“They went out and returned not”
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Remembering those who went out and returned not
The village of Distington, Cumbria is situated close to the main road between Workington and Whitehaven. Like many villages it has a village war memorial, first erected after the Great War. After the Second World War, the names of the Fallen from the village who had lost their lives (1939 – 1945) were added to the memorial. Among the 21 WW2 names listed on the monument is that of Guardsman Stephen Scott M.M, who died in Italy 12 July 1944. It was due to an enquiry about Guardsman Scott MM that I photographed the monument.
On one side of the memorial, at the base of the column, is the following citation:
“Salute the Glorious Dead who went out and returned not”.
For additional information click on ‘Comments’ below
posted by ritsonvaljos at 1:00 pm
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Information about Distington village monument
Although the following is not specifically about WW2 but mainly about the 1920s, it may be of general interest as a record of how a war memorial came to be erected by a community. Similar war memorials were erected in many towns and villages following WW1, with the names of the Fallen of WW2 being added in the late 1940s.
In December 1921 Distington Parish Council set up a Committee to raise money and erect a monument for those from the parish who had given their lives during the Great War. The monument was unveiled by Major C.A. Valentine T.D of Eller Keld, Workington on 16 April 1921. At that time the monument would only have listed the names of the Fallen of the Great War (1914 – 1919).
On 9 January 1923, when all costs for the monument had been cleared, the Parish Council of the time signed a document on behalf of the Council. This committed the Council – and all succeeding councils that would come along in perpetuity – to take the Sacred Charge of looking after the monument. Arguably, this was the single most important decision ever taken by this or any other Parish Council. Hence after WW2, the names of those from Distington Parish who had died between 1939 and 1945 were added. There is a copy of the minutes of Distington Parish Council in the Cumbria County Archives (Whitehaven Records Office).
The extent that the Parish Council members of the time believed in this Sacred Duty can be seen by the following extract from the Distington Parish Council minute book:
“Guard and cherish this charge as a Sacred Trust, and may one Parish Council ever hand over this duty to the one that follows, right down throughout the ages so long as the Memorial shall last.
May there never be a Council that will forget or neglect this duty,
May it be year by year, a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the parish headed by you. On this day may it be an additional tie of Friendship for all when they pay their homage and reverence to our Glorious Dead. May it be a shrine of remembrance, keeping alive the cult of valour and duty, and never ending living Man of the Eternal Truth.
All that is most real and best in our lives is that which has no material value: sentiment, love, honour, patriotism. These continue when material things are passed away.
As the Ages pass, bringing oblivion on most human things may the sense of gratitude and love, to those who saved Freedom for Mankind, grow rather than diminish”.
This war memorial is in a prominent location in the village, and has been well looked after. The way it is maintained in good order is still a credit to the community.
After much research the Distington Family History and Local History Society has produced a booklet entitled ‘Distington Heroes’, published in 2005. This booklet has photographs and short biographies about many of the former villagers whose names are engraved on the village war memorial.
The names listed on the Distington Village War memorial include 20 service casualties and 1 civilian casualty from WW2. These are the 21 names from the WW2 years:
Lieut. Ian H. Robertson Walker
Thomas Hamill
William R. Birkett
Robert Moore
Ernest Stabler
William Southward
William H. Smitham
Joseph H. Armstrong
William H. Butler
Albert Timmins
Frederick G. Trainer
Thomas Banks
Benjamin Hodgson
Stephen Scott M.M
Anthony Y. Braithwaite
John D. Penrice
Joseph L. Hays
Fred Boyd
Eric Kirkpatrick
Ronald Wilson
Thomas C. Graham
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May their sacrifice always be remembered!
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