Chilfrome (Holy Trinity)

Holy Trinity, Chilfrome, Dorset, from the east

Sources:

• John Hutchins, The history and antiquities of the County of Dorset, 3rd ed., edited by William Shipp and J.W. Hodson, Westminster: J.B. Nichols, 1861-1873, Vol. x, pp. x.
• John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner, The buildings of England: Dorset. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1972, p. 155.
• F.P. Pitfield, Dorset parish churches, A-D. Milborne Port: Dorset Publishing Company, 1981, pp. 191-192.
• Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset, Vol. 1, West Dorset. London: HMSO, 1952, p. 98.

Holy Trinity, Chilfrome, Dorset, from the north

Holy Trinity, Chilfrome, Dorset: Chancel arch and 19th century pulpit

Holy Trinity, Chilfrome, Dorset: Carving on outside of transept

Holy Trinity, Chilfrome, Dorset: Memorial tablet to Captain Wynyard of the 1st East Surrey Regiment.

Nigel Cave's Battleground Europe book on Hill 60 (Leo Cooper, 1998) describes the British attack of 17-21 April 1915. He uses information from the regimental history of the 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment to record that on 11am on 20th April, a heavy German barrage was brought to bear on the British position: "Major W H Patterson [the battalion CO], along with his adjutant, Captain D Wynyard, moved along to D Company trenches to see what was going on. Captain Wynyard was killed by a shell whilst helping with the wounded; he and those killed with him were immediately buried behind the parados - but their bodies were subsequently lost and so they are commemorated on the Menin Gate" (p. 33). This perhaps helps to explain the epitaph from the Gospel according to St John.

Major Patterson was mortally wounded later that day. Three other members of the 1st East Surrey Regiment were awarded Victoria Crosses on the 20 April: Lieutenant (later Brigadier) G. R. P. Roupell, 2nd Lieutenant (later Major) B. H. Geary, and Private E. Dwyer: http://www.armynavyairforce.co.uk/east_surrey_regiment.htm

Wynyard's name also appears on the memorials at Durnford School in Langton Matravers, All Saints Church in Dorchester and the Dorchester War Memorial. He was the son of Lt Colonel Richard Damer Wynyard and Mrs Wynyard, of 2, South Belfield, Weymouth. He was the husband of Olive Wynyard, née Wakely. He had previously been wounded at Mons on the 23 August 1914.

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Maintained by Michael Day, Last updated: 17 August 2010.