Compton Bassett War Memorial

First World War

A tribute to four men of Compton Bassett
who fell during the First World War

Major Frederic George Greenstreet

Corporal Walter Reginald Powell 15041

Private William John Cook 22197

Private Reginald Thomas Raisey Cook 45033

For the Fallen

BY LAURENCE BINYON With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night; As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

A tribute to five men of Compton Bassett who fell during The Second World War

The inscription on the memorial reads:

Not with earthly eyes or fleshly ear
But lifted high above mortality
We see at last the eternal hills
And hear the sighing of the universal sea
And kneeling breathed in that holy place
We know immortal beauty face to face

Capt. C. Diccon Earle RHA

Pte. Robert C. Smith The Buffs

Flt. Lt. Hugh H. Fielding-Johnson DFC RAF

Capt. Tim C. Lindsay-Peto MC Scots Guards

Able Seaman Stanley J. Lewis RN

The memorial was planned and mostly paid for by Capt Fielding Johnson who lived at Manor Farm and Capt Guy Benson who lived at Compton Bassett House. Capt Fielding Johnson had lost both his only son and his step-son in World War II. The verse on the memorial was composed by him. The memorial stands on the site of the old village hall and is likely to have been built by Messrs Blackfords of Calne, as Capt Fielding Johnson habitually used that firm for building work. The firm employed their own architect, Peter White. The service of dedication took place on Sunday 12th November 1950 and was conducted by Rev Vernon Thomas.

Compton Bassett War Memorial at 70

70 years ago, at 10.30am on Sunday 12th November 1950, Captain Guy Benson unveiled the new war memorial during a special service of dedication conducted by Reverend Vernon Thomas and held at the site to commemorate those soldiers who had died during both world wars. Captain Fielding-Johnson (Manor Farm) and Captain Benson (Compton Bassett House), set up a village planning committee for the purpose of erecting the memorial. Villagers contributed to a fund but the majority was donated by the two captains. The location for the memorial is deliberate; its elevated setting allows views over an idyllic and unhindered landscape that serves well as a place of contemplation; it may also be no coincidence that the furthest point of reference on the horizon lies the former RAF base at Lyneham war memorial dedication

The location for the memorial is deliberate; its elevated setting allows views over an idyllic and unhindered landscape that serves well as a place of contemplation; it may also be no coincidence that the furthest point of reference on the horizon lies the former RAF base at Lyneham Captain Fielding-Johnson lost his only son Hugh and step-son Diccon Earle in the Second World War and the verse inscribed on the rear panel of the memorial is taken from the sonnet 'Say Not That Beauty' composed by English poet Robin Flower: Not with the earthly eye or fleshly ear,
But lifted high above mortality,
We see at last the eternal hills,
and hear the sighing of the universal sea;
And kneeling breathless in that holy place A 2004 article by Jack Watkins for the War Memorials Trust Bulletin describes how the building of the memorial came to fruition: 'There may be grander War Memorials than the stone cross in the village of Compton Bassett in Wiltshire, but few can occupy a more evocative setting. Beyond the narrow lane at the foot of the steps leading up to it, the ground falls away, amidst the trees and hedgerows, to rich green meadows grazed by herds of dairy cows. It is the sort of 'Forever England' landscape evoked by war poets. "It is a wonderful view and a nice place to come and think your thoughts, even if some of them are painful ones", reflects Alan Lewis, a veteran of the D-Day landings at Arrowmanches. He stands on the steps with his friend, Les Smith, two men steeped in the village and its dairy-farming traditions. Moments later, up rolls Jim Taylor; like the other two, he was present at the memorial's unveiling in 1950 and carries a photograph of the ceremony. Of the two local military men, Captains Benson and Fielding-Johnson, Jim has some wry memories of the latter. "He wouldn’t put money into it unless the villagers got involved first. He had a little rubber dinghy set up and, for every sixpence we threw in, he'd double it". The Compton Bassett memorial is constructed from Portland stone and is Grade II listed, having been judged in 2002 to be an uncommon example, meriting its status of special architectural and historic interest. It is designed after Sir Reginald Blomfield's Cross of Sacrifice design in 1918, being a plain cross with a bronze longsword, blade pointed downward, on the front. Compton Bassett's version has a sword carved as a recessed shape, rather than having a sculpture fixed to the face. It is situated on an octagonal plinth, at the top of a flight of twelve steps from the street. Further information pleas ecall Laurie Waite on 01249 811076

Compton Bassett

War Memorial

In Memory of Those From The Village Who Lost Their Lives in World War 1 and World War 2