16th Battn Sherwood Foresters - King's Colour

Summary

Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of a WW1 war memorial comprising the King's Colour of the 16th Battn Sherwood Foresters at St Peter's Church, Edensor, Derbyshire.

Images

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Further images may be available on request.

Locations

Last known location:
St Peter's Church
Jap La
Edensor
Derbyshire

Nearest postcode:
DE45 1PH

NGR:
SK 25066 69907
(From online digital mapping.)
(Map opens in new window.)

Location details:
In the north aisle.

Type

Overall type: Flag.

Overall condition: Good. The memorial is cared for.

Description:

The laid up King's Colour of the 16th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. The colour comprises a Union Flag with gold fringes to three edges and has the crown and regimental number at the centre, with five battle honours to each side. It is mounted on a pike which also has a tasselled gold cord suspended from the head. The colour is accompanied by a framed caption mounted on the nearby wall.

Glossary

Components:

Component	Material	Height	Width	Depth	Condition
Flag	Fabric	c900	c1100	-	Fair
Pike	Wood, metal	c1500	c50	c50	Fair
Caption	Paper	280	210	-	Fair
Frame	Wood, glass	425	355	20	Fair
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.

Inscription

Caption:

Conflicts and people named:
Conflict	First World War (1914-1919)	Totals
Action	Unspecified
Number died	0	0
Number served and returned	0	0
Total names	0	0

Memorial Flags
The flag hanging in front of the war memorial in
the north aisle is the King's Colour of the
Chatsworth Rifles, the 16th battalion of the
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, the
Sherwood Foresters.
The colour hangs here because the unit was raised
in 1915 by the Duke of Devonshire, in his capacity as
Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, and when the
battalion was disbanded in 1922, the colour was
presented for safe keeping to this church, when the
Duke unveiled the memorial to those locals killed
during the Great War.
The Chatsworth Rifles first saw action on the
Western Front in March 1916. Over the next two and a
half years, 29 Officers and 600 men of the battalion
were killed: of the officers who were with the unit
when it first went to France, over two thirds were
killed or wounded.
The Chatsworth Rifles won 1 Victoria Cross, 6
Distinguished Service Orders, 28 Military Crosses, 14
Distinguished Conduct Medals and 63 Military
Medals. The Colour carries the names of the 10
battles in which the battalion took a conspicuous
part.
The singular name of the unit derives from a local
militia, raised in 1859 and disbanded in 1881. The
white flag with the St George's Cross is the white
ensign, flown on ships of the Royal Navy. The British
Legion flag is that of the Chatsworth branch,
disbanded in 1995

Administration

Custodian: Presumed to be the parochial church council.

Local authorities:
From WW1: Edensor Parish Council, Bakewell District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
From 1974: Edensor Parish Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council; Derbyshire County Council.

History and Conservation

29th January, 1922: The colour was presented by a colour party comprising Maj H R Stevens MC, RSM J Pepper MC and Sgt Egerton VC. It was accepted by the Vicar of Edensor who declared responsibility for its safekeeping.

17th April, 1951: The church lies within the Peak District National Park dedignated on that date.

12th July 1967: The church was listed Grade I, Heritage List for England number 1088158.

Unknown date: The church lies within the Edensor Conservation Area.

21st July, 2017: The memorial was surveyed by Roy Branson and Alan Willmot. It was in good condition and cared for.

References

Derby Telegraph; 31st January, 1922; p2: a report on the presentation ceremony.

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