rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:51 am

I'd like to visit all the graves of the Rorke's Drift VC awardees in the UK.

I've been to some, but there's a few that I've yet to visit, and I'd like some help, please. These are:

John Chard VC - Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset

Fred Hitch VC - St Nicholas Churchyard, Old Chiswick, London

Henry Hook VC - Churcham, Gloucestershire

William Jones VC - Phillips Park Cemetery, Manchester

James Reynolds VC - Kensal Rise Cemetery, London

The problem I have is that I am reliant on public transport. I can obviously get from Newport to Taunton, Gloucester, London and Manchester, but so far I've not been able to find any bus/train/tube links to the specific places.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can get to the cemeteries or churchyards from the centre of the relevant town of city, please?

Thank you!

Smile

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:36 am

The section on this site should be helpful, but I'm afraid I didn't consider use of public transport.

http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/roadtrip.htm

Perhaps forum members living locally to the various sites could offer individual advice.

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:00 am

Though the Chard grave is very easy to find at the Hatch Beauchamp churchyard, you will need to seek direction to find the church itself since trees and buildings screen it from view from most directions.

It is, nevertheless, a pleasant and fairly easy and flat walk of just over a mile from the nearest main road junction in the village, and by surfaced road across the side of Hatch Beauchamp Court (still in private ownership and occupation) though there may be pedestrian shortcuts.

Do take time to go into the church, there is a fine memorial window to JRM Chard VC to the right of the altar and other interesting memorial references to his brother, the Reverend Charles Church.

Unfortunately, the grave tends to get littered with junk left by visitors (poppies, candles, etc) and the church authorities usually leave it there overlong.

G

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:33 pm

Thank you, both.

Smile

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:09 pm

I did, of course, mean Charles Chard.

G

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:16 pm

Thanks very much for your help - I think, by looking at the internet, I now have what I want.

Thankfully, it looks as if they're all accessible by public transport, so I should be okay .... I hope!

Smile

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:37 pm

If you go into the FEEDJIT map generously made available by Alan on the HOME part of this website, you can Zoom into the area of the Hatch Beachamp Church after a bit of practising.

It's at least possible to discriminate the area where the Chard grave is just next to the wall of the church but unfortunately there is just enough loss of definition to prevent a clear view of its outline in plan.

But you can at least identify the layout of local roads and tracks. I haven't tried it for the other grave sites but it would still be a worthwhile exercise once you have some idea where they are from a map.

I have yet to discover how to print or copy off Alan's FEEDJIT but Google Earth might be a simpler prospect.

Good luck on your travels.

G

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:39 pm

Not sure if this will work.....

http://feedjit.com/stats/rorkesdriftvc.com/map/?x=82&y=44&w=160&h=94

G

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:40 pm

'fraid not.

But you can at least find HB on the map.

G

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:03 pm

These might help, once you reach Hatch Beauchamp.

Entrance to house/church drive from road from HB.

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:44 pm

London should be straight forward.

Just use the Transport for London website Journey Planner.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 9:30 am

Fred Hitch VC - St Nicholas Churchyard, Old Chiswick, London

The District line crosses Chiswick, the London Underground stations are (east-west): Stamford Brook, Turnham Green, Chiswick Park and Gunnersbury.

It's a short walk from the tube station, think I got off at Gunnersbury.

James Reynolds VC - Kensal Rise Cemetery, London

Kensal Rise Cemetery is only a couple of minutes from Kensal Green tube station.

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:33 am

I should say that viewing the Google Earth references I give would save hours of the searching that I had to do.

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:26 am

Thank you, everyone; I think that I've worked out an itinerary for visits to all of the graves ... my problem now is to find the money to pay for it!

Smile