The names on the nine old wooden crosses on the North wall of SS Peter & Paul Church are fading fast. Before the inscriptions disappear altogether, and because much interest has recently been shown in the crosses, I decided to consult the writings of the Revd Thomas Boniface, Vicar of Deddington at the time of the first World War, who never failed to record in the DEDDINGTON DEANERY MAGAZINES the happy news of parishioners returning from the war, but also the sad news of a parishioner’s death in action. Our nine crosses, temporary markers of graves, were probably brought into the Church by relatives of the fallen
when the wooden crosses were replace by beautiful grave stones. Sadly only nine have survived. The visitor to the Church may like to read the names inscribed on the crosses and think of the local sons whose simple memorial has survived in the Parish Church. The inscriptions on the Crosses read as follows:
“PTE L.FRENCH AUSTRALIA 11th Bn A.IF”. Loder French, elder son of Mr & Mrs French enlisted in the Australia infantry while living out there. He was sent with his regiment to the Dardanelles where, after enduring the hardships of that terrible expedition, he contracted enteric fever. He died, after discharge from hospital in Cairo while staying with his parents. He was awarded a military funeral in Deddington Churchyard.
“SPR W.D. HANCOX, RE, died in action on 1st July 1916”. A sapper in the Royal Engineers and the second son of Mr & Mrs David Hancox, he was a bell ringer in the Parish Church and on receipt of the news of his death, the bell which he rang was muffled and tolled. He had been Captain of both the cricket & football clubs.
“SPR A.E.HANCOX RE”. Sapper Edward Hancox, youngest brother of the above was wounded in action on 24th July 1917 and died the same day. He was the third son of Mr & Mrs Hancox to have been killed in the war. Edward’s portrait has been placed with those of his two brothers who, like him were ringers, in the belfry of the Church. (Sadly, the wooden cross of the third brother has not survived in Church. He was W. RUFUS HANCOX who was killed in action on 13th August 1916. He was a Corporal in the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry.)
The name of ALFRED CASTLE is the most difficult to decipher on his old cross. The son of a Clifton family he died of an illness in a Bristol hospital, aged 33, on 17th November 1918.
“PTE B. WHEELER CANADA died on 18th November 916”. Bernard, son of James Wheeler jun., was a resident in Canada for several years where he joined the Army and came to England to serve his King and Country. He died in a military hospital in Kent and was buried in Deddington on 23rd November.
“PTE O.A.J.H. DORE TRAINING RESERVE” died on 6th October 1918. He was the only son of Mr & Mrs Dore and had only recently joined up. He died from pneumonia in a hospital on Salisbury Plain.
“PTE F.TUSTAIN, 1st Bn COLDSTREAM GUARDS” Guardsman F.Tustain was killed in action on 29 September 1916. His brother. Lance Corporal M.J.Tustain was killed in July of the same year, his cross has not survived in Church.
“2nd LIEUTENANT R.P.BULL, 1st Bn NORTHANTS REGIMENT” Ronald Page Bull, killed in action on 1st November 1918 was one of the last local soldiers to die before the end of hostilities. His death was announced in the Deddington Deanery Magazine in December 1918, together with the news of the signing of the Armistice.
Nine Crosses, nine names, nine destinies on which to reflect next time we pass by.
Ruth Johnson
First published 14th April 2002 Deddington News