The following is a brief description of the War Memorial which commemorates the dead of two World Wars situated in the village of KEELBY, with details of those commemorated thereon.
Personal details are drawn from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission ( CWGC) and from ‘Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 -1919 Vol 15.
The memorial stands on a grassy triangle of land at the junction of Broadway and Manor Street, opposite the Village Hall and sports area. It comprises an ornate column bearing a stylized cross, the whole standing on a stepped plinth. This is located within a graveled area surrounded by an wrought iron fence. All four sides are inscribed in black capitals. Commencing with the west side –
THIS MEMORIAL
WAS ERECTED
BY THE INHABITANTS
OF KEELBY
IN GRATEFULL MEMORY
OF THE MEN
WHO FOUGHT IN THE
GREAT WAR
1914 – 1918
‘THEIR DEEDS LIVE
FOR EVERYONE
The lower part of the plinth on this side bears the following inscription in reference to the Second World War.
1939 – 1945
L/Bdr T E HILL RA
Pte T H RODGERS RASC
Sqn Ldr S A SOMERSCALES RAF DFC
South side
1914 – 1918
Lieut J E H HILTON RFA
Serg A J BROWN Lincs Regt
Guardsman S O WALKLEY Grenadiers
Pte A F JACKSON Kings Own Lancs Regt
Pte H P JOHNSON Lincs Regt
Pte C NEWMARCH Somerset Lt Inf
Pte A OVERTON Sherwood Forresters
Pte H PARKER Lincs Regt
Pte A REED Notts & Derby Regt
Pte J W STAMP 4th Canadian Regt
Pte W J WRIGHT Lincs Regt
East side
GLORIOUS THEIR FATE
SPLENDID THEIR DOOM
THEIR TOMB AN ALTAR
HONOUR THEM…
WEEP NOT
GIVE THEM PRAISE
NOT PITY
North side
ALSO
IN MEMORY OF
Corp A THOMPSON RE
Bombardier E SKINNER RFA
Pte C H PLASKITT Lincs Regt
Pte F ABEY RFA
WHO DIED FROM THE
EFFECTS OF ACTIVE SERVICE
AND OF
ANNIE and DOROTHY LANCASTER
OF THE MANOR
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
THROUGH THE TORPEDOING
OF THE LUSITANIA
7th May 1915
1914 – 1918
J.E.H. HILTON
Lieut J E H HILTON is shown on CWGC records as Gunner 800858 of ‘A’ Battery 295th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J H Hilton of Brereton Avenue, Cleethorpes. He was killed on the 18th April 1918 aged 21 and is buried in the Bienvillers Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
ARTHUR JAMES BROWN
Arthur James BROWN, the husband of Edith Emma Brown of Edward Street, Grimsby served as Sergeant 979 in the 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment,(The Grimsby Chums) and was killed in action on the First day of The Somme (1st July 1916).He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
SIDNEY OSBOURNE WALKLEY
Sidney Osborne WALKLEY, the son of Mr. and Mrs. F Walkley, died aged 22 on the 13th April 1918 whilst serving as Private 30624 with the 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
ARTHUR FREDERICK JACKSON
Arthur Frederick JACKSON was killed on the 14th August 1917 aged 20 whilst serving as Private 27174 with the 1st Battalion Kings Own (Royal Lancaster ) Regiment. He was the son of William Thomas and Ellen Tutty Jackson of Saddlers, Yarborough Street, Keelby. He is buried in the Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, Pas de Calais.
H.P.JOHNSON
H.P.JOHNSON, died on the 18th October 1917 whilst serving as Private 1425 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. He is buried in the Welsh Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.
C. NEMARED
Private C NEMARED has not been further identified.
A E OVERTON
Private 63056 A E OVERTON of the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Forresters) Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, died on the 23rd March 1918 aged 26.He was then son of George William Overton of Manor Street, Kellby and the late Clara Overton. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in the Pas de Calais.
HERBERT PARKER
Private 25238 Herbert PARKER died on the 26th August 1917 whilst serving with the 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. He was then aged 35 and was the son of Thomas and Mary Ann Parker of Little Limber and the husband of Minnie Parker of Keelby. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
ALFRED REED
Alfred REED served as Private 100086 in the 1st Battalion Sherwood Forresters ( Notts and Derby Regiment) and was killed, aged 19, on the 16th June 1918.He was the son of Charles and Susannah Reed of Keelby and is buried in Plaine French National Cemetery, Bas Rhine, Alsace.
WILLIAM STAMP
Private 911350 John William STAMP served with the 46th Canadian Infantry ( Saskatchewan Regiment). He was the son of Sarah Ann and the late William Stamp of Brocklesby and was killed in action on the 5th October 1917 aged 28.He is buried in the Bruay Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais.
WILLIAM JOSEPH WRIGHT
William Joseph WRIGHT served as Private 203881 with the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. He was the son of William H and Mary E Wright of Roxton Farm, Immingham and was killed on the 2nd December 1917 aged 27.He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
A. THOMPSON
Corporal A THOMPSON, Royal Engineers. The CWGC have records on 231 men of this name.
E. SKINNER
Bombardier E Skinner is buried in the churchyard of St Bartholomew, Keelby. He died on the 29th November 1918 after service as Bomb 217389,Royal Field Artillery.
CHARLES PLASKITT
Charles PLASKITT, Private 2961 of the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment, died on the 22nd May 1915 aged 24.he was the son of Charles Richard and Amelia Jane Plaskitt of South Road, Keelby and is buried in St Bartholomew’s churchyard.
F. ABEY
Private F ABEY of the Royal Field Artillery. This man has not been further identified.
1939 – 1945
THOMAS EDWARD HILL
Thomas Edward HILL served as Lance Bombardier 812264 in 38 Battery, 14 Anti – Tank Regiment. The son of John William and Florence Mary Hill and the husband of Ethel him of East Halton he was killed on the 16th May 1940 and is buried in the Esquelines War Cemetery, Tournai.
T.H. RODGERS
Corporal T.99956 T H RODGERS was killed on the 17th June 1940 whilst serving with 1 Base Supply Depot, Royal Army Service Corps. The son of Henry James and Harriett Rodgers of Keelby he was then 21 years of age. He is commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial.
STANLEY ALAN SOMERSCALES
Stanley Alan SOMERSCALES, the son of John and C E Somerscales of Keelby, he served as Squadron Leader 136222 of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 76 Squadron, RAF. Aged 26 he was killed on the….. and is buried in the Maastricht General Cemetery, the Netherlands.
