Shotteswell War Memorial
In memory of those who gave their lives in the Two World Wars 1914–1918 and 1939-1945.
The War Years
Digby Starkey & Bramwell Gilbert
PTE. Digby Mounteney Starkey
STARKEY, DIGBY MOUNTENEY
PTE / 11TH BATTN. ROYAL SUSSEX REGT.
Died: 21 March 1918
BIOGRAPHY:
PTE. DIGBY MOUNTENEY STARKEY, 11TH BATTN. ROYAL SUSSEX REGT. KILLED IN ACTION NEAR BELLICOURT, MARCH 21ST, 1918. AGED 31. At the School 1901—3 (Day Boy). D. M. Starkey was the elder son of the Late Frederick St. John Starkey and of Mrs. Starkey, now of Shotteswell, Banbury, Oxon. His mother was a Miss Jephson and is a sister of four O.T.’s…
Memorial Images & Tributes
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE TWO WORLD WARS 1914-1918
Service Medals & Honors
In recognition of their service and sacrifice during the Great War, the soldiers of Shotteswell were awarded various military medals and honors. These decorations commemorate their bravery and dedication to duty. Some of these servicemen were involved in a crash where a Wellington BK261 of 12U broke up and crashed in Shotteswell after a photo-flash exploded in the aircraft. As such we thought it would be appropriate to commemorate their sacrifice here.
GILBERT, Bramwell
Petty Officer Cook (O)
Sunk on the HMS Courageous
Son of James Henry and Bessie Bramwell Gilbert, Shotteswell.
BONEHAM, Walter
Sergeant 273, 1/4th Battalion
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Killed in action 8th May 1915 at Rifle House Cemetery, Belgium.
Son of George and Annie Boneham, Shotteswell.
TUCKEY, Reginald
Lance Corporal
Son of Percy John and Lillian Tuckey, Banbury
PRICKETT, J T
Private
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Son of Ada J Prickett, Shotteswell
NORTON, J F
Private
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Son of Alfred and Elizabeth Norton, Shotteswell
WHITE, Lionel Tom
Trooper
Royal Tank Regiment
PETER, Francis
Sergaent
Royal Air Volunteer Force
Son of Frank Walter and Rosaline Nettleton, Wakefield
HAYNES, J
Private
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
PROFFITT, W J
Sergaent
Crashed off the Belgian Coast
BRISTOW, Henry Syndey William
Sergaent
Royal Air Volunteer Force
CHURCH, Reginald Harry
Sergaent
Royal Air Volunteer Force Reservce
Son of Harry and Nellie Church, Norwich
HAVER, Thomas William
Sergaent
Royal Air Volunteer Force Reservce
Son of Joseph and Susan Haver, Norwich
HILLBERG, Bernard
Sergaent
Royal Air Volunteer Force Reservce
Son of Francis and Gladys Hillberg, Barry
HAYNES, Joseph Harold
Private 19117, 1st Battalion
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Killed in action 23rd September 1916, Mesopotamia.
Commemorated on Basra Memorial, Iraq. No known grave.
STARKEY, Digby Mounteney
Private, 11th Battalion
Royal Sussex Regiment
Killed in action near Bellicourt, 21st March 1918. Aged 31.
Son of the Late Frederick St. John Starkey and Mrs. Starkey of Shotteswell.
“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN
LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”
“These medals stand as tangible reminders of the courage and sacrifice of Shotteswell’s sons who served their country in the Great War.”
Pilot Officer William Proffitt White – WW2
An urgent appeal was launched in 2016 to trace the family of a pilot who went missing during a bombing raid on Berlin in World War Two more than 70 years ago.
Pilot Officer William Proffitt White from Shotteswell in Warwickshire was one of the crew of seven pilots onboard Halifax Bomber LK709 which disappeared in 1944.
A burial ceremony took place in Berlin to remember the three crew members whose bodies were never recovered, including Pilot Officer White. However, the Ministry of Defence was unable to trace his family in order to invite them to the ceremony.
He was the son of Tom W P White and Mary Elizabeth Reading and was one of three children. His brother, Lionel Tom White was also killed during WW2 while serving as a trooper in the Royal Armoured Corps.
The Mission
28 January 1944
The Halifax Bomber failed to return from a bombing raid on Berlin. Since no further news was received, the crew of seven were presumed killed in action.
29 January 1944 – 03:00
Local eyewitnesses remembered seeing a Halifax Bomber being hit by flak and crashing into a lake. The bodies of four of the seven crew members were recovered and buried in Berlin.
1959
German newspapers reported the recovery of the wreckage of a Halifax from a lake in the Eastern Zone of Berlin together with two sets of human remains, which were handed over to British Military authorities. These unidentified remains were buried as “Unknown Airmen” in Berlin.
Unfortunately it has not been possible to actually identify which two airmen are in the grave so the headstone was changed to read “Two Unknown Crew members of Halifax LK709”.
“We know from our records that he was born in Shotteswell, Warwickshire and is commemorated on a marble plaque in the entrance of St. Laurence’s Church in Shotteswell.”
“Unfortunately that’s all we’ve been able to find out about his family and where the trail goes cold. Despite our best efforts we have not been able to trace any family members.”
“After all these years, we would love to be able to trace Pilot Officer White’s family so that they have the opportunity to attend his burial service on 27 April 2016 in Berlin.”
— Nicola Nash, Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre
Last updated: Tuesday 12 April 2016
Bill Tower
TOWER, CHARLES WILLIAM
BIOGRAPHY:
Charles William Tower, known as ‘Toddy’ in the photo, R1 No 19. In January 1945, whilst working on Tamarkan bridge (the Bridge on the River Kwai), night work, Bar Nicholson, 125 AT RA, fell in river and would have been swept away by very fast current running, had not Sgt Toddy Tower, 251/85th Anti-Tank Regt RA, dove in an rescued Nicholson. Bill did not die during the Second World War.
Photographs:
William Boneham
BONEHAM, WILLIAM
Photographs:
Bramwell Gilbert
GILBERT, BRAMWELL
BIOGRAPHY:
Bramwell Gilbert served in both the First and Second World War, he was killed on board the HMS Courageous in 1939, the first ship to be sunk in the Second World War
Photographs:
Related Tributes & Music
James McGowan playing the Bagpipes as a tribute in St Laurence Church
Channel: Shotteswell Village | Duration: 1:01
