Last Communion on the Battlefield

St. Luke’s Church, Cannock

This stained glass window, designed by the artist Reginald Frampton, was commissoned by Charles Loxton in memory of his son Charles Edward Holden Loxton, known as Edward. Edward was a 2nd Lieutenant in the North Staffs Regiment and served in the trenches on the Western Front in Flanders. One night he led a patrol to repair barbed wire damaged by enemy artillery and was shot by a sniper during a thunderstorm. He died on the way to a Casualty Clearing Station on May 23rd 1915 at Wulverghem in Belgium and is buried in Nieukirche Cemetery in Belgium. He was 23 years old.

The subject for the window was inspired by a letter from a fellow officer to Edward’s father after his death. In it he wrote, “Your wife will be pleased to know that your son partook of Holy Communion on Thursday last. A few of us went just before we came to the trenches”. Edward can be seen in the picture kneeling to receive Holy Communion from the priest. At the top of the window is the flag of St. George and beneath that the coat of arms of the North Staffs Regiment, as well as the Prince of Wales’ (the Colonel in Chief) three feathers and motto ich dien.

The window was dedicated in Edward’s memory on Maundy Thursday 1917. Edward Loxton’s father Charles was Clerk to Cannock Local Board which later became Cannock Urban District Council from 1882 until 1933.

Thank you to the Express and Star for providing the photograph and also thank you to David Gethin for the information.