Names of fallen soldiers to be added to Barnoldswick war memorial (From Craven Herald)

Names of fallen soldiers to be added to Barnoldswick war memorial

11:00am Saturday 9th March 2013 in News

A West Craven group is hoping 45 soldiers who died in the two world wars will have their names added to Barnoldswick war memorial this summer.

Peter Thompson, a member of the Barnoldswick War Memorial Group, said it was hoped eight new panels would be installed in time for a re-dedication service on July 28 – the anniversary of the start of World War One in 1914.

The fallen servicemen include 33 who died in World War One and 12 who died in World War Two.

The memorial already has 315 names from the First World War and 76 from the Second World War.

One of the panels will mention the sinking of the HMHS Rohilla, which ran aground off the coast of Whitby in October 1914.

The Rohilla, a hospital ship, had 15 men from Barnoldswick on board, 12 of whom died.

Mr Thompson, 72, of Barnoldswick, who served in the Royal Navy during the Cod Wars, said the memorial group received help with its research from Hebden-based group Craven’s Part in the Great War and Whitby author Colin Brittain, who wrote a book about the Rohilla.

A stonemason has been employed to inscribe the names in what will be the second phase of a project to improve the war memorial site, on Fernlea Avenue.

“The first phase of work was completed in time for Remembrance Sunday last year,” said Mr Thompson. “It has really lifted the area and opened it up so people can walk through. There is a new entrance from the car park on the south side and the adjacent recycling unit was moved to a different location. The new entrance is designed to accommodate the granite panels with the additional names which we hope to add this year.”

In addition to the £8,000 Barnoldswick Town Council invested in the project last year, Coun David Whipp said the council would be providing funds from its 2013/14 budget to pay for the plaques and inscriptions.

He said: “The town council will be helping to fund the provision of plaques with the additional names of people who died, which includes a great uncle of mine who died in the First World War.”

The council will also pay £1,500 for planting around the memorial, which was carried out by Barnoldswick in Bloom volunteers on Sunday.

Mr Thompson is also penning his own book, Barn-oldswick’s Part in Conflict, and during his research he came across three former Barnoldswick soldiers who died in the Boer War.

“The Barnoldswick war memorial lists those who died in the first and second world wars, but doesn’t mention the Boer War so that could be a future project,” he added.