The Memorial

​Almost 2 years had passed since the end of the Great War when the villagers of Great Coxwell gathered to remember those that had been lost. By 2 pm on Sunday October 31st 1920, the early fog and mist had cleared and the afternoon proved to be sunny and warm.

The dedication was described the following week in the local paper, The Faringdon Advertiser;

“A large company of parishioners and others assembled at Great Coxwell on Sunday afternoon, when an impressive ceremony took place in the unveiling and dedication of the War Memorial which has been erected to the six men of the village who lost their lives in the Great War.”

As well as the "Dedication of War Memorial" (below) ​, on the same page we learn that the day before Coxwell had won away at Charney 5 – 0, goals from Broad and Shilton in the first half, a third from Sharpes before the rout was completed by Hams and a 2nd from Sharpes.

It’s possible that this was the same ex Staff Sergeant Shilton who marched from the Post Office with 13 others to act as a guard of honour at the memorial and who met the Vicar, Rev. W Boldero, and Colonel W.H. Ames who was to unveil to memorial.

Modern Remembrance

We move forward 98 years to 2018, 100 years after the Armistice, in remembrance of the soldiers of Great Coxwell the streets on a new development on land of The Steeds Farm have been named for them, and for the solders of the Second World War. The land formed part of the Parish of Great Coxwell before the development and the Parish Council were asked to name the streets, now called Fern Hill Gardens (attached below).

For more detail on each soldier, please click on their name.​

The Great War
Private Tom Titcombe
Private Tom Higgs - Thomas Higgs Lane
Private Walter John Dyer - Walter Dyer Drive
Private Herbert Charles King - King Street
Driver Reginald Pearce - Pearce Drive
Private Frank Ernest Robey - Robey Avenue
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World War II
Pilot Officer James William Edmonds - Edmonds Drive
Sapper Robert John Edmonds - Edmonds Drive
Sergeant Major Raymond John Hicks - Hicks Close
Private James Leonard Wearn – Wearn Road (previously commemorated)
Flight Sergeant Cyril Stanley Webb - Webb Drive
Private Kenneth Jones - Jones Crescent
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