Abinger and its War Memorial

The war memorial in the churchyard [Wikipedia], designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens RA, was erected in 1920 in memory of the men of the ecclesiastical parish of Abinger who fell in the 1914-1918 World War.

It was a gift of Mrs Margaret Lewin, widow of Col. Lewin of Parkhurst. It is inscribed as follows:

West Panel

The World War MCM XIV - MCM XIX (1914-1919) (sic)

South Panel

In memory of those who fell 1914-1918.

Pte Ernest Andrew Bone	3rd Surrey Rifles
Cpl Herbert William Hunt	4th Yorkshire Regt.
Lt Cpl Herbert W Carpenter	7th The Queen's (RW Surrey Regt.)
Grace King	Dames des Cantines Anglaise
2nd a/m Russell C Forehead	RAF
Lt William A Mitchison	Royal Engineers
Pte George Gadd	1st The Sherwood Foresters
Lt Walter Selwyn Orpen	10th Lancashire Fusiliers
Pte Ernest A E Smith	4th Royal Fusiliers
Pte Thomas Holloway	1st Hampshire Regt.

North Panel:

In Honour of those who fought and conquered 1939-1945.

Percy Baverstock	RN
Geoffrey Boulding	RA
Sidney W Burton	RAF
Harry Buckman	RAF
H Colin Carpenter	Lt. Queens & FO RAF
Ronald Francis Drake	RN
H Colin Carpenter	Lt. Queens & FO RAF
Raymond C Forehead	RASC
George T Gardiner	FO RAF VR
Roy Douglas Harriss	R West Kent
Arthur Kent	RN
Albert Arthur Millo	RAF VR
Alfred Tickner	RN

East Panel:

This cross destroyed by enemy action in 1944 was re-erected in 1949 in proud memory of Margaret Lewin of Parkhurst, Abinger Common. And her dear rage and forgetfulness of self under all conditions. "I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" Ephesians 1:16 Presented by Margaret Lewin of Parkhurst, Abinger Common, in memory of her son Charles Mclean Lewin 4th Hussars (CML b.1880 d.1919). "They also serve who only stand and wait". (Milton) Also T.H.W.L. eldest son of above b. 1912 d. 1947.

See Abinger Churchyard and its history (p7) by JC Gibbs (1938) for more.

Outside the South Wall of the Churchyard

This Village Green is dedicated to the memory of those from the Parish of Abinger who fell in the Great War 1914-1918.

John Beckett, John Foord
Andrew Earnest Bone
Russell Forehand
Eric Brady
George Gadd
Ben Bliss
Thomas Holloway
Herbert W Carpenter
William Herbert Hunt
Frank Charman
Grace King
Henry Charman
William Mitchinson
George Cooper
Mark Moore
Edward Jack Curtis
John Muggeridge
Henry Elms
Walter Selwyn Orpen
Charles H Etherington
Albert Edward Smith

The land was purchased and endowed by their friends and neighbours and placed in the custody of the Abinger Parish Council in the year 1920.

“Pereunt et imputantur” [the hours pass away and are reckoned on our account].

A facsimile of this stone and inscription is on the Clock House facing the green at Abinger Hammer and another on the YMCA hut (1920) facing the green at Forest Green.