very proud of the part you played in uncovering the mystery. |
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Thursday, November 11, 2010 18:47 |
If you're in the UK you can view the clip on the Calendar website at the link below...
Harry Lund clip
ITV blocks access from Internet users outside the UK.
|
Alan Pickles
Bingley
Thursday, November 11, 2010 18:55 |
Paul,
You beat me to it. I missed the actual news report on Calendar but have watched it on line.
Andrew, you have something to be proud of, well done.
|
Carole Lee
Chagford, Devon
Sunday, November 14, 2010 09:48 |
Great story. Its wonderful to know that, a hundred years later, people care enough about the men who gave their lives during the Great War, and to whom we are so indebted, that they are willing to spend time and effort unravelling the stories behind the names on local war memorials to ensure that these soldiers are not forgotten. What a worthwhile endeavour. I watched the Calendar news clip. Well done everyone involved in the search to uncover Pte. Lund's identity and to learn his story. You should be very proud. |
Denis Marshall Pickles
Norfolk
Sunday, November 14, 2010 18:43 |
Andrew,
I surmise that you have been investigating the backgrounds/lives of all the men whose names are inscribed on the Sutton-in-Craven War Memorial. Thanks to your work we are all aware of the story of Harry Lund. Any chance that you might share with us information about the other names you have researched? |
Phil Corp
Sutton
Friday, November 26, 2010 11:30 |
Brilliant story. I find it fascinating and very humbling that athough we refer to 'World Wars' the effect is greatest on small communities. For decades there was a generation of men missing from our villages.
Going off on a tangent, does anyone know why Sutton has a magnificent war memorial but Crosshills & Glusburn don't? |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunday, November 28, 2010 07:08 |
I quite agree with you Phil in that the Sutton war memorial is magnificent.
After the Great War, a local war memorial committee was established around 1920 to raise funds and oversee the design & construction of the war memorial in Sutton park. One of the committee members was Army Officer and Military Cross winner Captain Norman Bairstow Chaffers M.C. who was also one of the Directors of T & M Bairstow’s Mill, Sutton-in-Craven.
Captain Chaffers had suggested they have a statue of a 'stooping soldier' as a memorial. However this proved to be too expensive at £900, as after letters were circulated to all homes in the parish, the local people made donations which amounted to £200, which was £300 less than the committee had hoped for. They did however have some funding (about £400) towards the memorial so they opted for the Great Cross and four bronze panels instead.
On the same committee was Lord Harewood (the Lord Lieutenant) who was involved in arranging for captured German guns to be issued to local villages and towns that requested them as a memento of the Great War, which he did for Sutton in Craven. There are a couple of photos of this German cannon at the bottom of the park near the boating lake in the gallery on this website. Unfortunately the cannon was taken away to be melted down during WW2 to help with the war effort.
As to why Sutton has a magnificent war memorial but Crosshills & Glusburn do not, that’s a very good question. Clearly as you can see from above, cost was a factor. Another reason may have been to do with Parish boundaries. Fallen soldiers from Farnhill, Crosshills and Glusburn are for the most part listed on the Kildwick memorial. Fallen soldiers from Eastburn (fifteen) are listed together on the Steeton memorial, so Eastburn village itself does not have its own memorial either. |
Clerk
Sunday, November 28, 2010 10:58 |
Hi Andrew,
Minutes in 1919, June 24, state land formerly part of two closes called East Field and Higher Stone Haw, an area of 1,08 acres (5237 sq yds), was given by Mr Bairstow in memory of the young men in this Parish and particularly his nephews having come safely through the War.
The same year Ministers, Councillors and others formed a committee, a war memorial was suggested.
A cenotaph was built in a central position in the park. It was made of local stone with three bronze plaques of which are inscribed the names of the dead.
The first service at the cenotaph was held on 19th March, 1921 after it had been unveiled by Col. Bateman of Lyndhurst.
A separate plaque was fitted on the memorial after the 1939-45 war. The unveiling took place on the 30th April 1950 by RM Bateman Esq.
Hope this helps.
|
Denis Marshall Pickles
Norfolk
Sunday, November 28, 2010 14:42 |
So was the 1.08 acres of land donated by Mr Bairstow the area we knew as the Sand Park? If not, where was/is it? Is the land still owned by the village and how is it being used today? |
Clerk
Sunday, November 28, 2010 17:58 |
From what I can make out these are closes of land that make up the Park. This land part of East Field and Higher Stone Haw makes up a part of the Park playing field area. The actual Deed of Gift Indenture is dated 1920. Although this final acquisition of land was incorporated into the park in the early 1920's it is still indicated as a separate field on both the 1921 and 1935 Ordnance Survey maps. |
Clerk
Sunday, November 28, 2010 18:09 |
When I say the Park I mean Sutton Park not the Sand Park. Sorry if I did not make that clear. |
Denis Marshall Pickles
Norfolk
Sunday, November 28, 2010 18:25 |
Yes, you've made that perfectly clear. Thanks. I had no idea that Sutton Park had been developed in two separate phases. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunday, November 28, 2010 21:01 |
Whilst we’re on the subject, a little more information to add to what Clerk has already mentioned from the minutes of the June 24th 1919 Minutes.
The cross and the plinth of the war memorial are made out of sand-stone, with the cross measuring 14 foot in height. The plinth measures 2.6 feet in height, depth and width. The craftsmen were Messrs Wright & Son, Bradford.
I too never realized that Mr Bairstow had donated 1.08 acres of land after WW1 to be added to the existing park. It’s a shame there wasn’t a small plaque unveiled somewhere mentioning this generous donation of land to the community.
Clerk, can I bother you in asking a question please? Going back to the other donation of land called ‘The Acres’ by Ms Emma Hartley. Would there happen to be in existence additional Parish Council minutes detailing the allocation and distribution of these one acre blocks? In other words, who got what and what criterion was used to allocate this land to returning servicemen? Thanks very much, Andrew |
Clerk
Monday, November 29, 2010 11:33 |
I only have information on minutes for the history of the park and then completed minutes from 1990 in the office.
Having looked at information taken to the North Yorkshire County Record Office at Malpas Road, Northallerton it states they hold an Allotment Rent Ledger 1917-1959 and details of the War memorial committee, letters and accounts relating to the War memorial. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Monday, November 29, 2010 19:41 |
No worries Clerk, thanks for checking. One of my Team Harry colleagues will be checking out these Minutes on ‘The Acres’ at Northallerton sometime in January. I’ll report back later with any interesting ‘finds’. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Thursday, December 2, 2010 01:33 |
Clerk, I have one more question if I may. When the Sutton war memorial was unveiled by Col Bateman on 19th March 1921, a pamphlet was produced and presumably distributed to attendees on the day. The pamphlet, of which I have a copy, details the order of the ceremony which included several hymns. It would have been an extremely emotional and poignant ceremony remembering the 40 men from Sutton who laid down their lives for King and country.
Next March will be the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial. My question to you is, how would the Parish Council feel about allowing the pages of this pamphlet to be showcased in the gallery on this website to mark this important anniversary?
Reason I ask is because there are some copyright regulations under ‘The Copyright, designs and Patents Act 1988’ that allows one copy to be made per person for research or private use only. In addition the person making the copy is made to sign a Copyright declaration whereby they will be personally liable for any such infringement of copyright and presumably burned at the stake if they are found to have breached this agreement.
My point is, this amazing war memorial pamphlet is an integral part of Sutton’s military involvement during WW1. It is currently locked away in the archives of the North Yorkshire County Record Office in Northallerton and only sees the light of day if someone is motivated enough to drive all the way to Northallerton to view it and take a personal copy if they so choose.
It would be a wonderful gesture if the Parish Council were to take the view that this historical document is now 89 years old and deserves to be put on show to mark the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial.
Thanks Clerk, I don’t think I have any more questions at present. |
Clerk
Thursday, December 2, 2010 07:55 |
Andrew,
I will put your request to the Parish Council and let you know their decision in due course. |
Clerk
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 09:26 |
Andrew,
I am pleased to inform you that the Parish Council are happy for you to display a copy of the war memorial pamphlet on the village website gallery to mark the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial. |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 20:59 |
Clerk, that is fantastic news and I thank you for taking the time to ask the Parish Council to make a decision on this.
I realize that the Great War happened a long time ago and that not everybody has an interest in this period of British history. However some people do and it is great that this war memorial pamphlet can be showcased in the gallery on this website to mark the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the memorial next March 19th.
40 young Suttoners gave their lives between 1914 - 1918 and part of me wants to thank them for the sacrifice they made.
Thank you once again, kind regards Andrew |
