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June 2014 50p

Inside this issue:

Parish Calendar 2

Local News 3

We shall remember

them - the fallen of

Keresley parish

4

From the archives 6

The Way I See It:

Remembering

D-Day

6

Parish Register 7

Children and

Young people

7

Mouse page 8

Give people

confidence

8

Exercise

daily -

- walk

with

the

Lord.

Parish Picnic after the 10.30am Family Service

on Sunday June 8th at the Church Hall

J U N E 2 0 1 4 P A G E 2

July

Sunday 6th

9am St Thomas Holy Communion. Mark Norris

10.30am St Thomas All Age Worship. Worship Team

10.30am KVCC Holy Communion. Carol Foyn

Looking Forward

Holiday Club

Monday 28th July to Friday 1st August

10am to 12 noon

For primary school aged children (reception to year 6)

£1.50 per child per day

Holiday Club Family Service

Sunday 3rd August

Followed by Messy Picnic in the park

Continues on Wednesday evenings, 7.30pm at the Vicarage

June

Sunday 1st

9am St Thomas Holy Communion and hymns. Mark Norris

10.30am St Thomas Holy Communion. Pete Hudson and Mark Norris

10.30am KVCC Holy Communion. Steve Medley

Sunday 8th

9am St Thomas Holy Communion. Mark Norris

10.30am St Thomas All Age worship with adult baptism. Worship Team

10.30am KVCC Morning Worship. Mary Coles and Steve Medley

Sunday 15th

9am St Thomas Holy Communion. Mark Norris

10.30am St Thomas Family Worship. Mark Norris and Pete Hudson

10.30am KVCC Holy Communion.

Sunday 22nd

9am St Thomas Holy Communion. Mark Norris

10.30am St Thomas Family Communion. Mark Norris

10.30am KVCC Morning Worship. John Parnham and Steve Medley

Sunday 29th

9am St Thomas Holy Communion. Mark Norris

10.30am St Thomas Family Communion. Mark Norris and Claire McArthur

10.30am KVCC Holy Communion. Steve Medley

P A G E 2

Services at St Thomas’ and Keresley Village Community ChurchServices at St Thomas’ and Keresley Village Community ChurchServices at St Thomas’ and Keresley Village Community Church

Refreshment for all

Tuesday afternoons, 1.30-2.30pm in the Galilee Room.

Fortnightly

If you need transport or would like to request prayers, please contact Margaret Bosworth on 7633 7932 leaving a message if necessary with

your name and telephone number and she will ring you back.

Sunday Morning Activities at St. Thomas’ Church at 10.30am for Children and Young People (during term time) 1st Sunday

Family Service in Church 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays

3-11s, Sunday School in Galilee Room, 11+, Pathfinders in the Church Hall. All join the service at the Peace

3rd Sunday All ages start in Church

House group meetings -

The house group now meets on Tuesday evenings. Details from the parish office or see Clare Fletcher.

O U R C O M M U N I T Y P A G E 3

Spring

Harvest

2015 -

Immeasurably More

A s a church group we were unable to attend Spring Harvest 2014 because of school holiday

dates and Holy Week. Steve and Jo Medley are now looking ahead at the 2014 event and will be booking to go themselves. If people are interested in coming along as part of a group please let them know. The dates would be Monday 6th April to Friday 10th April at Skegness. These dates are after Easter and cover both local authority school holidays.

Bookings need to be made on Wednesday 25th June so if you are interested pick up a brochure in church or have a chat with Steve and Jo, and if you’d like to go let them have your booking details by Sunday 22nd June.

In 2015 we’ll be looking at Ephesians 3:20-21, and exploring the potential of a God of immeasurably more.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. " Ephesians 3:20-21

God can do immeasurably more. He is immeasurably greater than we think. To a dehydrated church he offers life, power, hope and transformation. He calls us to a radical, empowered life that we could never achieve in our own strength.

CEREALS

Thank you to all who continue to donate food. Currently needed are:

Tinned meat

Tinned tuna

Pasta sauces

Tinned puddings

custard

juice

Long life milk

Coffee

Sugar

Biscuits/snacks

Tinned sweetcorn or mixed veg (but NO tinned peas please!)

Saturday 14th June 9.30-11am

at Keresley Village Community Church

Theme: Belonging Next Messy Church on Sunday 13th July

Work Party

Saturday 7th June from 9.30am

Please come along and help us tackle some one-off things that need attention in the church and churchyard.

Even if you can only spare an hour, do come along.

Parish Barbecue Sunday 6th July in the Vicarage Garden

after the 10.30am services

Bring something to cook, something to share, and something to sit on!

J U N E 2 0 1 4 P A G E 4

L ast year, as part of the preparations for the annual Remembrance Service, I took some

photos of the memorials around the churchyard that commemorate the dead of the two world wars. Subsequently I decided to try to find out a little more about the men on these two lists of names, and those buried in war graves in the churchyard. What I discovered is fascinating. It is probably typical of many parish churches across the country, a mix of local, social and military history that paints a vivid picture of both the immediate area during each world war as well as the conduct of those wars across the globe. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, it seems an appropriate time to share some of those stories and to recall in more detail some of those whose memories we have committed to keep alive, the fallen.

In the summer of 1914, as the Great Powers slid towards war, Keresley with Coundon was a rural parish still largely untouched by the expanding city to its south and with coal still undiscovered beneath its fields. The population was a mixture of those working the land and the families and servants of a number of successful Coventry businessmen who had built large houses for themselves in the area.

When war broke out there were a number of local men already serving, whose numbers were increased through former servicemen being recalled and the first flush of volunteers eager to serve their country. The Parish magazines from this period show a clear focus on supporting ‘our boys’ from the very beginning, both spiritually through prayer and practically with collections of food and clothing. In September 1914 fourteen soldiers and six sailors are listed by name as on Active Service.

The first fatality was Midshipman OLIVER ROBIN OCTAVIUS JAGGER, commemorated by a memorial in church. He was killed in November 1914 when his ageing warship exploded whilst at anchor. At 16 he was to be the youngest killed, and his family of silk merchants was one of the successful incomers to the area, living at Coundon Lodge.

The Western Front would ultimately account for more casualties than all other theatres of war combined, both nationally and from the parish which lost eighteen men there, starting with a former Standard Motor Company employee, Lance Corporal GEORGE MANNERS in May 1915.

In April 1915 the allies landed in Turkey in an attempt to open a second front. Ultimately unsuccessful, this campaign was to shape Winston Churchill’s strategy in the Second World War. By the time the allies withdrew in December it had cost them over 56,000 dead, including local man Private JOHN RYAN. He had worked at Matterson, Huxley and Watson before the war and was killed in renewed operations in August. Turkish losses were at a similar level.

Former local schoolmaster Bombardier CHARLES HOPKINS was killed on the Western Front in October 1915. By this stage of the war prayers were being said on a daily and weekly basis for those in the army and navy that now numbered sixty two and four respectively, including the Vicar who was serving as an army chaplain, and his brother. And it was from the navy that the next two casualties came. Firstly in

We shall remember them – The Fallen of Keresley parish

O U R C O M M U N I T Y P A G E 5 O U R C O M M U N I T Y P A G E 5

March 1916 Lieutenant DONALD ROTHERHAM died in Hong Kong from pneumonia, one of two brothers on naval duty. They were members of the famous Rotherham watchmaking family , their uncle living at the Grange. Then Boatswain JAMES MITCHELL from Brownshill Green was killed in action in May. At 42 he was to be the oldest member of the parish to give his life, a victim of the Battle of Jutland, the one major sea battle between the British and German fleets of the war. From then on, and with conscription in place, parish fatalities would come solely from members of the army serving on the western front.

In July 1916 the allies launched the next ‘big push’, the Battle of the Somme. Two weeks into the battle Lance Corporal LEONARD MORRIS was reported missing and prayers continued for some months for his safety. His body was never found and it is assumed he was killed when his trench collapsed. Then in August Lieutenant GEOFFREY CASH one of two brothers from the well-known Coventry ribbon weaving family was killed in action. An Oxford graduate, he was 21.

September 1916 saw two more killed on the Somme, Rifleman MONTAGUE SANDERS and Private FRANK BOILES, with Captain REGINALD WATERS killed the following month. The Waters were wine merchants in the city and were well established in Coundon, Reginald’s father had been churchwarden until 1907 (as is commemorated by a plaque in church), whilst his grandfather had been involved in the original establishment of the church.

Private ARTHUR BASELEY of Keresley Heath, who had enlisted in the Warwickshire regiment back in 1914 at just 18, was wounded in January 1917 and died two days later. The following month Private REGINALD LIGGINS was killed, his parents lived at the Waterworks in Keresley. Gunner CHARLES WARD, one of four brothers in the army, was killed in April in the run up to the Spring offensive on the Somme at Arras. In May Trooper EARNEST FLOWERS of the Household Cavalry was killed, again on the Arras front, with Private JOSEPH KENNING killed in August. Private LEONARD SPRAGGITT of Keresley Heath died of wounds sustained at the front in October 1917.

Not commemorated in church today, but undoubtedly mourned locally at the time, was ROBERT KERR. He had started the war as a lieutenant and had risen to the rank of major by the time of his death in July 1918. He was 27 and was the vicar’s brother.

In March 1918 German forces launched their spring offensive around St Quentin and Lance Corporal ERNEST OUGHTON was amongst the British dead. He had been a printer’s assistant before joining up. Gunner DAVID OSBORNE was killed in April whilst moving ammunition, and Second Lieutenant ALFRED MASCORD was killed in May. He had been a teacher at Coventry Elementary School. Later that month Second Corporal PERCY TERHEEGE, of Holyhead Road was killed in action aged 32.

The last to die was Second Corporal CHARLES LYONS from Hall Hill Lane, killed in October 1918 preparing a gas attack. He had previously been employed at the colliery in Keresley, which had only opened the year before. He was 24.

In December 1918 there was Victory Ball in support of the war memorial fund but the vicar did not return to parish duties until Good Friday 1919, his demobilisation having been requested by the Bishop. That month, forty-five soldiers from the parish attended a service of thanksgiving for the safe return of them and their comrades. How many were genuinely unscathed is unknown. Almost a century later it falls to us keep alive the memory of all those who gave their todays for our tomorrows.

Pete Hudson

J U N E 2 0 1 4 P A G E 6 P A G E 6

David

Win

ter

70 years ago, on 6th June 1944, the event much of Western Europe had waited for so long took place. Under stormy skies and grey cloud and accompanied by a lengthy bombardment of the German positions from the air, a huge fleet of ships set sail across the English channel. There were large naval vessels, but also hundreds of troop landing craft, packed with heavily armed soldiers, tossed up and down by the heavy seas. Some said afterwards that the sea sickness was worse than the eventual landing on the Normandy beaches, though I think there’s a touch of bravado there!

The invasion of the Continent, aimed at driving the occupying enemy forces from the lands they had held since 1940, had been long expected, yet when it came the impact of the news was sensational. My own family had thought something was ’up’, because my older brother, who was an RAF radar engineer (and emergency lorry driver) had been strangely out of touch for quite a long while. The reason, we later found

Following life in the parish in 1914, here are a couple of items from the May and June issues.

The Way I See It: Remembering D-Day – the day the liberators came

out, was that he, with the entire invading force of some 150,000, was secretly encamped ‘somewhere in southern England’ awaiting the order to embark. Weather was one problem; the other was ensuring that the enemy was taken by surprise.

Then, on 6th June it happened. The news bulletins were slow to confirm that this was actually the long-awaited invasion - an ‘action’ was taking place involving navy, air force and army personnel along an unidentified French coastline. Emerging from the sea mist, the invading force did indeed take the German defenders by surprise for a few hours, but quickly the defences were manned and it was under heavy fire that many allied troops stormed up the beaches and tried to secure positions on land. My brother drove his truck up one of those beaches on the third day of the invasion, and, as he put it, there were plenty of bullets flying around. At the same time, allied paratroopers had been dropped behind the enemy lines - a

(Continued on page 7)

O U R C O M M U N I T Y P A G E 7 O U R C O M M U N I T Y P A G E 7

BAPTISMS

25th May Millie-Rose Judge

BURIALS

21st May Karl David Girling aged 53 of Wallace Road interred at Canley Crematorium

12th May Jeffrey William Rouse aged 94 of Trewartha Park, Weston-Super-Mare

14th May Vera Louise MacDonald aged 84 of Norman Place Road interred at Lentons Lane

Uniformed Groups

Meet in the Church Hall : 9th Rainbows, Mondays, 6-7pm 13th Brownies, Mondays, 6.00 - 7.30pm 9th Brownies, Wednesdays, 6.00 - 7.30pm 9th Guides, Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm

Meet in the Scout Hut: 41st Cubs, Mondays, 6.45 - 8.30pm 41st Scouts, Tuesdays, 7.00 - 9.00pm 41st Beavers, Fridays, 6.00 - 7.30pm (for 6-8 year olds )

Youth Essence

Thursdays 7.30pm to 9pm in the Galilee Room, School year 9 upwards

Regular Activities in the Church Hall

NB the Church Hall is not usually available for late night

Discos

Pre-school Playgroup: Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 11.30am and 12.30pm – 3pm

Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts meet on weekday evenings. See above for details.

First Steps . . . with Jesus

For babies and pre-school children with their parents and

carers, weekly in term time

Mondays 1.30-2.30pm Meets in the Galilee Room,

Wednesdays 1.30-2.45pm. Meets at Keresley Village Community

Children and Young People Parish Register

Trailblazers Children's Club

Mondays 5-6pm at Keresley Village Community Church

Thursday at St T’s Thursdays from 6pm to 7pm For 5-11 years Meets in the Galilee Room TWEENs Thursdays from 6pm to 7.15pm. For years 7-9. High energy entertaining!

brave and risky undertaking, but one that again took the defenders by surprise.

The landings were along the coast of Normandy - an area well known now to British holiday-makers. The first major town to be captured was Caen, which was terribly damaged in the battle. Yet the French people were overwhelming in their welcome for the invaders, even though many homes were destroyed and villages all but flattened.

I remember a holiday many years ago when we visited Vers-sur-Mer on that same coast, a small seaside village where the invading army was largely British. There was (and probably still is) a memorial to the event, the wording of which I have never forgotten. Having recorded the date and details, it simply said: ‘The allied forces, in freeing our little community, also began the liberation of the whole of Europe’. ‘Liberation’ is a wonderful word, and liberty a great human concept. As my brother and his colleagues made their way north through France, Belgium and then into Germany itself, they were welcomed (even in Germany, eventually) as those who were bringing the priceless gift of freedom to millions of people. It is a gift to be cherished, never taken lightly, and never abused.

(Continued from page 6) The Way I See It