WW1 hero Abel Edward Cutler from West Wycombe to be included in Roll of Honour read at the Tower of London

The name of Private Abel Edward Cutler from West Wycombe is to be included in the Roll of Honour read at the Tower of London on the evening of Sunday 19th October 2014.

Born on 2nd February 1884, Private Cutler was the son of Abel and Elizabeth Cutler. He had ten years service in the South African division of the Mounted Police, a semi military organisation.

Private Cutler died of heart failure at 9.00pm on 26th July 1916 in Lewisham Military Hospital from wounds sustained in battle at Longueval, France on 15th July 1916. He was 32 years old.

Following his death Private Cutler was buried in the graveyard of St. Lawrence’s Church, West Wycombe with full military honours.

The coffin was transported to West Wycombe by rail. From West Wycombe railway station a gun carriage lead the procession to the Wesleyan Methodist Church for short service before proceeding to the churchyard on the hill where a bearer party fired three shots followed by the Last Post.

Private Cutler is commemorated on memorial plaques inside St. Lawrence’s Church, West Wycombe on the plaques outside Wycombe Hospital and on the memorial to the fallen in Lewisham Hospital, London.

Private Cutler’s father, Abel, was well known in the village of West Wycombe as the village Blacksmith who operated the former forge in West Wycombe High Street for many years.