On Monday 31st May a 100th year commemoration service was held in the churchyard at St. John in the Wilderness, beside the Commonwealth War Grave of Corporal Charles Louis Thomas Whichelow.
Corporal Wichelow was part of The Regimental Band of the 2nd Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment and on the 31st May 1921 they were attacked by the IRA using a land mine, in Youghal, County Cork. Three of the soldiers were killed outright, a further four died of their wounds and another 20 were wounded. The march that the band were playing, “Viscount Nelson”, has not been played since.
Both Charles and his brother-in-law, Bandsman Thomas D Fry, were in the regiment but Thomas luckily escaped uninjured. Violet, Charles’ wife, came from Exmouth and this is why he is buried in our churchyard.
The service, along with others across the country, was organized by Rob Withall, Area Secretary, The Princess of Wales Regiment and he was able to attend ours. Two buglers played The Last Post, a Standard was lowered and a minute’s silence held.