During the 4 years of turmoil, worldwide, an estimated 10 million soldiers were killed, 20 million severely wounded, 8 million returned home permanently disabled and a further 12 million civilians were killed.  Taking a conservative estimate of the loss to Britain and her Empire, the total was 908,000 killed, 2,302,000 wounded, consisting of:

• Britain = 703,000 killed, 1,663,000 wounded
• Canada = 67,000 killed 173,000 wounded
• Australia = 59,000 killed 152,000 wounded
• India = 43,000 killed 65,000 wounded
• New Zealand = 18,000 killed 55,000 wounded
• British Africa = 10,000 killed unknown wounded
• South Africa = 7,000 killed 12,000 wounded
• British Caribbean = 1,000 killed unknown wounded

This terrible conflict took its toll on the people of every city, town and village across the land.  48 men from our villages did not return. They are commemorated on the 4 memorials and family commemorations on headstones in the cemetery. 

Evenwood War Memorial (Cemetery)

Monday 20 June 1921: the memorial to the men of Evenwood, Ramshaw and Lands was unveiled by Colonel Dowling.  Mr. T. Heslop, former manager of Randolph Colliery and agent to the North Bitchburn Coal Company, was chairman of the organising committee.  Designed, executed and erected by William Allison & Sons sculptors, Bishop Auckland.  Proceedings commenced with a procession which was formed at the top end of Evenwood village consisting of ex-soldiers and sailors, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts headed by the Village Band.  A vast crowd assembled and heard the Evenwood Band performing an appropriate selection of hymns and anthems.  The Last Post was sounded.

The wording is as follows:

“To the glory of God and in thankful remembrance of the men of Evenwood, Ramshaw and Lands who made the supreme sacrifice during the Great War 1914 – 1918”

Those commemorated on 2 panels are:

• Applegarth T. W.
• Arkless J. W.
• Atkinson A. K.
• Baister D.
• Bryant G.
• Carrick W.
• Conlin R. W.
• Cox G. T. 
• Davis T.
• Dixon H.
• Dowson G.
• Dunn T. H.
• Earl W. E.
• Ellerker J.
• Graves J. C.
• Gray W.
• Heaviside R.
• Heseltine J.
• Hewitt J.
• Howlett W.
• Hutchinson J. 
• Lynas A.
• Maughan J.
• Maughan J.
• Middlemas M. G.
• Million J.
• Morley W.
• Moses W.
• Parmley G. 
• Purvis F.
• Raine J. H.
• Raine M. T.
• Richardson J. J.
• Rushford O.
• Rutter S. R. 
• Simpson M.
• Simpson T. W.
• Skelhorn J.
• Snowball W.
• Spence J. W. 
• Storey W.R.
• Towers E. 
• Walling J.
• Walton J. J.
• Wardle H.
• Wardle R.
• Wilson R.
• Wren J. W.

You will note that the above Memorial Service sheet has the name Master John George Gray, 20 Evenwood Gate written on it. He was the son of Gunner William Gray who was killed in action in 1918. The original was loaned to us by the late John Deighton, (Staindrop Comprehensive School Deputy Head), who was William Gray’s grandson.

St. Paul’s Church: Roll of Honour

The memorial plaque takes the form of a wall mounted tablet and commemorates the 37 Evenwood men who fell in the Great War.  It was originally located in the Comrades Hall which we believe was the building behind the Centre, formerly Collinson’s workshop. 

The plaque reads:

COMMRADES OF THE GREAT WAR

IN MEMORIUM

• 2/Lt. T. W. Applegarth D.L.I. 
• L/C J.W. Arkless Lincs Regt.
• Sapper A.K. Atkinson MM R.E.
• Pte. D. Baister D.L.I.
• AB W. Carrick HMS Ardent
• Cpl. C.T. Cox D.L.I.
• Pte. T. Davis 4^th NF
• Cpl. H. Dixon Border Regt.
• Pte. G. Dowson R I Fus
• Pte. T.H. Dunn D.L.I.
• Pte. J. Ellerker D.L.I.
• Gunner W. Gray R F Artil
• Pte. J. Heseltine Y & L Reg
• Pte. R. Heaviside D.L.I.
• Pte. J. Hewitt D.L.I.
• Pte. W. Howlett N. Fus
• Pte J. Hutchinson Manchester Reg
• AB A. Lynas HMS Ardent
• Pte. J. Maughan D.L.I.
• Pte. J. Maughan D.L.I.
• Pte. M. G. Middlemas D.L.I.
• Pte. J. Million D.L.I.
• Sgt. G. Parmley D.L.I.
• Gunner F. Purvis R.G.A.
• Pte. G.H. Raine D.L.I.
• Pnr. S.R. Rutter RE
• Sgt. T.W. Simpson D.L.I.
• Pte. J. Skelhorn D.L.I.
• Pte. W. Snowball D.L.I.
• Sgt. J.W. Spence D.L.I.
• L/Cpl. W. Storey Y & L 
• Sgt. E. Towers D.L.I.
• Pte. J. Walling D.L.I.
• L/Cpl. J.W. Walton Yorks
• Pte. R. Wardle D.L.I.
• Pte. R. Wilson 6^th Yorks
• AB J.W. Wren HMS Black Prince

Evenwood Workmen’s Club Commemoration

The commemoration is located in the bar.  It takes the form of a roll of honour with photographs of each serviceman around the border, encased in a timber frame, under glass. 

It commemorates the following 10 members:

• Andrew Lynas
• David Baister
• James Heseltine
• John H. Raine
• John Maughan
• Mark Middlemass
• Thomas Dunn
• Wallace Featherstone
• William Carrick
• William Gray

The dedication is worded:

Evenwood Workmen’s Club

Roll of Honour

“Their lot the glorious price to pay,

Ours to record with grateful pride,

That freedom lives on earth today,

Because they died.”

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Evenwood War Memorial (Newholme Crescent)

This memorial was commissioned by the Evenwood & Barony Parish Council and names those men who fell in both World Wars.  It includes additional WW2 names of those not commemorated on the war memorial in the cemetery.  It was unveiled about 2013.

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“This is not a peace. It is an armistice for twenty years.” Marshal Ferdinand Jean Marie Foch, Generalissimo of the Allied Forces.