A dedication service for 2nd Lt William Francis Penwarden Royal Fusiliers took place at 15.00 on Sunday 25th September at All Saints, Longhope. It was a beautiful sunny autumnal afternoon where some 15 members, standard bearers and piper of the Longhope and District Royal British Legion gathered with family, friends and villagers as a mark of respect for a short but very meaningful dedication service to this officer. William was killed in action in France August 31st 1918 aged 23, his body is interred at Ecoust StMain.
Originally his memorial plaque was displayed in the small Methodist Chapel on Mayhill just a mile away, however this has now been privately sold so it was felt only right that William’s plaque should now be dedicated into the village church at Longhope.
Chairman Rob Greaves, Standard Bearers Richard Davis, Sean Davis and Piper Trevor Reynaert, lead the formal tribute and the Reverend Lara Bloom presided over the service. Three of William’s distant relatives were also present which made the afternoon even more special.
William Francis Penwarden FOR DEDICATION SERVICE
‘He had no liking for a military life. His heart was always in agriculture and the countryside, and his chief joys were those of home. But he knew his duty and did it, devoting all his energies while in the army to becoming as efficient as possible. His was a singularly gentle, conscientious, yet courageous spirit, and his life and death is another proof of the fact that the best fighters may be great gentlemen.’
This is an extract from ‘Wycliffe and the War’ – a contemporary tribute to the men killed in the Great War who attended Wycliffe School where ‘Penny’, as was his nickname there, was educated between 1908 and 1910. The spiritual ethos of the school at the time would have suited William Francis, known as Francis at home; his
house, Springfield, was vegetarian, and they were able to attend a Methodist chapel on site.
Francis was to marry young Dorothy Landsdowne, a neighbour in Longhope, in March 1918, a few months before his death.
Although set on a career in farming, Francis had tried to join up in 1914 but was originally rejected due to his eyesight. He was eventually successful in joining the Gloucestershire Hussars in October 1915. In 1916 he was sent to France and transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. After showing promise Francis trained as an officer and was returned to France on August 21st 1918. On 27th Francis joined his regiment, the Royal Fusiliers who moved into the front line on the night of 30th/31st. Their subsequent encounter with the enemy resulted in Francis being killed leading his men in an advance against heavy machine gun fire. Francis was only 23 years of age.
No doubt the family and Dorothy were devastated; Dorothy never remarried. Alongside the plaque here, formerly in May Hill Methodist Chapel she had a stone dedicated to Francis on the wall of the chapel outside, engraved – ‘D. Penwarden – in memory of her husband’.
Researched by Jo Phelps RBL Member.
We will remember them.
