Stories from a Didsbury war monument

The Memorial West Didsbury, 2017

Now I have to confess I never read through the names of the men on the war memorial on Burton Road in West Didsbury, but my old friend David Harrop did, and because of him I now know something of Charles Cyril Futvoye of Clyde Road.

He enlisted in 1916 aged 22, giving his occupation as “Motor salesmen” and he was assigned to the Army Service Corps.

His bother George had also enlisted just two years earlier and was one of the Manchester Pals, belonging to the 20th City Battalion of the Manchester’s.

Both had been to University and had served in the Officer’s Training Corps.

Charles Cyril Futvoye, 2017

George survived the war, but Charles did not.

He died in the Curragh Military hospital of pneumonia on March 17th, 1916, just two months after he had enlisted.

 He is buried in Southern Cemetery along with his father who was interred three years later.

I doubt I will ever come across a photograph of him, although his Attestation Papers record that he was six feet in height and weighed ten stone.

There is a picture of his brother with the 20th Platoon of E company, but as yet there is no way of telling which George is.

Platoon 20, E Company, 20th City Battalion,The  Manchester Regiment, 1914

So, for now, that is it, but I am pleased that I now know a little about one of the names on that war memorial.

And perhaps someone in Didsbury will take up the research and look into the others commemorated on the monument.

Location, war memorial, Burton Road, Didsbury

The family grave, 2019

Pictures; the war memorial Burton Road, 2017, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, and 20th Platoon of E company, 20th City Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, Manchester City Battalions Book of Honour, 1916, family grave, in Southern Cemetery, 2019, from the collection of David Harrop