Burma War Memorial

Burma War Memorial plaque in St James's Church, Cowley

This brass plaque on the wall of St James's Church in Cowley remembers the ten non-commissioned officers and 38 men of the 2nd Battalion of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry who died during the Burma Campaign of 1889–1892.

Those who died are listed in date order of their death, but under their rank. The ten non-commissioned officers are listed first: two Sergeants, a single Lance-Sergeant, three Corporals, and four Lance Corporals. These are followed by the 38 Privates.

TO THE MEMORY OF / THE FOLLOWING N.C.O's & MEN OF THE 2^ND BATTALION / OXFORDSHIRE L^T INFANTRY WHO DIED IN BURMA / BETWEEN THE 29^TH OCT^R 1889, / AND 1^ST DECEMBER 1892.
N^o. 1881 S^GT F. BRYAN DIED 13 AUG. 1890		N^o2748 P^TE E. TUNSTALL DIED 30 SEP. 1890
N^o. 1124 S^GT J. SKINNER DIED 16 MAY 1891		N^o2657 P^TE G. FOUNTAIN DIED 7 OCT. 1890
N^o. 1936 LS^GT J. T. GULL DIED 29 MAY 1891		N^o2415 P^TE J. SAUNDERS DIED 9 OCT. 1890
N^o. 1022 CP^L G. W. JELLY DIED 1 AUG. 1890		N^o1933 P^TE H. CUTTELL DIED 18 OCT. 1890
N^o. 2081 CP^L E. STEWART DIED 20 SEP. 1891		N^o2926 P^TE J. PLUMRIDGE DIED 27 OCT. 1890
N^o. 2458 CP^L A. HULLS DIED 3 MARCH 1892		N^o3097 P^TE W. KITCHENER DIED 2 NOV. 1890
N^o. 2803 LCP^L F. SMITH DIED 26 APL. 1891		N^o2713 P^TE J. CONNORS DIED 28 FEB. 1891
N^o.1890 LCP^L J. YOUNG DIED 5 NOV 1891		N^o3102 P^TE A. SKUSE DIED 21 APL. 1891
N^o. 2O69 LCP^L F. PARSONS DIED 29 AUG. 1892		N^o3118 P^TE J. HASKETT DIED 21 APR. 1891
N^o. 1755 LCP^L F. RUSSELL DIED 25 NOV. 1892		N^o3206 P^TE A. EVANS DIED 25 MAY 1891
N^o3015 P^TE J. WRINGE DIED 26 JAN. 1890		N^o2659 P^TE T. JONES DIED 26 MAY 1891
N^o2291 P^TE H. HORTON DIED 21 FEB. 1890		N^o1711 P^TE W. HAINES DIED 27 JUN. 1891
N^o1560 P^TE W. JACKSON DIED 31 MAR. 1890		N^o3095 P^TE T. FINCHER DIED 14 JUL. 1891
N^o2118 P^TE J. WARREN DIED 31 MAR. 1890		N^o3412 P^TE W. HEATH DIED 21 JUL. 1891
N^o1769 P^TE A. T. MAYO DIED 30 APL. 1890		N^o3213 P^TE W. HUNT DIED 7 SEP. 1891
N^o1346 P^TE T. JENKINSON DIED 9 MAY 1890		N^o1685 P^TE W. PICKETT DIED 6 NOV. 1891
N^o2928 P^TE J. REEVES DIED 13 JUL. 1890		N^o2639 P^TE G. STURCH DIED 22 DEC. 1891
N^o2835 P^TE J. JOHNSON DIED 2 AUG. 1890		N^o2589 P^TE C. CAPLE DIED 15 APL. 1892
N^o1482 P^TE W. MONKS DIED 5 AUG. 1890		N^o3359 P^TE A. H. HARRIS DIED 31 MAY 1892
N^o3109 P^TEC. IRWIN DIED 6 AUG. 1890		N^o2157 P^TE J. SMITH DIED 15 JUN. 1892
N^o3073 P^TE H. HIGHAM DIED 15 AUG. 1890		N^o2600 P^TE G. WRIGHT DIED 13 JUL. 1892
N^o2898 P^TE G. HAWTIN DIED 16 AUG. 1890		N^o2905 P^TE J. WATSON DIED 26 AUG. 1892
N^o2637 P^TE H. RICHENS DIED 24 AUG. 1890		N^o2304 P^TE H. AYRES DIED 5 SEP. 1892
N^o2413 P^TE G. AKAM DIED 1 SEP. 1890		N^o1837 P^TE T. COLEMAN DIED 16 OCT. 1892
THIS BRASS IS PLACED HERE / BY THEIR COMRADES

Note about the formation of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in 1881

In 1881 the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) had been amalgamated and became respectively the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry. The Regiment was based at Cowley Barracks. (This new regiment did not become the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry until 1908.)

The above tablet refers only to the 2nd (52nd) Battalion, which explains the “52” incorporated into the Oxfordshire Light Infantry bugle at the top.

In 1889 the soldiers of the 2nd (52nd) Battalion moved in 1889 to Toungoo and Meiktila in Burma (Myanmar). The photograph below shows Colonel Howard Kingscote sitting in the centre of the officers of that battalion in that year:

Officers of the 2nd (52nd ) Battalion

The Birmingham Evening Mail of 26 February 1891 reported that 200 of the 2nd (52nd) Battalion, along with men from five other regiments, were deployed at Wuntho to suppress the rebellion.

The Regiment returned to India (Bareilly) in 1892.

This Burma War Memorial on the Database of the Imperial War Museums
and on War Memorials Online

Back to Oxford War Memorials

Please email if you can add anything to this information

Oxford War Memorials: Burma Campaign of 1889–1892

Note about the formation of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in 1881