War Walks the Coronations of King Edward VII, King on the Left Hand Side of the Aisle a Unique George V and King George VI

Home , Church Stretton, Wem

pneumonia 14 March 1915, aged 24. moss both for the local VAD hospital and Opposite Burway House is Coronation 8other troops. Island bearing the oak trees planted at Inside St Laurence Church. War Walks the coronations of King Edward VII, King On the left hand side of the aisle a unique George V and King George VI. and poignant war memorial. It marks the on the Home Front 8 Take death of 2/Lt Guy Barnett, 5th Bn. Attached Longhills Road 1st Bn., Worcestershire Regiment, only son up to the War of Dr & Mrs Barnett MBE. Guy Barnett was Walk 15 Memorial born on 31 July 1890 in Church Stretton. – near the He died on 12 March 1915, aged 24 but top take the his body was never recovered. His parents Church Stretton footpath with bore their loss patching up survivors of the handrails on conflict. This memorial is very special, as your left. his mother made it herself. “Forget not the At the crossing is a ceiling sculpture men of Church depicting St Laurence and his martyrdom Stretton who on a gridiron, dedicated to the memory fought for God King and Country in the of the guests and staff, who were killed in Great War 1914-1919.” When the War was 1968 in a fire at The Hotel. over some 68,000 war memorials were # Coming out of the church turn left erected. Many communities chose the continue along Church Lane to the local churchyard of their C of E church. end. However, other denominations were not Each year the town and Royal British Legion always happy. Sensible Church Stretton mark the family memorials of the War chose this dramatic site overlooking the dead. En route to Cunnery Road Cemetery town from the lower slopes of Bodbury you will pass the library, formerly the town Hill. The memorial is in the form of a school. Headmaster, Mr Butler, who lived in German waiters, Celtic wheel-head cross of Portland stone the adjacent school house, was the church with marble plaques. 51 names from the organist, presiding at St Laurence for 55 First World War appear. It was unveiled by years. He officiated at all services for the Belgian refugees and Major General Deverell and dedicated by Great War dead. He played the organ at the the Bishop of Hereford on 13th October double memorial service for Lt Turnbull 1920. the Kaiser’s brother MD and 2/Lt Guy Barnett, who were killed 9 Return downhill and take Church within days of each other. He would also Street. preside during the service for ‘Mac’, his Alan Brisbourne Passing the Scout Hut where you can see only son, Lt Fred Harold Butler. their Centenary Gates. Lt Butler was the first local scout to be killed in the conflict. www.shropshiresgreatoutdoors.co.uk Opposite the Church was the site of the earlier Church Parish Hall where the women work-parties at the War Work Depot, made dressings using sphagnum C A R D I N G B U M I R W L L A V A L Y L E R O Y A D

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H R Shropshire Council 100049049.2016 War I

L Memorial Y L Church Stretton: German of M. AC Hermans, a Belgian guest of this Council Building. Mijnheer R

waiters, Belgian refugees and town in consequence of the European War.’ Hermans used the Council R B S

O D A W A forge here to make the Gates, O D E LUTW the Kaiser’s brother R R Y X with other ornamental CHE E H RO S S AD S This is a town trail mainly on the works which still adorn the E

level except for a short steep Strettons today. Rectory S A Fire Station Field N D Police climb to the War Memorial. 6 Continue ahead to The F O T R D A49 E A V E E Hotel at the junction with D T N R A U 1 The walk begins on the A49 side E E T O High St. E S L R I Library ON of the railway station: a short stub R M E H E P AV. T AD FORD C O O S AND S W of a road between Church Stretton R H

T U H Supermarket S START Motor Cycles and the car wash of the H A G E C I Applegreen petrol station. H 4 Leave the Park and turn right up Among the early ‘battles of the War’ was Sandford Avenue. When crossing the that between German waiters from here bridge over the railway look down to B5477 at The Hotel here and members of the your right – this is the original station. football club. On their recall to the Kaiser’s Take the short flight of steps down to Reserves, the waiters, fighting a rearguard the road. action, were pursued to the ‘new’ (opened In this period The Hotel accommodated that they were not far wrong. It was this In 1914 the building now entitled Stretton earlier in 1914) station. They made a hasty important civilian, diplomatic and experience which first made me take the Chambers was Essex House. It was loaned departure ‘under fire.’ Once at the Channel, military persons. In July 1911 the German threat of war seriously... » by Mrs Treasure as a hospital. Initially they found the border closed. Word was waiters, (many Army Reservists), had the it served as a First Aid Post for soldiers At the outbreak of war Prinz Heinrich was sent that the waiters might be returning. opportunity to serve Prinz Heinrich von stationed under canvas at Stretton. made C-in-C of the Baltic Fleet. Members An all-night vigil was kept at the station to Preussen, Kaiser Wilhelm’s brother. Prince In December 1914 it became a VAD of the Stretton football team at the greet any returning ‘invaders.’ Henry was taking part in a competition Auxiliary hospital. Casualties from the Queens Head, heeded Kitchener’s call for 2 Return to the A49 and turn left to between the RAC and the Kaiserlicher Western Front began arriving by rail. Dr volunteers. Together with their landlord, the traffic lights. Automobil-Klub. It began in Homburg, Barnett was appointed Medical Officer. they would all join up, thereby depriving Germany and ended in London after a Sympathy for the Belgians at the invasion His wife, Margaret, acted as Commandant their pub of its customers, bringing about circular tour of England and Scotland: over of their neutrality was strong. Two throughout the war and received an MBE its closure. 1,500 miles. The Shropshire leg embraced refugee families were housed in The for her services. Whitchurch, Wem, Shrewsbury, Church 7 We pass up the Burway to the Tower Buildings, which once stood across Stretton and Ludlow. open space ahead. the A49 at the junction with Sandford Avenue. Expenses were met by individual The British won and were presented with On the corner of Longhills Road, Burway donations and fund-raising concerts in a trophy of a young lady with the word House. Formerly home of Dr Barnett, it Church Stretton. ‘Peace’ engraved. Arthur Conan Doyle passed to the Turnbulls. Mr Turnbull, 3 At the traffic lights cross over to the participated. He wrote “as an attempt at an acted as Treasurer for the VAD Hospital until his death in 1917. The large family Recreation Park. entente it was a great failure … war was in the air. Both sides spoke of it. Several of the would entertain the patients with plays and Mijnheer Hermans, the head of one British officers … were unanimous. “The musical concerts. Their son, Lt Derwent Belgian family, was an artisan blacksmith. only thing I want to do with these people Christopher Turnbull, was serving with The Council encouraged him to continue in 5 Return to Sandford Avenue and is to fight them,” said Colonel Holman. It 84th Field Ambulance, RAMC, attached productive work. He made the ornamental turn right. was a deep antagonism on either side. to the 1st Bn Cheshire Regiment. He was shot through the right lung in March 1915 gates at the entrance to the recreation From the corner of Beaumont Road, to They were not only sure of the war, but of whilst attempting to rescue an officer from park. At the unveiling in May 1915, they your right there is a block of flats. They the date. “It will be … after the Kiel Canal no-man’s-land, near Hooge Crater, Ypres. were freshly painted in green and gold, and stand on the site of the Urban District is widened.” The Kiel Canal was finished bore the inscription ‘These gates the work in June, 1914, and war came in August, so He died from his wounds and the onset of