Alan Jerrard served in the 5th South Staffs (Territorials) Regiment before joining the Royal Flying Corps (precursor to the R.A.F) during the Great War. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding contribution during World War 1. During one of his missions he flew wearing his Pyjamas.
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Tanks were introduced into the field of battle during the First World War. To encourage people to give generously towards their development tanks toured towns and cities across the country. The Potteries had a tank but Stafford had to make do with building a wooden version at the Siemens factory – which had been taken over…
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Thomas Jackson, from Cannock, moved to Australia shortly before the outbreak of the Great War. He became a member of C Company, 14th battalion of the 19th Reinforcements, of the Australian Imperial Force (4th Division). Having served in action he was killed on Messines Ridge in August 1917. The Chase project have been researching his story…
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Researcher, Val Hollis, has been researching the life and career of Alfred Dale, who was born in Stafford in 1878 and a member of 11 Platoon, 12th Nelson company, 1st Canterbury Infantry Battalion, NZ Expeditionary Force at the Somme. Alfred’s father was Philip Dale, a prominent local shop keeper in Stafford. He owned and ran an ironmongers…
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The drill hall has been a part of British military and social life since the 1860s, when Corps of Rifle Volunteers constructed premises for drill, funded by benefactors or public subscription. The heyday of the drill hall began in the 1880s, following the Cardwell reforms of the Army, in which the Rifle Volunteers were formed…
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Grimwades Ltd of Winton, Upper Hanley and Elgin Potteries, Stoke was a manufacturer of earthernware and majolica. Towards the end of 1917 the owners of The Bystander granted Leonard Grimwade permission to reproduce a limited number of ‘Fragments From France’ cartoons on items from the Grimwades range of pottery then in production. The first piece…
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The family-friendly Discovery Trail (2km) will give visitors the opportunity to explore some of the key memorials linked to the First World War and the remarkable stories behind them. It will enable young visitors to better understand some of the key events that took place during the war and the role of various regiments and…
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Visit Walking Britain : a free resource for walkers for a moderate graded, 7.5 miles / 12.2 km self-guided walk around Great War linked sites on Cannock Chase. Sites include Freda’s Grave – the mascot of the New Zealand Rifles 1918 (a Dalmatian whose collar and lead are kept in a military museum in New Zealand) – and…
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J R R Tolkien was stationed on Cannock Chase to complete his training prior to active service on the Western Front. An informative film about Tolkien from childhood to the Great War and the inspiration for some of his works can be found on the King Edwards School web-site .
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After the Great War, three of the then Railway Companies named locomotives to honour the railway employees who had fought and died during the Great War. These were ‘Valour’, ‘Remembrance’ and ‘Patriot’. During the steam days of British Railways a locomotive of this type, usually the first in the class named ‘Patriot’ was decorated with poppies at…
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