THE WITTON PARK WAR MEMORIALS
Firstly I should point out that Witton Park is on the banks of the River Wear and not part of the Gaunless Valley but my interest in remembering the fallen of south west Durham has extended to the villages of Witton Park and Escomb.
Secondly, thanks to the NE War Memorials Project and Dale Daniel for providing photos and literature. Dale, Bob Dixon, Helen Morton and myself have been researching the Witton Park & Escomb men and we have found most but 2, namely J. Bell and T. Walton remain elusive. Any information on these men or any others will be gladly accepted.
There are 3 First World War Memorials dedicated to the men from Witton Park:
- The original one previously located in the War Memorial Institute with 67 names, now located in Witton Park cemetery
- St. Paul’s Church (68 names)
- The Memorial Garden near to the Bradfords’ sculpture (68 names)
William Lumley was missed off the original memorial.
Below are images of the various memorials
In alphabetic order, are the names and brief details of the fallen of the First World War. Please click on a name and more information will be found. But first a poem by John Harbron
Heroes All
1914, the month was July
Europe was filled with a loud war cry.
Brothers and husbands, fathers and sons
Shoulder to shoulder, facing bombs and guns.
Bravely they fought, bravely they died
Leaving their families filled with pride.
Now every year in the month of November
Lest we forget, we must remember,
From Witton Park, that village so small,
Sixty Eight Heroes who sacrificed all.
John Harbron 2017
| NAME | REGIMENT | DATE OF DEATH | CEMETERY |
| ANDERSON J. | 10/DLI | 23/01/16 | Essex Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium |
| BELL J. | NOT YET TRACED | ||
| BENISTON A.F. | 15/DLI | 23/10/18 | Amerval Communal Cemetery Extension, Solesmes, France |
| BOWES W | 15/DLI | 06/10/16 | Bishop Auckland (Escomb) Cemetery |
| CAMPION James | 6/DLI | 23/04/17 | Wancourt British Cemetery, France |
| CAMPION John | 10/LIVERPOOL | 28/02/21 | Bishop Auckland (Escomb) Cemetery |
| CASSON J.G. | 3/DLI | 05/07/18 | Bishop Auckland (Escomb) Cemetery |
| CALVERT J.T. | 19/DLI | 18/07/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| CHADWICK J. | MGC | 20/05/19 | Bishop Auckland (Escomb) Cemetery |
| CONLEY T.A. | 10/DLI | 16/09/16 | Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France |
| CREEGAN P. | 177TC RE | 03/06/17 | Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium |
| DOUTHWAITE G. | 12/DLI | 07/10/16 | Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France |
| DOUTHWAITE J.V. | 13/Royal Irish Rifles | 16/08/17 | Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium |
| ELLIOTT R. | 1/6/DLI | 16/09/16 | Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France |
| FAIRHURST T. | 1/6 DLI | 19/10/15 | Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France |
| FITZGERALD J. | 1/6 DLI | 26/10/17 | Cement House Cemetery, Langemarck, Belgium |
| FLYNN H. | 1/Royal Irish Rifles | 05/01/15 | Estaires Communal Cemetery and Extension, France |
| GUY H. | 15/Canadian Infantry CEF | 01/09/18 | Dominion Cemetery, Hendecourt-les-Cagnicourt, France |
| GUY J | 1/KOSB | 17/05/17 | Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines, France |
| GYPP G. | 10/11/Highland LI | 27/08/17 | Tyne Cot Cemetery |
| HALEY F. | 1/6 DLI | 26/04/15 | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
| HEBRON J.W. | 2/YR | 21/10/15 | St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen |
| HOBSON G. | 14/DLI | 23/04/17 | Bethune Town Cemetery |
| HOBSON R.W. | 18/KRRC | 24-28/03/18 | Arras Memorial |
| HOWE T.R. | 10/YR | 26/10/17 | Tyne Cot Memorial |
| HULL J.A. | 13/DLI | 23/09/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| HUMBLE J. | 4/EYR | 17/10/18 | Escomb Cemetery |
| KEMP P.V. | 11/DLI | 31/05/18 | Etaples Military Cemetery, France |
| LINDSAY W.L. | 8/Y&LR | 07/06/17 | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
| LOWES M. | 6/DLI | 08/01/16 | Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Belgium |
| LUMLEY W. | RAMC | 16/12/20 | Crook Cemetery |
| LYNAS R. | 15/DLI | 23/08/17 | Croisilles British Cemetery |
| MADDOX J.R. | 16/NF | 13/02/17 | Beaumont-Hamel BC |
| MAHAFFEY J.W. | RASC | 02/12/18 | Valenciennes (St, Roch) C.S. |
| MARTINDALE J.W.P. | 7/Highland L.I. | 25/04/16 | Bishop Auckland (Escomb) Cemetery |
| MARTINDALE T.O. | 1/Sherwood Foresters | 23/09/18 | Terlincthun BC Wimille |
| MAWSON R. | 12/NF | 30/03/17 | Arras Memorial |
| McGUIRE J. | 1/9 DLI | 14/07/15 | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
| METCALFE R.T. | 15/DLI | 02/06/16 | Mericourt-L’Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension |
| MOORE J. | R.G.A. | 1920 | Escomb? |
| MOORE J.P. | 14.DLI | 18/09/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| MURROW A. | 22/DLI | 30/03/18 | St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen |
| NAREY R. | 2/DLI | 22/12/15 | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
| NEWCOMBE J.W. | 14/DLI | 30/03/17 | Bethune Town Cemetery |
| PARKER J. | 6/Gordon Highlanders | 25/03/18 | Arras Memorial |
| PLUMMER E. | 9 & 11/DLI | 1920 Q2 | Escomb? |
| PLUMMER H. | 174TC RE | 05/12/16 | Warloy-Baillon CCE |
| POUNDER W. | 12/DLI | 10/07/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| RACE J.W. | 2/ELR | 23/10/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| RAINE R. | 258TC RE | 15/10/16 | Loos Memorial |
| ROSS A. | 9/WYR | 31/10/15 | Hill 10 Cemetery |
| ROSS J. | 1/NF | 03/01/18 | Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton |
| ROSS W. | 15/DLI | 29/05/18 | Soissons Memorial |
| SAMPLE J.W. | 13/DLI | 13/05/17 | Railway Dugouts Burial Ground |
| SANDERS J.T. | 2/DLI | 21/03/18 | Arras Memorial |
| SCOTT W. | 20/DLI | 31/07/17 | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
| SELBY G.E. | A.V.S | 03/11/19 | Escomb? |
| SIMPSON J. | 12/DLI | 27/10/18 | Giavera Memorial |
| SWINBANK J. | 14/DLI | 07/10/16 | Bishop Auckland (Escomb) Cemetery |
| TAGUE W. | 14/DLI | 28/09/15 | Loos Memorial |
| TAZEY F. | 15/DLI | 16/09/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| UNDERWOOD W. | 1/5 LNLR | 20/09/17 | Tyne Cot Memorial |
| WALTON N.S. | 8/Border R | 05/07/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| WALTON T. | NOT YET TRACED | ||
| WATSON R.L. | 2/DLI | 17/06/17 | Bethune T.C. |
| WELBURY J. | 20(TS)NF | 01/06/16 | Thiepval Memorial |
| WILKINSON J.W. | 11/EYR | 08/09/18 | Pont d’Achelles MC Nieppe |
| YORKE E. | 7/Border R. | 23/04/17 | Arras Memorial |
The Gaunless Valley in World War 1 