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Poingdestre, A



Mont l'Abbe New Cemetery, Jersey

Mont l'Abbe New Cemetery, Jersey

Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Poingdestre

(Picture courtesy of Mike & Rosemarie Thomas)

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Thursday 11 February 1915

Death of Lieutenant Colonel A Poingdestre - Demise Follows Apparent Recovery. It is with very sincere regret that we announce the death of Lieutenant Colonel A Poingdestre Officer Commanding 2nd or East Battalion RMIJ which occurred about 10.30 this morning at his residence Silvertide, Havre des Pas. The deceased who was 54 was a native of the Island and received part of his education at Victoria College. He was taken ill about 2 weeks ago with what at first appeared to be a severe cold but within a short time double pneumonia supervened and for a few days his condition gave rise to anxiety. On Tuesday he appeared much better and yesterday the improvement was well maintained but this morning a relapse set in and within a very short space of time he had passed away.

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Tuesday 16 February 1915

The Late Colonel Poingdestre - Funeral Arrangements. Messrs J R Sinnatt & Son have very courteously given us an outline of the arrangements in connection with the interment of the late Colonel Poingdestre, which takes place tomorrow with full Military Honours. The gun carriage, horsed and manned by the East Battery together with the bearer party and pall bearers will assemble at Silvertide, Havre des Pas, at 3 o'clock and the body borne on the gun carriage and followed by the private mourners will leave for St Lukes Church shortly afterwards. The Military will parade at St Lukes Church and the troops detailed for duty include the militia brigade band, the buglers of the East and South Battalions, a firing party of a hundred men of the deceased's old command and as many of the men of that Battalion as can be spared from duty to follow the gun carriage. The 4th and 11th Battalions of the South Staffs will also be represented by detachments of men, while it is expected that a very large proportion of the militia and garrison officers will be present. The cortege will leave St Lukes Church for Mont a l'Abbe Cemetery at 3.30 and the following route has been selected - St Clements Road, Colomberie, Hill Street, Library Place, Broad Street, York Street, The Parade, Saville Street, Parade Road and St Johns Road. The usual three volleys will be fired at the graveside by men of the East Battalion and the combined buglers will sound the Last Post.



Alfred Poingdestre

Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Poingdestre
Commander 2nd Battalion Royal Militia of the Island of Jersey
11/02/1915



Born in France. Son of Charles T & Frances Maria Poingdestre.

Died of Influenza and pneumonia at his home, Silvertide, Havre des Pas, Jersey, aged 54 years. Educated at Victoria College, Jersey.

Notice of Death appears in Jersey Evening Post of Thursday 11 February 1915


Commemorated on OV Memorial
Halkett Place Primary School Memorial
and on St Luke's Church Memorial


 

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Thursday 18 February 1915

The funeral of the late Lieutenant Colonel A Poingdestre, Officer Commanding 2nd or East Battalion RMIJ who died at his residence Silvertide, Havre des Pas on Thursday last took place on 17 February with full Military Honours. The weather was most unfavourable and during the early part of the sad ceremony heavy rain fell adding seemingly additional sadness to the occasion. The gun carriage bearing the coffin covered with the Union Jack on which rested the deceased officer's side arms left the house at 3 o'clock followed by two mourning coaches. On arrival at the church the cortege was received by the men of the East Battalion (his former command) under Major Walton, a detachment of the 11th South Staffs, one from the 4th South Staffs and a small contingent of the Victoria College Officers Training Corps. The coffin, which was of solid oak with brass mounts bore the inscription on the breast plate "Alfred Poingdestre Lieutenant Colonel. Died 11 February 1915 aged 54 years." The procession was met at the church gates by the Reverend Walker (Incumbent of St Lukes), the Reverend R D D Love (Gouray), the Reverend Pinel (Curate of St Lukes Church) and the church choir. As the procession entered the church the funeral march was played. The service, which was fully choral, was most impressive the duties being shared by the Reverend Walker and the Reverend Pinel. The two hymns "On the Resurrection Morning" and "Now the Labourers Task is O'er" were sung and the first portion of the service was brought to a conclusion. By this time the crowd outside had swollen enormously and though rain still fell it was not so heavy. Under the direction of Centenier A Luxon a force of paid policemen kept the route clear and kept order outside the church. The coffin having been replaced on the gun carriage the procession moved off. Slowly the cortege moved to the strains of the Dead March in Saul and on arriving in Colomberie the order was given to quick march. On arriving in Hill Street the slow march was resumed and Beethoven's Funeral March was played. Arriving in Charing Cross the quick pace was again taken up and the procession only slowed down on arrival near the new Mont a l'Abbe Cemetery where Chopin's Funeral March was played. The public were not admitted to the Cemetery, but a good view of the ceremony was obtained from the roadway. The officers took up a position near the graveside, a firing party near the railings which skirt the roadway and the various contingents in the places allotted to them. The East Battalion in particular lining the pathway leading from the gates to the last resting place of their former respected Commander. The coffin was borne on the shoulders of four Colour Sergeants of the East Permanent Staff. The committal service at the graveside was most impressively read by the Reverend R D Love. We might add that the only floral tributes were one from the family and one from the Officers, NCOs and men of the East Battalion.

Accepted for commemoration by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in June 2011

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Certificate


Thanks to Victoria College, Jersey