Thursday, April 25, 2013

BRIGG WAR MEMORIAL WAY FORWARD DISCUSSED

Brigg Town Council is making stringent efforts when it comes to determining a policy that will govern future requests for adding names to the Monument war memorial, which was erected soon after the First World War and which carries names of local servicemen who were killed during that conflict and the Second World War.
Another in-depth discussion took place at the council's April meeting on Monday night, and further talks will follow, as the issue is now being passed over to the Policy and Resources Committee for detailed consideration.
Monday's debate in the Angel was summed up as "really interesting" by Coun Rob Waltham as the authority reached its decision.
Coun John Kitwood  explained the war memorial had been presented  by Coun Stamp. But, having examined the Monument, Coun Kitwood said the plaque area was now full - unless others could be added to the sides of the structure.
Coun Jackie Brock felt the Monument should be regarded as a memorial for the First and Second World Wars only. If there was ever a need to consider honouring people from later conflicts, she wondered whether another memorial might be erected in the Angel building.
Coun Mel Oades also thought it could be possible to "move forward with a roll of honour."
Town Mayor Coun Carl Sherwood stressed: "Every application would have to be considered on its merits," while Coun Chris Dyson warned that the council needed to be really careful over what it decided.
Reference during the meeting was made to a nurse from Wrawby who was killed on active service during the First World War. Coun Ann Eardley suggested there might be room for one more name to be added at the Monument.


1 comment:

Ken Harrison said...

For info - There are 4 plaques on the war memorial, but only 3 have the names of the fallen - the 4th plaque (on the outside, on the right)contains an inscription.
Hopefully, there would be no more need to add the fallen from future conflicts, but, God forbid, if the need ever arose, the inscribed 4th plaque could be substituted.

Secondly, on the 1st WW1 plaque (inside, on the left) on one line there are only two names - Lt's Long and Westoby - leaving about 35 letter spaces either side the names - 70 in total.

It seems that after the Great War, status still counted, even for the dead and some may still argue that such spaces are in the 'officers' section. However, Sister Ellen Andrew of the Army Territorial Nursing Service - KIA 21-3-18. was officially given officer status when she volunteered to go to the Western Front.

It is rare to find a woman actually killed in action from either of the World Wars and Ellen Andrew was killed during an aerial bombardment on an ambulance train near her forward casualty station on the first day of the massive German Spring Offensive of 1918 (the biggest ever during the whole of the war).
Another sister was wounded (a Sister Maxey)...and nurses were awarded gallantry medals for their actions during the aeroplane raid. when 'bombs were popping everywhere!'