HINXTON WAR MEMORIAL

Detailed information for World War 1 & 2
Compiled and copyright © 2001 Dave Edwards

This memorial is a cross at the junction of the High Street and Church Green in the centre of the village. It takes the form of a single-stepped, tapering plinth with shaft bearing a Celtic cross. There are eight names listed for World War 1 and four for World War 2.

Extract from Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 16 January 1920, page 12:

HINXTON.

WAR MEMORIAL.— A public meeting was held in the Schoolroom last Friday evening , to choose a site and design for the war memorial. Mr. C. L. P. Robinson was in the chair. The secretary, Mr. H. B. Beales, said he was sorry to see such a poor attendance; it was probably due to the short notice given. On a proposition being put, it was agreed by those present that it was considered a representative gathering, and so the business proceeded. The Chairman called upon the hon. treasurer (Mr. A. S. Shrubbs) for his report, which was read out, showing the sum of nearly £110 (received or promised). This was considered satisfactory. It decided that the memorial should occupy the site on the Church Green, at the junction of High-street and Church-walk; also that a Celtic cross in Cornish granite, with the names of the fallen men of the village duly inscribed thereon, should form the memorial. The tracing No. 1 was selected. The Chairman kindly offered to allow his estate workmen to get out the foundations and do the haulage at his expense. The secretary was requested to put the order through at once to the contractors, Messrs. Whitehead and Day, of Saffron Walden. A vote of thanks to the Chairman for presiding concluded the business of the evening.

From an old postcard

ANDREWS	David	Private 24786, 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, killed in action 15/10/1916, age 29, commemorated: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Born Hinxton, enlisted Cambridge. Son of Elias Andrews, of The Cottage, Sawston, Cambs; husband of Hilda Andrews, of Hinxton Grange Lodge, Great Chesterford, Essex.
BARTON	Edward Stanley	Private 20026, 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, killedd in action 28/4/1917, age 30, commemorated: ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Born Hinxton, enlisted Sawston. Son of Charles Barton, of Hinxton, Great Chesterford; husband of Winifred Wisbey (formerly Barton), of 9, Hinxton, Great Chesterford, Essex.
BILLETT	Percy	Private S/40290, 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Killed in action 15/9/1916 in France & Flanders. Born Inkston, Cambridgeshire (Hinxton), enlisted Cricklewood. Age 21. Son of Mary Eve Billett, of 16, Gainsborough Drive, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, and the late Henry J. Billett. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
CAGE	James	Lance Corporal. 50893, 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment, killed in action 19/4/1918, age 25, buried: QUESNOY FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Born Chevington, Suffolk, enlisted Sawston, Cambs., resident Great Chesterford, Essex. Son of James and Sarah Cage, of 19, North End, Hinxton, Great Chesterford, Essex. Formerly 28080, Norfolk Regiment. Extract from Cambridge Daily News - Friday 10 May 1918, page 4: HINXTON. LANCE-CORPL. JAMES CAGE.—Mr. and Mrs. James Cage, of Hinxton, have received information from the War Office that their son, Lance-Corpl. James Cage, of the Manchester Regiment, was killed in action on April 19th. Much sympathy is felt for the parents, who a few weeks ago lost another son, WilliamCGage, who died after a few days’ illness.
GINGELL	James Stanley	Private 1751, Hertfordshire Yeomanry, died of wounds at sea 27/8/1915, commemorated: HELLES MEMORIAL, Turkey. Born High Laver, Ongar, Essex, enlisted Hertford, resident Great Chesterford, Essex.
HOWLETT	George	Private G/24520, 23rd Battalion,, Middlesex Regiment, killed in action 31/7/1917, commemorated: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Howlett; husband of Ethel Mary Howlett, of Limes Farm, Landbeach, Cambs. Enlisted Saffron Walden, Essex, resident Hinton (Hinxton), Cambs.
RICKETT	George	Probably: Private George Chase Ricketts, 700600, 4/3rd Battalion, Manitoba Regiment (Canada), died 1/10/1918, age 25. Born 5 January 1893 in Swaston, Cambridgeshire. Son of Tom and Isabella Ricketts of Sawston. Buried: Mill Switch British Cemetery, France. The younger of two brothers who emigrated to Canada (see also Sawston). Salesman by trade. Attested 30 August 1915 in Winnipeg, Canada, aged 22 years 7 months, height 5 feet 7½ inches, chest 34 inches, ruddy complexion, brown eyes, light brown hair, religious denomination Prebyterian. National Archives of Canada Accession Reference: Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8262 - 45
SEARLE	Horace Edward	Gunner 2nd Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, died of wounds 14/11/1914, age 19, buried: WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Son of Henry Edgar and Emma Searle, of Hinxton, Gt. Chesterford, Essex. Born Chesterford, enlisted Woolwich, Kent, resident Great Chesterford, Essex.
Their name liveth for evermore 1939 – 1945
HARRIS	Harry James Marshall	Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force, died 10/9/1945, age 22. Buried: HINXTON (S.S. MARY AND JOHN) CHURCHYARD, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Son of Edmund Mercer Harris and Hilda Harris, of Hinxton. See also Sawston Village College
JONES	Warren Melvill	Warren was the first son of Professor Sir Melvill Jones, then resident at the Old Parsonage, Hinxtonk, where the family grew up over the course of some 25 years. Just prior to the war Warren was a member of a formal flying training program (was it the Air Cadets). Consequently, on war declaration in September 1939 he was immediately drafted into the RAF to begin serious operational crew training. His primary training was on Tiger Moths, leading on to Oxfords and then to operational aircraft, first the Whitley and then Wellingtons. No further information currently available about his time in the RAF or his death although he is believed to have been shot down over Mannheim, Germany.
SMALLRIDGE	Edward Charles	Private Royal Army Service Corps, died 28/7/1944, age 33, buried: HINXTON (S.S. MARY AND JOHN) CHURCHYARD, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Son of William and Lillian Smallridge; husband of Florence Emily Smallridge, of Sawston.
WARD	Peter Hallam	Sergeant 755983, 218 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 19/5/1942, age 21, commemorated: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL, Surrey, United Kingdom. Son of Capt. John Hallam Ward and Annie Jane Ward, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand. Histon & Impington

Last updated 18 February, 2022