full report is available here: https://wraysbury.com/home/st-michaels-war-graves/
Did you know that St Michaels Church in Horton has 12 war graves?
I have stumbled into being the village archivist, and this along with my role as a church warden has lead me to do some research and to uncover the stories behind some of the graves…
I created the plan below to help people find the graves, it is taken from the entrance into the graveyard extension
Plan showing Extension Churchyard
War Graves – WW1
- William Henry Oxlade, Private 3651, 3/1st Bucks Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, who died of wounds on 23 July 1916, aged 18. William was the son of James (Isaac James) Oxlade and his wife Rebecca Springle. This grave has a CWGC headstone. Click here for more.
- George Arthur Scott. Private 8150, Bedfordshire Regiment, who died on 9 November 1918. Son of Arthur Edgar Scott, and his wife Mary Ann. His grave is immediately behind that of his brother Edgar but does not have a CWGC headstone as his parents had already added a curb edge to the grave. Click here for more
In the main churchyard there is a memorial, as part of a family grave, to Percival John Barrott, Stoker First Class, who died on HMS Aboukir when it was sunk by submarine U-9 commanded by Lt. Otto Weddigen when part “Live Bait Squadron” on 22 September 1914. Remembered with honour on the Chatham Naval Memorial Click here for more
Also in the main churchyard, on the headstone of his grandparents’ grave, there is a memorial to Reginald Albert Cosson, Private G/1363 of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, who died on 25 January 1915 aged 26. He is also commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial in Pas de Calais, France. He was the only son of William James and Ellen James Cosson and grandson of George and Emily Barker of Horton.
Civilian War Dead – WW1
- Dorothy Moss, aged 16, she was killed in a massive explosion in the Powder Powder Mills in Poyle in April `1915. Her grave is marked with a wooden cross Click here for more
Civilian War Dead – WW2
- Robert Henry Floyd. was killed in an air raid in May 1941 at the LCC Weights and Measures Office, Harper Road, Southwark, the floor collapsed and killed all those who were in the basement. Robert was buried in St Michael’s Churchyard on 16th May.
- William Isaac Challis. Was killed by the bomb dropped on Park Lane Horton in 1941
Five members of the Brown Family were killed by the same bomb on 3 April 1941 at No.2 Park Lane, Horton.
- Mary Elizabeth Brown, aged 47 of 2 Park Lane, Horton, widow of Arthur J W Brown.
- Arthur James William Brown, aged 21, Son of the above Mary Elizabeth Brown.
- Doris Linda May Brown, aged 19, daughter of the above Mary Elizabeth Brown
- Gwendoline Brown, aged 20, daughter of the above Mary Elizabeth Brown.
- Alice May Morris (neé Brown) wife of Leonard W Morris and daughter of the above Mary Elizabeth Brown.
- Hetty Margaret Golledge, aged 13, daughter of the late James Golledge and his wife Harriet. She was living with Mrs Eleanor Trotman at 1 Park Lane, having been evacuated from Stepney.
- William Robert Golledge, aged 6, brother of the above Hetty Golledge
Compiled by Carolyn Wheeler 2023 from various sources
