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The Channel Islands and the Great War
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St Brelade, Jersey




The St Brelade memorial is situated at the western end of the bay next to the picturesque St Brelade's Church with adjoining grave yard. It is single column made from Jersey granite and has a sobering 48 names inscribed on two sides. Also listed are 11 names from the 1939-1945 conflict, and a name of one solider that died during the troubles in Northern Ireland.

The memorial has on one side of it the inscription "To the memory of the men of St Brelade who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1918 and that of 1939-1945". This inscription is repeated on the fourth panel in French. The column is topped by a wreath, and four swords decorate each one of the corners.

Albert Edward Mauger was just sixteen when he died. A 'Boy 1st Class' on board HMS Vanguard he died in an explosion on the ship and is listed as dying on the 9th July 1917. Formerly a porter at Millbrook railway station Albert had left Jersey twelve months before his death and is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. The St Brelade memorial lists his initials as AF for some unknown reason, maybe a mistake by the inscriber, we will probably never know.

Another name listed on the memorial is that of Arthur James Mesny son of Mr A Mesny of St Aubins. He was a Private serving with the 1st Bn, D.C.L.I., and was killed in action age 20 at 'Third Ypres', on the 4th October 1917. Arthur's body was never identified and his name is inscribed on one of the many panels to the missing at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium. Before the war Arthur had worked at De Gruchy and was said to be a promising organist at St Aubin's church.

William John Nolais was a Sergeant with 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regt. Husband of Gertrude Eileen Nolais, of 20 Wellesley Terrace, Simon Place, St. Helier and son of Mr and Mrs Nolais of St Aubins Jersey, William was described as "a most promising soldier" and had received a commission the day he was wounded when serving out ammunition.

Sent to a hospital in Rouen where his arm was amputated, his wife of a few months travelled to Rouen to be with him. As his condition become more serious his parents also decided travel to Rouen to be with him but unfortunately he died of his wounds before they arrived. He was twenty four and died on the 8th December 1914.


St.Brelade, Jersey

He is buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen. Prior to the war William had been a champion swimmer in the St Aubins Swimming Club and went on to be a champion diver at Aldershot after enlisting. A brave and talented man, whose life was cut tragically short.

A member of the Jersey Overseas Contingent is also listed on the memorial, Francis Arthur Turner a Sergeant with 7th Bn Royal Irish Rifles was twenty nine when he died. The JEP reports his date of death as 14th May 1916 and that he died of his wounds. The 7th RIR war diary notes that three men were wounded and one killed on the 13th May 1916. He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, Francis was married to Stella Turner (nee Filliastre), of "Hillside," St. Brelade's Bay, Jersey.

It is ironic that during the war several Germans from the POW Camp at Blanches Banques were buried in St Brelade's Church-yard, and even though their remains were later removed to a cemetery in France for a time these Germans were buried on Jersey soil, a dignity not afforded to many of the Jersey men listed on the memorial. I wonder if the families of the dead thought about this at the time, I for one would have found it hard to accept.

This memorial is set in a beautiful location over looking a wonderful bay; a fitting place for St Brelade's lost sons.

List of names


© 2006 Paul Ronayne

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