Biscovey – St. Mary’s Church & Churchyard

Above & below: A man of the Seaforth Highlanders, the most northern of all the British regiments, remembered in a churchyard in Cornwall, the most southerly of all the counties.

Private Harold George Louth, Seaforths, died on 9th May 1915 aged 25.  He has no known grave, and his name can be found on the Le Touret Memorial, a few miles north east of Béthune.

Stoker 2nd Class Walter Percival Massey, H.M.S. “Cumberland”, who died on 25th July (the CWGC database says 26th) 1915 in Bermuda aged 20.  He is buried in Bermuda Royal Naval Cemetery, along with another thirty four Great War casualties, and forty one from the Second World War.

Nicholas William Hitchins Rundell was a mate aboard S.S. “Galgorm Castle” (inset) who was drowned when the ship, travelling from Buenos Aires to Queenstown in Ireland, was shelled and sunk by the German submarine U-49 on 27th February 1917 with the loss of eleven crew.  He was 57 and is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial in London.

Sapper Leonard Morshead, 101st Field Company, Royal Engineers, who died on 23rd August 1918 aged 22, and is buried in Montecchio Precalcino Communal Cemetery Extension, about eight miles north of Vicenza in north eastern Italy.

The grave of Second Lieutenant Richard Carter Pellow, R.A.F., killed whilst flying (presumably in an accident) on 9th July 1918, aged 21.  His brother, Lieutenant Edward Charles Pellow, Army Education Corps, who died in 1927 aged 34, is buried in the same grave.

And finally another mining casualty, one of so many to be found in Cornish churchyards.

This entry was posted in Cornwall, U.K. Churches, Memorials & Cemeteries - Back in Blighty. Bookmark the permalink.

11 Responses to Biscovey – St. Mary’s Church & Churchyard

  1. On the Memorial Plaque in the Church (Fred. S. COLLER).

    PRIVATE FREDERICK COLLER
    Service Number: SS/13893 ASC 18th Labour Coy.
    Died 13 August 1915
    Commemorated at HELLES MEMORIAL Panel 200 to 201 or 233 to 236 and 331.
    Turkey (including Gallipoli)
    Husband of Jane Coller, of 9, Varcoes Cottage Discovey, Par Station, Cornwall.

    Lost in the sinking of HMT Royal Edward.

  2. ALAN says:

    You get about, thanks for post

  3. Morag Sutherland says:

    It seems early in the war for men from outwith catchment area to be with the Seaforths but then again. ….. they say the kilt was a recruitment factor and maybe Mr Louth was in Bedford? As always very interesting to read. You are so observant

    • Magicfingers says:

      Thank you Morag. And you are right, if I say so myself, I am observant. Probably comes from bird & bug spotting over many years. That’s winged birds………

  4. Re. Frederick Coller of Biscovey.
    I’ve just noticed the error in the casualty details I copied from the CWGC.
    They have Discovey – should be B not D.
    I’ve tried contacting the CWGC but got nowhere with their complicated form.
    Kath.

    • Morag Sutherland says:

      Kathryn I volunteer with EOHO initiative with CWGC. I have taken liberty of passing your comment to my area coordinator and asked her to pass it to whoever is responsible.
      Hopefully it will get sorted

  5. Thanks, Morag, for your offer of help, but
    I told a Great War Forum member & he says he will sort it.

  6. nicholas Kilner says:

    Another beautiful Cornish churchyard. George Louth is certainly an interesting one. I checked his medal card in case he had moved regiments, but no, he entered the war with the 1/4 Seaforth Highlanders on the 7th Nov 1914. Which as Morag points out is very early indeed for someone to be joining a battalion from so far afield. Curious.
    I also went to school with a ‘Pellow’, they were a big farming family near Gunnislake. I often wonder if people are related when I see a name that I know come up. Its only about 25 miles as the crow flies

    • Magicfingers says:

      I bet some local historian has probably found out why Lough’s there. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised if all Pellows within a certain area were related somehow.

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