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THE WAR MEMORIAL in South Street, Bourne was extended
to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War and the work
was dedicated during a special service which attracted a large congregation from
the town.
The present stone cenotaph in South Street was erected in 1956 and contains
bronze plaques on two sides inscribed with the 97 names of those who died in the
conflict and 35 in subsequent wars although there is no mention of their units
and regiments or whether they served in the army, navy or air force.
The trustees of Bourne United Charities which administers the War Memorial
gardens remedied this omission as a contribution to the observances
across the nation during the summer of 2014, one hundred years after the outbreak of the war
on 4th August 1914.
Twenty-two small memorial stones with accompanying wooden crosses were added in the immediate area of the cenotaph, eleven on either side of the main
footpath leading to the monument, each inscribed with the crest of the regiment
or arm of service to which those who gave their lives belonged. The design and
position of the stones was modelled on those which form Veteran’s Way
at the War Memorial in Boston, Lincolnshire, and represent those whose names are
inscribed on our own War Memorial, including the Second World War and subsequent
conflicts.
The 22 stones include the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, Machine Gun Corps, Royal
Warwickshire Regiment, Northumberland Fusiliers, Northamptonshire Regiment,
Kings Own, Royal Lancaster, Prince of Wales Own, Notts and Derby Regiment, South
Staffordshire Regiment, Parachute Regiment, Middlesex Regiment, Hampshire
Regiment, Loyal Regiment, Norfolk Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, Royal
Artillery, the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, Labour Corps, Royal British Legion,
Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
The stone commemorating the Parachute Regiment has a
special significance for Bourne because 550 officers and men from the 1st
Battalion were stationed in and around the town for several weeks prior to the
Battle of Arnhem in September 1944.
All of the 22 stones were engraved with the appropriate regimental or
service badges and although some of these historic regiments no longer exist,
various military museums that retain copies of the designs have helped furnish
details. Wooden crosses were placed behind them and each bore a poppy wreath
with a regimental or service crest to match that on the memorial stone, while
the surrounding area was landscaped and box hedging planted.
The service of dedication was held at the War Memorial on Sunday afternoon, 21st
September conducted by the Vicar of Bourne, the Rev Christopher Atkinson,
preceded by a parade from the Red Hall by local organisations associated with
the annual Remembrance Day service which is held at the cenotaph every November
and a fly past by two Spitfire fighter planes from World War II.
The Mayor of Bourne, Councillor Bob Russell, and the chairman of South Kesteven
District Council, Councillor Reg Howard, were also in attendance together
with other civic leaders, regimental and service representatives and members of
the Royal British Legion (Bourne branch) who had assisted with the
arrangements.
Twenty-two pupils from local schools, eleven each from Bourne Abbey Primary
Academy and Bourne Westfield Primary Academy, were chosen to lay the
wreaths bearing identical military crests on the appropriate stones during the
service and afterwards, guests were invited the join the trustees at the
Red Hall where refreshments were served.
The project was organised for Bourne United Charities by one of the
trustees, John Kirkman. “The additional memorial stones are a most suitable
additional commemoration of the sacrifices made by servicemen from Bourne”, he
said. “Although the initiative has been taken by Bourne United Charities, we
would in the future welcome donations of further stones, either from the various
regimental associations or indeed individuals.
“This is a most important occasion commemorating the regiments, corps and armed
services in which so many of the young men from the Bourne area served and died
in two world wars and other conflicts thereafter. We owe them a huge debt of
gratitude for their service and sacrifice and the trustees are hoping that the
people of Bourne will turn out on this occasion and show their support.”
The reason for the twenty-two stones is that they reflect the units in which the
majority of those named on the memorial actually served, e.g. the Lincolnshire
Regiment (43), the Royal Navy (7), the Sherwood Foresters (6) etc.
"Unfortunately, because of cost, we are not able to commemorate every regiment
at this time without outside help", explained Mr Kirkman. "If funding is
provided by any of the regimental associations or similar military organisations
then they will be added to those already in situ."
The War Memorial was erected in 1956, funded mainly by public subscription, and
the design based on the cenotaph in Whitehall, London, the work of the
architects W E Norman Webster and Son. It was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday
16th September during a civic service attended by relatives of those named on
the memorial and many ex-servicemen and women while the band of the 4th/6th
Battalion of the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment (TA) provided the music as wreaths
were placed at the base of the cenotaph before the sounding of Retreat.
There are two plaques on the monument containing the names of those from Bourne
who fell in battle. One on the south side lists those who lost their lives in
the First World War and that on the north side contains the names of those who
died in the Second World War of 1939-45 and subsequent conflicts in other parts
of the world.
It is not known exactly how many from Bourne went to war but with a population
of 4,343 at that time (1911 census) it is estimated that the figure was around
250. When the War Memorial was erected almost sixty years ago, an appeal
produced the names of 97 men who died in action but it is now known that 37
names were missed and so the total from Bourne who made the supreme sacrifice
was 134 and the trustees hope to add their names with an additional plaque at
some time in the future.
REVISED MAY 2015
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