World War 1 Commemorations

Anzac Day (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) is the most significant commemoration of military casualties in those two countries. This year on April 25th it has its centenary, remembering 100 years since the start of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in what is now Turkey. There will be special events here in the UK, for example at the Cenotaph in London.

In Ellastone, we remember two heroes on April 25th.

In Ellastone Church there is a memorial tablet to Capt. Edward Unwin who lived at the family seat at Wootton Lodge during the post war years. He was awarded the VC on April 25th 1915 as Commanding Officer of the SS River Clyde at the landings at Gallipoli. He was a well-known war hero, so much so that his coloured picture appeared on a cigarette card. You can see this and read about his incredible bravery by typing his name into a computer search engine such as Google.

Not well-known was Arthur Charlesworth. He grew up at Calwich Bank Farm which his mother ran. (She had grown up at Thorswood Farm, Stanton.) Arthur attended Ellastone School but left the area shortly before WW1 to find his way in the world. He went to Canada in 1912, then to New Zealand. He joined the Auckland Infantry and the Gallipoli campaign, but his time in action lasted only 12 hours and he died along with hundreds of others on 25th April 1915. He was mourned locally with the Vicar of the time paying tribute on behalf of the community. He was the first local lad killed in WW1.

You can read the story of Arthur Charlesworth and all the others whose names appear on the Memorial Plaque in St. Peter’s Church and the Ellastone School Roll of Honour in the book “A long way from Ellastone” by Sue Smith and Paul Machen, which is available for £4 from Ellastone Church.