Arthur Edward Stollery - Our Project

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    Vadencourt Cemetery
    12th April 2014

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    Starting the Search
    Looking for the grave reference for Arthur Edward Stollery

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    Finding the grave reference
    We now know where to look

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    Looking for the grave
    Will we be able to find it?

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    Getting warmer...
    Reading the grave to make sure it's Arthur's

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    We've found it
    Tom prepares to place the Marlesford cross on Arthur's grave

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    Tom with the grave of Arthur Edward Stollery

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    The grave of Arthur Edward Stollery

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    The Marlesford cross is placed on Arthur's grave

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    A connection with home, Marlesford
    The cross is made from an oak tree from Marlesford

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    The Marlesford cross
    Connecting Arthur with Marlesford and his comrades from Marlesford that fell during the Great War

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    Vadencourt Cemetery
    Arthur's grave is in the front row, 7th from the left

We visited Vadencourt Cemetery on the morning of Saturday 12th April 2014.

The soldier we were searching for was Arthur Edward Stollery.

Our boys searched the cemetery register to find the name of Arthur, this gave us the grave reference for the boys to search for. The boys had to find grave 1A-7, which they did in no time at all. Tom was thrilled to find the grave of his second soldier from Marlesford, he had been holding his Marlesford cross in the car and looking out for the cemetery for about 20 minutes, since we left the grave of CSM Chambers at Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery.

The weather was beautiful and the cemetery looked perfect.

We sat on the grass and spoke about Arthur and touched his grave stone, it felt as though a real connection had been made. It's difficult to explain why touching a gravestone can cause an emotional reaction but it felt wonderful to touch the letters of Arthur's name on the white stone. Perhaps the warm, spiritual thoughts we brought from Marlesford were enough for us to feel this connection.

Update - 2016

We left the Marlesford Cross on Arthurs grave in April 2014.  In September 2016, Shirley Stone, Arthur's niece, visited Vadencourt Cemetery and found that the groundstaff of the CWGC had kindly left the cross in place.  Shirley was 'thrilled to see it in person' after reading about on this website and provided the photographs below.  

AES 2014  AES 2016 1 

Left to right: Arthurs grave with the new cross in 2014; The grave in 2016 with roses laid by Shirley Stone;  

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The Marlesford Cross still in place in September 2016

If you have any information on Arthur Stollery please contact us