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Bid to restore cross to its former glory
A NEGLECTED memorial to soldiers killed in two World Wars is to be restored to it former glory and re-dedicated.
Members of the Lincolnshire Western Front Association hope to clean up the memorial at Thorpe-le-Fallows, which features the names of eight troops that died in the conflicts, after decades of neglect and re-dedicate the site in time for Remembrance Day.
Group member Mike Credland found out about the site in the course of his research into memorials in the county, and found that the more he dug, the more surprises the site yielded.
“I’ve known about it for 15 years and made enquiries over the years to try and find out who is responsible for it,” he said. “It’s quite amazing - it was put up in 1919 but it didn’t look like that originally - it has had a different top put on it.”
“The original top was a crusader wearing a top with a red cross, that was damaged over the years.”
“The memorial location itself is fascinating - it’s based on the site of an old church that disappeared centuries ago.”
Seven of the troops died in the First World War, while a Private Joseph Clayton from the Lincolnshire Regiment died in February 1944.
Among the First World War heroes, the only man to have flown with the Royal Air Force (then known as the Royal Flying Corps) was a Lt Rudolph Arthur Preston, who was shot down by Oswald Boelcke, the man responsible for training the Red Baron.
At the time of his death (the morning of 5th September 1916), Preston had been on a mission to determine German troop movements ahead of Britain’s first ever use of tanks. These tanks were produced in Lincoln, and Mike believes the connection may play a part in why the memorial overlooks the city itself.
Branch chairman Mick McDonald said when the group heard a speech from Mike about the site, and following additional research from fellow member Jonathan D’Hooghe, they decided to do what they could to spruce up the memorial.
“We decided it would be a good idea to put it to the rest of the branch, and to look after it,” he said.
Since getting the all-clear to head onto the land from landowners Limestone Farms, the group says the focus is now on locating relatives of those named and finding out who carries the responsibility for the memorial.
“The impetus has now moved from looking at who owns the land to looking for the relatives of those on the memorial,” said Mick.
“It would be really nice to have it in a presentable condition for the 11th November,” he added. “But because we want a re-dedication ceremony as well, we want to carry it out with the parish council and a representative from Limestone Farms.”
In addition to Lt preston and Pvt Clayton, the memorial also carries the names of Pvt Frank Baldock of the Grenadier Guards, Pvt W Martin, Lt/Copl George Bradley and Cpl Alfred Edwin Goddard of the Lincolnshire Regiment, Pvt Freddie Schofield Burkitt of the Sherwood Foresters, Pvt H Sanderson of the Border Regiment and Pvt JT Jackson of the Lancashire Fusiliers.
l Anyone who feels they may be related to one of the soldiers listed, has information on those with responsibility for the memorial, or who would like more information is invited to attend a meeting of the association at Lincoln University’s Bishop Grosseteste campus SU bar on Monday 19th October at 7pm.
Alternatively, they can contact Mick on 07740 407609, or visit the Western Front Association website at www.westernfrontassociation.com
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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