The Hamer family were probably persuaded by the secretary of the National Trust, Samuel Hamer brother of Sir William Hamer, to donate money in 1918 for a memorial to their son, who fell in France in March 1918. But along with the fallen, the benefactors son is also commemorated.
In 1920 the 18 acres on top of Castle Crag were bought for £150 from the executors of Colonel CV Conway Gordon and handed over to the National Trust. It was the intention of the Hamer parents that the plaque fixed to the summit rock commemorate only their son, John Hamer, but Canon Rawnsley persuaded them to include all the local fallen. Although there was already a memorial to them in Grange churchyard.
Plaque reads
"CASTLE CRAG WAS GIVEN TO THE
NATIONAL TRUST IN MEMORY OF
JOHN HAMER
2ND LIEUT. 6TH KSLI BORN JULY 8TH 1897
KILLED IN ACTION MARCH 22 1918
ALSO OF
THE FOLLOWING MEN OF BORROWDALE
WHO DIED FOR THE SAME CAUSE
2nd Lt. H.E. Layland
Pte. G Bird - 1st Border Regt.
Pte. J Boow - 2nd Border Regt.
Pte. N Dover - 11th Border Regt.
Pte. J Edmondson - 1st Border Regt.
Pte. F Hindmoor -7th Border Regt.
Pte W Nicholson - 5th Border Regt.
Pte. T Richardson - 6th Border Regt.
Pte. JW Rigg - 8th border Regt
Pte. AE Wilson - Kings Own Lancasters"
The local papers had reports.
The Carlisle News in 18 June 1921 issue mentions Castle Crag, Borrowdale Mountain War Memorial.
The West Cumberland Times in 18 June 1921 issue writes that a Green slate tablet was placed on fell to residents of the valley. Names and inscription given in the article.
Whereas the Penrith Observer in its 21 June 1921 issue just says a tablet was erected on the top of Castle Crag.
G Bird (
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EJ Boow (
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J Edmondson (
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F Hindmoor (
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Source
Lakeland Monuments by Bob Orrell
Links
Streetmap OS map (
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