Another 20 objects in the story of Chorlton ........ nu 4 one of our war memorials

Now I could have chosen a number of different memorials but this one is possibly the most accessible.

The ones in St Clement’s and St Ninians are inside the church and it may not always be possible to gain access, while those in Southern Cemetery are some distance away.

But the Methodist memorial on Manchester Road is three for all to see who turn off the road into the church grounds.

It is complimented by a Roll of Honour held by the church of all the men who enlisted and with a bit of research it has been possible to find out something about most of them.

In most cases this includes their regiment and for a few their attestation papers and details of their war service.

It is a very humbling feeling to stand in front of that memorial knowing just a little bit about the men listed there.

Men like Private Frederick Pontefract of the Royal Army Medical Corps who enlisted on May 11 1915.

He was just 19 years of age.  In the following year he was posted to Egypt and in 1917 was on the Western Front.

He was reported missing in March 1918 and died in POW hospital in the June of that year.

Pictures; the Memorial on Manchester Road, November 2014, from the collection of Andrew Simpson