Adam Wakenshaw VC

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Reference WMO/181430

Address:

St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral

Clayton Street West

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 5HH

England

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Status: On original site
Type: Non freestanding
Location: Internal
Setting: Inside a building - public/private
Description: Stained glass window
Materials:
  • Glass Stained Glass
Lettering: Painted
Conflicts:
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
About the memorial: Adam Wakenshaw VC. Awarded for valour at Mersa Matruh in June 1942 whilst serving as a member of a 2pdr anti-tank gun crew with 9 DLI. From the cathedral website; "This 2-light window is situated on the south side. Unveiled and dedicated by Bishop Kevin in the Cathedral on Sunday 27th June, it was the first new stained glass window in the Cathedral for over 100 years and replaced one of the windows damaged by the bombing of Newcastle in World War II. The window, designed by Cate Watkinson, tells the story of Private Adam Wakenshaw from his humble beginnings in Newcastle to his death in the deserts of North Africa in World War II. Private Wakenshaw was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross and was the only member of the armed Forces from Tyneside to be awarded such an honour in the Second World War. The window celebrates his life and his sacrifice. At the base of the left-hand window is a terraced street in Newcastle with the Tyne Bridge in the background. The bridge was built between 1925 and 1929 when private Wakenshaw was growing up and it was a new landmark on the Quayside. A silhouette of St. Mary's spire, where Adam was baptised and married, is included. A map of the area where Private Wakenshaw fought with the Durham Light Infantry is included. The map shows the North African coastline along with the location of Mersa Matruh, where he was killed, and El Alamein, where he is buried. The top of the left-hand light contains the colours seen on the horizon at sunrise, the time of day when the attack on Mersa Matruh took place. Moving across to the right-hand light, the cross placed on Private Wakenshaw's grave is depicted. Bougainvillaea and white roses, the flowers that decorated Private Wakenshaw's two-pounder gun in El Alamein Cemetery, are also shown.
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Left Light: MERSA MATRUH '42 / EGYPT/ JUNE 9TH 1914 Right Light: PTE. A. WAKENSHAW V.C. / REV 2:10 / BE FAITHFUL / UNTIL DEATH AND I / WILL GIVE A CROWN /OF LIFE

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