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Famous Graves

Rememberance Wall 01

William Jones VCWilliam Jones

 

Birth:  1839   Death:   Apr. 15, 1913

Born in Evesham, Worcestershire, England  William Jones was a Private at Rorke's Drift who was awarded the Victoria Cross.  A private in the 2nd Battalion/24th Regiment of Foot in Natal, Jones was a member of the British defense force at Rorke's Drift. In the afternoon of January 22, 1879, a Zulu force attacked the small British supply outpost at Rorke's Drift. Defended by only 131 soldiers, of which 39 were in the hospital, against almost 4,000 Zulu warriors, the men held out against unceasing Zulu attacks throughout the evening and into the night. Private Jones along with another man, Pvt. Robert Jones defended one of the wards in the hospital to the last. Despite suffering four spear wounds and being shot once, Jones held off the Zulu's with his bayonet until six of the seven patients were removed from the burning hospital.

Early the next morning, after heavy losses, the Zulu's withdrew. For their incredible bravery in the face of an overwhelming force, 11 men, including Pvt. Robert Jones and Pvt. William Jones, received the Victoria Cross. This was the largest amount of Victoria Crosses ever awarded for a single engagement. The defense of Rorke's Drift was the subject of the 1964 movie "Zulu".

His grave can be seen in D section no 887.

  

War Memorial 06George Stringer

Birth:   24th July 1889    Death:  November 10th, 1957

Philips Park Cemetery, Section M, grave 1826, is the grave of George Stringer VC, won on 8 March 1916 in Mesopotamia. Died 10 November 1957

George Stringer  from Newton Heath, Manchester was awarded the Victoria Cross for heroic actions during the Battle of Es Sinn, March 8, 1916.  His medals are in the collection of the Museum Of The Manchester Regiment, Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester.

     


Bartley Family Lusitania B377 01Bartley Family

The grave of a family who perished when a German U-boat torpedoed the Lusitania in the first World War.  Of the 1906 passengers and crew,1195 died, including husband, wife and 4 children of the Bartley Family.  The sinking was a major reason for the Americans entering the war.  There grave can be seen in Section B near the front gates on Alan Turing Way no 377.

 

More information for these graves is in Philips Park Famous Graves.