Brookwood Comonwealth War Cemetery

My second visit to Brookwood Commonwealth war cemetery was to find the grave of J A Wilding who was the pilot of a Halifax Bomber that crashed near Wallingford killing him and his Copilot J F Andrews. This time I had a better look around and am still amazed at the number of graves there which a lot seem to be from the first war. These are some of the photo's I took.

This one overlook the Commonwealth graves of Australia, and South Africa and the RAF. The cross and poppy at the top of the page was at it's base.

The Commonwealth war graves looking towards the cross

Looking towards the cross from the RAF memorial, the graves in the foreground are from the RAF though on this occasion I could not visit due to refurbishment of the area.

The RAF memorial

RAF Emblem on the memorial top.



                                                                  

In the cemetery you can see Polish and Czechoslovakian graves. 

  A French area and an Italian one nearby

The American with it's impressive chapel. Nearer the  cemetery entrance you can see  the memorial to those who have no known grave.

  Below is part of the Canadian Cemetery where I went to find J.A.Wilding which is the third grave along

  The grave of  Sargent K.H.Vaughan with a family photo left beside it

 Looking down the Canadian cemetery from the cross

Never knew the Chelsea pensioners were buried here but there is a plot for them as well











These four graves to
A.S.Woolaver
W Marshall
G.A.Jones
T.Gabryelski
are close together and the date of
04/07/1944 on all the graves so I can only assume they all died in the same plane .

On my way out I noticed there was an area with German names on the headstones, many were single but a few like these three were close together, and from the date killed in the Battle of Britain but are still honored in the cemetery with their enemy of the time. They are buried in a place where there are no enemy's.

War has no winners, only losers and every one of the graves I have seen is a lost a loved one. RIP

The American Cemetery Brookwood

The American Cemetery in Brookwood which I came across while waling round the site, like the other parts of the place it is huge.

It looks like a sea of crosses with the chapel as the centerpiece

Inside the chapel the walls are lined with names and the services which were involved.

Many were lost and have no know grave but are listed and remembered here. Though what took me back was that all those in the cemetery are from the First World War

In the center of the chapel the American Eagle is proudly displayed on the floor.

The grave here says

 "Here Rests in Honored Glory An American Solder Known But To God"

I will return to this place for some more photos and a good look round.

Angel's at Night

This was a failed attempt at some more photo's round Cholsey Churchyard




 The is was the first I attempted and one for a future blog I will be writing on Fairmile. I need to work on this picture to get the atmosphere I would like.

This little angel is just as you go in the churchyard on the left and is of a child of 9 who dies in 1917, it has to be one of my favorite memorials, I hope you like her

St John the Baptist Mongewell

St John the Baptist Mongewell  has to be one of my favourite churches and though a ruin the chancel has been kept and made into a chapel which is used a couple of times a year. It is now looked after by the Church Conservation Trust. The photo's were taken at different times of the year as you will see.
A little history from Wikipedia
" The church dates probably from the 12th century. It was remodelled in picturesque Gothick style for Rt. Rev. Shute Barrington late in the 18th century. Barrington was Bishop of Durham and the penultimate with highly exceptional great non-church powers namely by the position being one of Palatinate Prince-Bishop. When he died in 1826, he was buried in the family vault in the church. The church was restored under the direction of the architect Lewis Wyatt in 1880. It was designated a Grade II listed building on 9 February 1959 The church was declared redundant on 1 July 1981 and was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust on 31 July 1985. For access, the keyholder can be found nearby.^"
 This is an updated blog with photos I did not post originally

 At first you would not think anything was amiss with the church

Round the side you see the walls are missing but there are graves in the churchyard still.

Walk along a bit further and you see a small apes chapel off to the North












The entrance to the chapel is on the south side through the doorway you see on the right, ahead you can see the entrance to the chapel in the old Chancel

 Looking West from the Chapel door you see the belltower ahead, I might add it does still have a bell hanging in it. Over to the right is the entrance to the apse

Above this what you find in the apse, a tomb, left the old entrance door to it.

Right the Tomb which may have been used as an altar one time with old grave crosses on the top

 The West end looking to the tower

The tower still has a window casement and some glass still in place.

A locked door leads to where the bell used to be rung

The entrance in the South wall

By the chancel arch you can see these steps to a plinth I have no doubt that these are the remains of the pulpit with a stone capping from the church sat on top

 I went back another time to get more photos in early January and found the place still decorated from Christmas

The Altar was decked in Ivy

the whole place had a different feel to it

Looking up to the roof of the Apse

The stained glass window in the centre of the apse

There are a couple of memorial in the church, this one is the biggest showing a reclining figure

 Another are the busts of couple

The bible on the lectern looks as though it has seen better days

 The font on pillars is certainly Victorian

Outside you can see quite a few old headstones

The words on the head& footstones still readable

These two have a tomb over them as well

The churchyard is well sheltered with yew trees

On another occasion I visited the church when it had snowed and found a whole different look to the place

The family vaults near the North side covered in show

snow topped the walls
















and covered the floor of the inside of the old nave

The Apse on the north side was full of snow

The ruins looked an felt very cold

 From the west end it looked stark

Later in spring the place had a warmer look about it
I intend to return again to get new photos at sometime
Till next time please stay safe