Friends of Newtown Road Cemetery

Personal Details of Ernest Henry Church

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Born:
Died:
Buried:	03/08/1945

Listed below are all the details we have been able to find so far on Ernest Henry Church.

As far as we are aware, all the information is correct. However, sometimes transcriptions can lead to errors being made. If you find any errors or omissions, please let us know and we will endeavour to get them corrected as soon as possible.

If you have any further information on Ernest Henry Church, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Birth

There is no information in our database regarding the birth of Ernest Henry Church.

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Death

There is no information in our database regarding the death of Ernest Henry Church.

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Burial Register

Name at death

Ernest Henry Church

Age at Death

Burial Date

03 August 1945

Abode

7 Queen Victoria Road
Coventry

Official at Burial

DA Oliphant (Vicar of Kingsclere- Woodlands)

Comments

Burial Register Index

Book	1917
Page Number	260
Reccord Number	11674

Sources

Burial Register

Burial Register entry for Ernest Henry Church
©Newbury Town Council
Reproduced with kind permission

Memorial Details

	Headstone: To the beloved memory of / Flt. Lieut. Ernest Henry / Church / R.F.C. & R.A.F . / died July 29th. 1945 / aged 45 years. / (R.F.C. badge) / "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." //

Name on Memorial	Ernest Henry CHURCH
Date of death	29/07/1945
Age	45
Gender	Male

Memorial Type	CGWC Headstone; 3 Kerbstones,
Construction Material	Portland limestone Engraved.
Condition of memorial	Excellent condition. Cared for ny CGWC.
Pattison Location Code	LS(J)6
Recorder's Notes	See www.fnrcnewbury.org.uk for details of Ernest and CCWG graves

Newspaper Cuttings

The articles below have been transcribed from newspapers and magezines.

THE LATE FLT-LT. ALBERT CHURCH

Source:	Newbury Weekly News
Article date:	04/08/1945
Copyright:	Newbury Weekly News
Transciption:	THE LATE FLT-LT. ALBERT CHURCH FUNERAL AT NEWBURY The funeral of the late Flight-Lieut. Albert Church, who died in hospital at Birmingham on July 29th, as a result of an accident, took place at Newbury Parish Church on Friday afternoon. Flight-Lieut. Church was the twin son of the late Albert Church, of the Town Mills, Newbury, and of Mrs Church of Springfield, Headley. Educated at Newbury Grammar School, he joined straight from school in the late war the Royal Flying Corps and rose to the rank of temporary Captain. He lost a leg from wounds when flying over the trenches in France. During the present war, Flt. Lieut. Church has been engaged as an inspector under the Ministry of Aircraft Production. His death was the result of a motor accident. He had been to Birmingham on business on the 23rd of July and accepted a lift back to Coventry in a motor-car. On the way the car came into collision with another vehicle, and Flt.-Lieut. Church received injuries including a fractured skull, from which he died six days later. There were many friends of the family at the church, where the service was conducted by the Rev. D.A. Oliphant, Vicar of St. Mary's, Kingsclere Woodlands. The coffin was draped in the Union Jack. Mr. Sellick was at the organ and the hymns sung were “Abide with me” and “King of Love.” The psalm was the 23rd and the Nunc Dimittis was sung as the coffin was borne from the church. The interment was in the old cemetery, Newtown-road. The mourners were Mrs Church (mother), Lce-Cpl. Pamela Church, A.T.S. (daughter), Mrs H.J. Booth (aunt), Mr. and Mrs. Eric Patterson, Mrs. Norman Bond, Miss Pink, Miss Goddard, Mr. Harold Oaks, the Misses Charlton, Mr. Gwyn Roberts and Mr. A. Fisher. Mr. E. Morris, works manager at Conercroft, Coventry, where Flt.-Lieut. Church had been engaged, was unable to be present. Among those present in church were Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Leggat, the Misses Salway, Mrs. Sidney Rooke, Mrs. Frank Wallis, Mr. R. Le Soeur, Mr. Herbert Comyns, Mrs Frank Comyns, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Pratt, Mr. I. Herbert (representing the Old Newburians Association), Miss Mortimer, Mrs. Pink, Miss Durrant, Mrs. Kenneth Hobbs, Mrs. Wyatt Lawrence, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Neale, the Misses Biddis, Messrs. E. Martin, F.W.Neate, E. Povey, Hugh Turner, G. Wallis, etc.

Pictures and photographs

The pictures below are all linked with Ernest Henry Church.
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Ernest Henry Church
© FNRC

Biographical Information

The articles below contain information about Ernest Henry Church.

THE CHURCH TWINS

THE CHURCH TWINS
There proved to be quite a lot about the Church twins and I will leave you to sort out exactly which of them is buried in Newtown Rd cemetery.

Both seemed to be interested in the Debating Society, but neither particularly sporty until EH’s last summer when he was a regular cricketer. Obviously motivated by patriotism from an early age.

From the computerised admittance registers:
Church Ernest Henry b May 29 1900, entered school Sep 20 1909, left school Jul 27 1916, son of Albert, Town Mills, Newbury, miller. Killed in war, RAF.
Church Albert Edward, same birth date, same entry date, left school Dec 22 1915, same father. Farming Australia, then England.

Newburian magazines
Feb 1912 – Twelfth Night
Church [sic], taking , as he did, his brother’s part at almost a day’s notice, is worthy of great commendation. [Played either Viola or Sebastian; cast decimated by “influenza colds”].

Feb 1913 – Debating Society
“The world is a happier place to live in today than in the Middle Ages”. AE Church did not agree people were healthier in the Middle Ages because they did not play games [sic].

Nov 1914 – “The English devotion to athletics has not proved detrimental to England”. AE Church seconded the opposer and remarked on the 200,000 Canadians who had come to fight, yet 300,000 Englishmen attended football matches. At a Reading match there were 12,000 spectators of whom 6,000 were fit but obviously preferred to watch football than to fight for King and country.

Dec 1914 – “Machinery is the cause of 20th century ills”.
E H Church seconded the proposer. He deplored the effects of factories on countryfolk who were huddled in towns which then became slums. Machinery led to luxury and life was healthier when people walked rather than taking the tram or a motor-car. All one generally learnt from newspapers turned out to be lies.

March 1914 – “Invasion would be beneficial to the nation”
Church [sic] dwelt on the ruin and devastation that would occur following an invasion. Bad for trade. A blow for Navy prestige and neutrals would then join the Germans as would not feel threatened by our Navy. Couldn’t then assist our Allies on the continent.

Dec 1915 – “The criticisms of the Daily Mail have not been in the best interests of the Allies”. [criticising Kitchener and the coalition]
Seconded by AE Church- the Daily Mail did not speak the truth and had given the British public the idea that the Russians had been beaten on all sides whereas in fact they were merely retreating in good order.

“More rigid discipline in education would lead to greater national efficiency”
EH Church opposed the motion. Un-English, working through fear, meant Prussianism and the rule of officials leading to narrow-mindedness, mediocrity and the downfall of the British Empire. There was no inefficiency in the nation. Strikes are not always unjust.

Sport
Mar 1915 – EH Church beat AE Church in the Fives singles.
Jul 1915 – AE Church scored 0 in a school match.
Jul 1916 – EH Church regular player in school matches, once saved the school by just managing 17 before rain stopped play. Described as a “good bat with some punishing power, has improved a lot. Could bowl a bit with a quaint, ungainly action; only fair in the field.”
Shooting – 6th overall in the school championships, represented Town House in House competition, came 3rd.

Dec 1916 – EH Church – Artists’ Rifles OTC.

Dec 1945 Roll of Honour
Church, in hospital at Birmingham, following an accident, Flt Lt Ernest Henry Church (1909 – 16), Royal Air Force, aged 45 years.
Ernest Church was another of Mr Sharwood Smith’s boys who went straight from school to join the Royal Flying Corps, as it was called in the last war. He rose to the rank of temporary captain and it will be remembered that he lost a leg while flying over the trenches in France. During the present war he has been engaged as an inspector under the Ministry of Aircraft production, and held the rank of Flt Lt. His death was the result of a motor accident. He had been to Birmingham on business on Jul 23rd and accepted a lift back to Coventry in a motor-car. On the journey the car came into collision with another vehicle and Ernest Church received injuries from which he died. The funeral service was held at Newbury Parish Church and was attended by many friends: the ONA was represented by Mr Herbert.
To his mother and to his twin brother Albert (1909-15) we offer our deep sympathy.

There was apparently no suitable photo of him they could use in the magazine.

There should be copies of the Newburian magazine in Newbury Library as I donated an almost complete run of bound duplicates to them many years ago. Possibly kept in a Reserve collection?

Judith Thomas
School Librarian
St Bartholomew's School

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