Notts Chapter of the Widows Sons decided to do something a little different this year for Remembrance Day. A ride was organized to visit the graves of all the holders of the Victoria Cross that are buried in the County. In total there are nine across six cemeteries. The first was in Warsop in the North of the County and then Oxton, Redhill, Nottingham General, Wilford Hill and finally Stapleford.
A Remembrance Cross was placed at each grave, the citation was read followed by ‘They shall grow not old……’ a moments silence and then ‘When you go Home……’
Those that were remembered were:
Sergeant Robert James BYE 1st Bn, Welsh Guards
Captain Robert (Rupert) SHERBROOKE - Destroyer Flotilla. Arctic Convoy Escort
Sergeant William Henry JOHNSON Sherwood Foresters.
Private Robert HUMPSTON 2nd Bn, The Rifle Brigade (Crimean War)
Private Samual MORLEY 2nd Battalion Military Train (Indian Mutiny)
Corporal Charles Ernest GARFORTH 15th (The King’s) Hussars.
Private John Joseph CAFFREY, 2nd Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment.
Lance Corporal Harry NICHOLLS 3rd Bn, Grenadier Guards.
Lance Corporal Walter Richard PARKER Royal Marines Light Infantry
Private Samuel Morley was, to say the least, a ‘bit of a lad’ during his service. His name appears no less than sixteen times in the Regimental defaulters book. He was court martialled twice and served two terms of imprisonment, being prone to going absent without leave. He was, however, one of the bravest men ever to serve with the British Army.
On our arrival at Oxton Church the Remembrance Service was just coming to a close. We had a chat with the villagers, who were thrilled that we had attended. One of them was actually the Great Granddaughter of Captain Sherbrooke!
