WARD-DAVIES, Crichton

Parkhurst Military Cemetery, Isle of Wight UK

Credit: Gary Newman

Lieutenant

183 Field Regiment

Royal Artillery

Crichton was born 1918 in Pembroke to Crichton Alexander & Rowena Isabella (nee PHILLIPS) WARD-DAVIES who were living in Southampton, Hampshire around the time of Crichton's death.

At 0212 Friday 17th April 1942, a German bomber released a stick of three bombs over Sea Breeze, in Brighstone (being used as army accommodation). One of them scored a direct hit, totally demolishing the former hotel & damaging the adjacent wooden cottage which is believed to have been called “November Cottage”.

Ten men were killed in their beds, nine of them being members of 183 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Two of these casualties were buried at Parkhurst Military Cemetery, Crichton, aged 24, & Captain William SANDOVER. Crichton rests beneath a Commission Headstone alongside 88 of his First & Second World War comrades.

CWGC Casualty Record

Cemetary

Parkhurst Military Cemetery

Location

Construction of the barracks, which were originally named Parkhurst Barracks after the forest where they were located, was completed in September 1798. Shortly after completion they were renamed "Albany Barracks" after Prince Frederick, Duke of York & Albany, who had been Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. By 1807 they were occupied by the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot preparing for action in the Peninsular War. In 1859 the Isle of Wight Rifles was raised as a defence force for the Island & stationed at the barracks.

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The Parkhurst Military Cemetery, on Forest Road, was established in the 1840's, replacing an older cemetery which has since been developed.

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The cemetery serviced the families & servicemen of the Parkhurst Barracks (later Albany Barracks) & Military Hospital.
The cemetery includes a 'Cross of Sacrifice', designed by Sir Reginald BLOMFIELD, as it has over 40 War Graves.

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During WW2 a number of Germany servicemen (50) (mainly crashed aircrew) were buried in the cemetery; their bodies were exhumed & re-interred at the Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in the early 1960s. This included the body of Major General Dr Hans Volkmar FISSER of the German Air Force who was shot down over the Island on 12 August 1940 in a Junkers 88. He was a doctor of Political Science. He is buried with Sgt Jakob BIRNDORFER an ME109 pilot also relocated from Parkhurst.

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After the closure of the barracks in the early 1960's, the cemetery remains part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Estate managed by the Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCC) at Ijim Barracks, Gloucester although the CWGC monitors the War Graves, the MOD is responsible for its general upkeep

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