Sileby Primitive Methodist chapel war memorial

The Primitive Methodist chapel in King Street, Sileby has stood for 150 years. After the Second World War this memorial was erected. Comparison with the village war memorial reveals that in both wars about one in seven of the total war dead were Primitive Methodists.

Thirteen men are remembered from the First World War (the village lost eighty-seven)

Private Charles Edward Betts
1/5^th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Died 13 October 1915, aged 21

Lance Corporal Charles Frederick Yates
5^th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Died 4 October 1918, aged 20

Private  George William Clarridge
1/5^th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Died 8 June 1917, aged 19

Private Fred Smith
1/5^th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Died 7 January 1918, aged 23

Private Harry Alfred Newton
1/5^th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Died 14 December 1917, aged 23

Corporal Charles Wilson
1^st Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Died 18 December 1915, aged 30

Private Albert Freer
2nd Bn. Highland Light Infantry. Died 27 September 1914, aged 28

Private John Edward Riddle
15^th (The King’s) Hussars. Died 22 November 1914, aged 25

2^nd Lieutenant  Alfred Frederick Perry
Royal Air Force. Died 28 October 1918, aged 18

Private William Clarke
2nd/5^th Bn. East Lancashire Regt. Died 9 October 1917, aged 40

Private Sidney Clarke
2nd/6^th Bn. South Staffordshire Regt. Died 21 March 1918, aged 19

Private William Allen Staples
9^th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. then Royal Defence Corps. Died March 1922, aged 41

Private Thomas Carvill
25^th Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Died 15 April 1919, aged 33

Fred Smith’s Sunday School attendance prize is displayed below the war memorial.

Five men died in the Second World War. Four served in the RAF. (the village lost thirty-five)

Sergeant Wireless Operator Wilfred Reginald Beadsmore
77 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 28 May 1943, aged 33

Sergeant Wireless Operator Thomas Ivan Betts
166 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 31 August 1943, aged 22

Lance-Corporal  Walter Sharpe
505 Field Compnay, Royal Engineers. Died 7 August 1943, aged 31

Warrant Officer  Victor James Saunders
5023 Airfield Construction Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 21 October 1945, aged 31

Sergeant Pilot George William Whiles
158 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Died 7 February 1943, aged 22

The details of the men are from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Further information may be found on the Sileby village website http://www.sileby-village.co.uk/Sileby_at_War/Sileby_at_War.htm