A new notice outside St John’s Church, Hale, reveals that there are Commonwealth War Graves in the churchyard.

There are six of these graves in the churchyard and information about most of them can be found on the Find A Grave website

Lieutenant Colonel Lindsay Cunliff Owen is buried with his wife Eglantyne Mary Owen, under the large magnolia tree near the path. He was born in India in 1887 and died in 1941. You can see more here. 

Private JE Hammond is buried here following his death in 1919. He came from London and was married to Alice Mary Hammond, of ‘Bideford’, Bullers Road, Weybourne. His grave can be found six down from the back fence and three to the right of the bench. You can find out more here.

One row back and slightly to the left of Private Hammond is Rifleman Sydney Harry Collyer. He died in 1919 and was the son of Harry and Alice Gray Collyer, of Myrtle Villa, Junction Road, Farnham. You can find more here.

Driver William Fenwick Moore is buried eight graves closer to the church than Private Hammond. He died in 1942 at the age of 19, but we do not currently have any more information on him, apart from a picture of his grave here. 

Warrant Officer Class II (C.S.M.) William Leslie Webb, is one row up and to the right of Moore. There is no information on Find A Grave but a photo of his grave is posted below.

There is also a grave to Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Duncan Caddell who died in 1942 at the age of 60. He was born in Dundalk and served in World War One and returned to service in World War Two, when he was Commanding Officer at the Military Hospital, Chatham, until he had to retire on the grounds of ill health. He played Rugby for Ireland and was awarded the Military Cross. There is further information here.