Gawin Coupland Greaves. Stoker 2nd Class. RN K/53113. HMS Vivid. 29th August 1918. Age 18 yrs.

Gawin's headstone in Cartmel cemetery.

Stoker Greaves is not named on the memorial, but is buried with a CWGC headstone in the cemetery.

This from the Parish magazine of September 1918:

Gawin Coupland Greaves. We very deeply regret the death in hospital at Devonport on August 29th. of Gawin Coupland Greaves. Less than three weeks before his death he joined the Navy as a stoker, at the age of 18. He caught cold, developed appendicitis, and then double pneumonia, and in spite of the robust strength with which we had credited him, the end soon came. Gawin was one of the earliest and best of our little band of Scouts, thorough as a communicant, and full of determination to "win through" in whatever he took up. These notes are delayed long enough to say that his brother Scouts did all honour to his memory at the Parade Service on September 1st, and the funeral on September 3rd. A party of Holker Scouts joined us, and two of their buglers blew the "Last Post" with our Bugler. He was borne to his last resting place in Cartmel Cemetery beneath the flag which has flown over him in more than one happy camp, and the thought of his breezy, loyal and affectionate character will always be a sacred memory to us.

Next to his grave is that of Richard (1859-1933) and Jane (1858-1930) Greaves, their daughters Annie (1891-1964) & Elizabeth (1886-1965).

In the Church registers:- Abigail baptised 16/12/1883 daughter of Richard (labourer) and Jane Greaves, The Hill, also Margaret Agnes 17/8/1889 address then given as Greenbank Farm (I think this is incorrect -see below) Annie 21/9/1890 and Richard 17/7/1892. Richard was badly wounded in the war and became a postman at Witherslack.

The family grave.

Bulmer's Guide - a local trade directory - 1911 edition. gives Richard Greaves, farmer, Greenbank House. This is probably correct as a man called Lewis is named at Greenbank Farm and he is remembered as being there. The 1911 census calls all the houses, including the Greaves' home, Green Bank.

HMS Vivid was not a ship, but Royal Naval barracks at Devonport.

There is one other casualty, from World War 2, buried in Cartmel Cemetery. Eric Francis Dean son of Francis Edmund and Ada Dean of Fell Foot, Cartmel. He does not appear on the War Memorial and is buried in an unmarked grave. I queried this with the C.W.G.C. and was informed that there is no headstone at the family's request. He was killed in a road traffic accident while driving a coach on 4th September 1941, age 30.

The altar rails in the Priory are dedicated to the memory of Lieut. William Gray Rawlinson, son of Mrs. Rathbone,(He also has a memorial window at Field Broughton church, and is commemorated on Grange-over-Sands War Memorial!) who my parents remember living at Aynsome House.

An intriguing inscription appears on one gravestone, " ...also Robert Priestman who died at St. Blasien April 19th 1923 aged 33yrs after serving in the Great War 1914-18." St. Blasien is a resort town in the Black Forest, once a favourite haunt of Count Otto von Bismarck. I assume he was a member of the occupying forces.

More Cartmel men, and others well known in the area, perished in both World Wars. Their names are not on the memorial for various reasons.

One of the last was Bertie Ormrod, killed on August 28th 1918 in France, while attached to the Royal Fusiliers. He had been in the Choir and a member of the Lads' Club and was brought up by his Aunt, Mrs Withers, the landlady of the Cavendish Arms. Bertie was found dead in a trench after an attack. He was only 18 years old and had been in France a fortnight. He is buried in HEM FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, HEM-MONACU, Somme, France

I have recently discovered (2018) that another grave with military links to the Great War exists, unmarked, in the cemetery. John Barber, "our gallant old Recruiting Sergeant passed away on Friday night, Dec 29th, aged 76. (Parish Magazine, Jan 1917) Let me quote his "Certificate of Good Service"", it tells its own tale:- "Sergeant John Barber has served with credit from 3rd February 1860 to the present date (31 Oct. 1898) in this corps (1st Vol Batt RLR). He has been returned 39 times as efficient in each of the following years, viz:1860-1898. He has ceased to be a member of this corps having reached the prescribed limit of age. Observations:- In possession of Volunteer Long Service Medal, 10 times Marksman."

Think of it! He began to be a soldier nearly 57 years ago and he was in khaki as Recruiting Sergeant in the Great European War of 1914-16! (sic) He kept his Golden Wedding a short time ago, and his wife survives him. May his great record be a comfort to her and an inspiration to his children. Specially may it cheer his devoted daughter who is in hospital in Manchester, and whom we shall all be very glad to see back in the choir again. Many years ago his home was at Priory House. He and Mrs. Barber played together as children, being both natives of Cartmel. He must have walked some hundreds of miles over this district in his old age for King and Country's sake, looking for recruits, but when his duties ceased with the introduction of compulsory service, he began little by little to fail, until the end came suddenly after only a few hours serious illness.