Bloxwich Remembers

This site is dedicated to those men and women that were called up to in either of the two World Wars. It is also a reference site to those from the area researching their ancesters who served in either or both of our World Wars.

 

The list of service personnel fallen in each war is taken from Bloxwich's Roll of Honour, from analysis of the records held by the Commomwealth War Graves Commission and by any new additions, corrections, provided over the years. For World War 1 additional names were taken from Elmore Green Schools Memorial as recorded in the book "Sorrow into Pride" (with permission from the authors).

 

Whilst it does not claim to be the definitive list, it is the most accurate I have to date, and will continue to be updated

 

The Bloxwich Parish magazine for September 1914 reported the outbreak of World War 1.  Right from the start the Rev Hamilton requested the names of those who joined up  “The Vicar will be pleased to have the names of those that have been called to active service; so that they may be specially mentioned in our prayers.” His view was that it was up to the newspapers to record the events, and we should “direct our people to the great need of earnest prayer to the great Almighty by whom all victories are obtained.”

 

In January 1915 he began a “Roll of Honour” hoping to list those who had joined His Majesty’s Forces from the Parish of Bloxwich, whatever their belief or church.  In February’s magazine he added to the list stating that the numbers had increased to 247 which is “creditable for the Parish of Bloxwich, the population of which is 8,001”.  Vicar Hamilton didn’t record all that enlisted by November 1918, but in 1919 during the Memorial Service to the fallen he said "men from Bloxwich and Blakenall, numbering over 2,000, and as a result of that terrible conflict they now had to mourn the loss of over 250 of them."  That number has increased to over 350 following my research.  Just think of it, a quarter of the population of Bloxwich and Blakenall went to war in one guise or another.  December 1918 magazine announced the Victory, the Vicar said that Bloxwich had flags placed in windows and in other places and streamers were spread across streets.  The Church bells added their cry to the scene driving many to the Parish Church to offer thanks to God.

 

This site seeks to provide a central point to researchers linking into into other sites that will provide further information.

 

The link into the Red Cross World War 1 site provides details of those volunteers from our area who also served.

 

The list of those that enlisted for World War 1 is taken from the Parish Church magazines printed during the war, and from Sue Satterthwaite's book "Walsall Servicemen 1914 - 1918".  Sue wrote a companion book "Walsall People in the Second World War".  Both of these books list those people that were reported in the Walsall Observer during the conflicts.

 

The link into the Imperial War Museum's site, makes use of a project they started to commemorate those who served in World War 1.  They want to collate details of all those that enlisted for the Great War from all available sources.  They started by entering the names from their medal list, and are adding information from other official sorces including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, etc.  Each of us can select servicemen to remember, in the case of this site we are remembering those we have listed.  By doing this we can add information to the official records.  So using information available in the Walsall's Local History Centre, books, from information provided by Graeme Clarke and Sue Satterthwaite, and other sources the information available on their site is being expanded, in many cases adding photographs of men listed.  If you have a relative who served in the First World War and want to add any information then look on the “lives of the First World War” site, or click the link, register, and remember them.

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Since the site has been published I have been contacted by people who have made suggestions, comments and occasionally have supplied information.  Most generous of those contacts is David Jones who has provided names, service numbers and photographs.  David has graciously allowed me to use his information on this site. 

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For the World War 2 servicemen I have linked to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.