After the Second World War it was decided to revamp the War Memorial in the church to include the fallen of that War. The Deacons Meeting of November 1948 suggested the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Sunday at the evening service, the morning service to contain two minutes silence at 11am with a bugle played by a BB Officer: The wreath laying to include one from the Church Secretary.
The Deacons Meeting of November 1949 recommended the laying of wreaths at the foot of the War Memorial on Armistice Sunday.
The Deacons Meeting of May 1950 reads:
“Resulting from inquiries, it was found that the present memorial was constructed by the brother of the late Rev Gray, and that the lettering was the work of Mr A Hudson. Mr Sweetman suggested that wings or leaves be constructed to match the present memorial and that the expert from Memorial Hall was to be called on for advice.”
The Church Meeting minute of July 1950 reads:
“In the case of the War Memorial it was unanimously agreed that the names of the fallen only should be shown. The present memorial be cleaned and re-polished, the names arranged on the side panels and the centre an appropriate verse. The whole to be completed for November.”
On the 30th October 1950 It was Agreed at the Deacons Meeting that the War Memorial in its new form with the names of the ‘fallen’ only be unveiled with due ceremony. This was done in November 1950 when the reworded War Memorial was unveiled at the evening service.
The names listed are:
| 1914 – 1918 | 1939 – 1945 |
| Albert Bennett (aged 23,Cycle Maker) | George Butcher (aged 27) |
| Ronald Bennett (aged 20, Law Clerk) | Ernest Edwards (aged 26) |
| Malcolm Bruce (aged 29) | Ernest Tatt (aged 21) |
| Frederick Cordell (aged 19) | Ronald Trussell (aged 17 on SS WC Teagle) |
| J T Farmer (aged 19) | Aubrey Warlow (aged 23 on HMS Penelope) |
| George Hollyer | Ronald Webking |
| Walter Hopper (aged 19, Telephone Improver) | |
| Reginald Green | |
| Horace Hawkins (aged 19) | |
| Arthur Isted (aged 23) | |
| Harold Keer (Milk Carrier) | |
| WH Langley (aged 34, Bank Clerk) | |
| Captain 2nd Enfield Boys’ Brigade | |
| Charles Linger | |
| James McHattie (aged 25, Optician Assistant) | |
| Arthur Morricey | |
| Horace Moses (aged 22, Greengrocer) | |
| Thomas Payne | |
| Albert Pearson | |
| Albert Porter (aged 21) | |
| William Rook | |
| John Sear (aged 23, Layer On) | |
| Sidney Thompson (aged 21, Cabinet Maker) |
It is believed that all the men who died in WW1 were connected with to our Boys’ Brigade Company.
A search of the Commonwealth War Graves website has found most of those who fell in WW1 lived close to the church in the 1911 census and piecing together their lives in the context of family life is a salutary experience.
Sylvia Page, 27th February 2011