Thurlestone – All Saints Church & War Memorial

SECOND LIEUTENANT J. H. CUNNINGTONROYAL ENGINEERSu/k19/10/1918

MAJOR GENERAL A. C. ST. CLAIR-MORFORD C.B.E. M.C.ROYAL MARINES5104/05/1945

The grave of Major General Albert Clarence St. Clair-Morford C. B. E. M.C.  Commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1912, and severely wounded in 1916, the following year St. Clair Morford volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps, becoming the only marine to fly with the Corps during the First World War.  He returned to the Marines in 1919 and continued to serve until his retirement in 1943; he was almost immediately recalled and, after various staff appointments, in August 1944 he was appointed Commander of the Royal Marine Training School at Thurlestone.  He was killed on 4th May 1945 when a bullet hit him in the head while he was looking out of a tank hatch during a live firing exercise.

DRIVER G. T. LUSCOMBEROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS4525/12/1945

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2 Responses to Thurlestone – All Saints Church & War Memorial

  1. John Gordon-Kirkby says:

    You have a photo of the gravestone of my uncle Major General Albert Clarence St Clair-Morofo.
    Do you want a photograph of him during WW1 ?

    • Magicfingers says:

      Hello John. That is extremely kind of you and I would love to add a photo of him, especially in the Great War. You will have to give me permission to email you (I have your email address) and then you could send it to me. Any other WW1 info on him would be useful (nothing detailed required) and also any other info you have on the accident that killed him. I have no idea how many Major-Generals died in WW2 (I know about WW1 though – see here if you are interested https://thebignote.com/2019/01/07/the-dead-donkeys-the-myth-of-the-chateau-generals-part-one-1914/) but I cannot imagine it was very many. Thanks very much indeed for the offer.

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