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Yorkshire
Regiment War Graves, - Wigston Cemetery, Leicestershire |
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Wigston Cemetery (Leicestershire) includes 33 burials from both
World Wars who have Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones , - 11 from
the First World War and 22 from the Second World War.
However, there is one burial of a soldier who served with the Yorkshire Regiment
where the soldier has no headstone (neither a family
headstone nor a CWGC headstone).
This soldier was discharged due to ill health and died a year and a half after
discharge. His ill health was attributed as having been aggravated by War
Service, with the soldier himself stating that his ill health was a result
of earlier Army service.
We are extremely grateful to Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) who has carried out research into this soldier's military career, and has forwarded a photograph of the plot in Wigston Cemetery where both the soldier and his wife are buried.
As well as the burial of the above Yorkshire Regiment soldier there is also
a family headstone on which an Officer of the Yorkshire
Regiment is commemorated.
Photographs of this family headstone and memorial have been kindly provided
by Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)
Wigston (Leics) Cemetery, - the plot in which L/Cpl Rudkin and his Wife, Laura,
are buried
(the two burials are in the plot located between the two headstones on the
left, and the headstone on the right).
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)
Lance Corporal John Samuel Rudkin. 31759. 3rd (Labour) Battalion
the Yorkshire Regiment. Resided 80 Cherry Street, Wigston Magna, Leics. Husband
of Laura. Bricklayer. Died 27 October 1918. Aged 35.
L/Cpl Rudkin had earlier served in the Coldstream Guards, but enlisted in
the Leicestershire Regiment on 11 December 1915.
He was transferred to the 16th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment on 10 June 1916,
promoted to Lance Corporal. He served in France with this battalion between
11 July and 18 October 1916. He was transferred to the 3rd (Labour) Battalion
of the Yorkshire Regiment on 13 January 1917, and was discharged as being
medically unfit (heart trouble) on 31 March 1917).
The Family Grave on which Lieutenant Cecil James Freeston is commemorated.
2nd Lieutenant Cecil James Freeston. 7th Battalion
Yorkshire Regiment. Son of E. J. Freeston, of 82, Conduit St., Leicester;
husband of the late E. B. Freeston (nee Bunn), of Cook's Lane, Wigston, Leicester.
Killed 18 September 1917. Aged 28.
Buried SUNKEN ROAD CEMETERY, FAMPOUX.
The following biographical details are taken from Robert
Coulson's Biographies of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"Cecil Freeston was born in Leicester in 1890.
At the onset of war, Cecil Freeston enlisted as a private soldier with the
Leicestershire regiment rising to the rank of Corporal before undertaking
officer training and being gazetted to the 7th Yorkshires.
In September 1917 the battalion were holding the line north of the river Scarpe
close to Gavrelle.
In this sector 2nd Lt Cecil James Freeston was killed in action on September
18th 1917 at the age of 28."
IN LOVING MEMORY OF C J FREESTON
(LATE LIEUT. 7TH YORKS)~
KILLED IN ACTION AND / INTERRED EAST OF ARRAS
SEPT 18TH 1917 / AGED 27 YEARS
ELSIE BEATRICE / HIS BELOVED WIFE
DIED 17TH NOV. 1920 / AGED 32 YEARS.
"TILL WE MEET"
SELINA MARY BUNN / DIED 29TH OCT 1935 AGED 75 YEARS / "AT REST"
The Family Grave on which Lieutenant Cecil James Freeston is commemorated.
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