ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

Accrington's War memorial has been vanadlised again.
My eldest daughter visits it every week, today she found panel number 8 had come off again, less than 18 months since the last botch up repair job was done. To prevent the panel from being smashed by the local yobbery, she has taken the panel to the Gatty Park project for sake keeping.

Instead of getting those tablets refitted by a properly qualified monumental mason, it was done on the cheap as usual, and had to be repointed less than a month later in August 2009.
On checking, she found that the botch up pointing repairs, on the other panels has also fallen off.
More unescessary expense.

Retlaw.

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

It should have been done properly Walter, as you say. I'll take it up with the Chief Executive tomorrow.

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

Just been searching on the Great War Forum, and English Heritage has supplied funding for repairs to WW1 War Memorials in the past.
I don't think they would approve of the repairs being done by Messrs Boggit & Leggit, the firm usually employed by Hyndburn Borough.
They will only assist if qualified workmen are used.
Retlaw.

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

Mr Britcliffe its not just there on a Sunday in November so that you can get your picture in the local rag, its there the other 364 days a year, hyndburn council should be ashamed, the men of Accrington & surrounding areas gave their lives for us all & we should never forget them, their names need to be displayed in honour. HBC get it sorted & do a proper job this time after all there's plenty of money in the pot

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Article on the Telegraph website;

Call to repair Hyndburn's war memorial (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

'Pulled off by vandals', Cllr. Britcliffe suggested.

Fancy.

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Let's hope the yellow medal wearing hero pays attention and does something decent for a change.

Britcliffe wears a medal, he claims he earned it for his time on the council, the people named on the memorial did it in blood!

lest we forget

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."
John McCrae ~ "In Flanders Fields"

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

If those stone panels had been put back properly in 2009, neither wind nor vandals would get them off, britcliffes got both feet in his gob again.
As for one of the comments on the Telegraph Web site that the those concerned, folk out the money themselves, what planet does that fool live on. That memorial was paid for by the people of Accrington, the local authority took over responciblity. This time lets hope they don't employ Boggit & Leggit to do the repairs.
Retlaw

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

I'm glad you put that verse up Less, thanks.
As for his highnesses yellow medal, its just the right colour for him.
Pity he wasn't around in 1916 to get conscripted.

Retlaw.

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

I wouldnt hold your breath:(

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

It did say the Property Services were meeting with a Stone Mason to discuss options ... is this different to a Monumental Mason ?

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But would he have volunteered in 1914?

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Depends on what the expenses were like:D

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Yes
A monumental mason carved the stone for the Pals Memorial in France, its fastened on in such a way that neither weather or vandals could easily get it of.

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No way he would have had to be conscripted.
Conscription started in 1916, by late 1918 they were taking them with wooden legs:D, and flashing his yellow badge would have put him in the front line.
I would have given him Field punishment No1
Retlaw.

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

I'm glad I found this post because I need to say something.

Me and my friends broke some of those stone things with all the names on, back around that time (2009 - 2011).
At the time we broke them and ran away, and I am sure this caused great offence to a lot of people.
However I need to say that it was not vandalism, we did not do it on purpose.

We used to meet there and lean on them sometimes, we were teenagers and maybe should have been a bit more respectful and not leaned on them but they were heavy stone and in our opinion unmovable - there was never an intention to cause damage.
We were leaning on them one afternoon and 2 or maybe 3 of them just fell away from the wall like dominoes. If I remember correctly at least one of them cracked right in half.

We knew right away we would never be believed if we said they just fell (we were a bunch of young troublemakers) so we ran off and left them lying there.


I know it was years ago now but it always stuck in my mind that people would have seen that and thought somebody purposefully broke them and most likely been seriously offended, when in fact it seems to have been poor maintenance.


I don't really know what else to say. I just hope if anybody was offended by it all those years ago that it puts something right to know that there was never any intention to disrespect the dead soldiers.

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Well done Anonymouse for owning up to what you and your pals did. I hope now you are older and wiser and have the respect for what that memorial stands and the lads whos names it bears.

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Right again P.B. though it did look that way, Its good that yeh brought this to light anonymouse, Though it may have been better if you lads had held yer hands up at the time and offered to pay for the damage, if that had been the case, i doubt if anyone would think yez did it on purpose?

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That is disgraceful Retlaw when funding is available. Good on your daughter for pestering the council. Hope she keeps it up. These lads deserve to be remembered properly and with pride not shoved on the back burner. I have two great uncles on the cenataph at Hapton so have known all about the sacrifices all my life but I remember clearly the moment it really hit home to me. I was walking through Slaidburn and stopped in front of the war memorial there. It is one with a soldier figure on top. I forget how many names were on it but it struck me it was a lot for such a small village. Then I thought about them leaving such a lovely place and travelling to France. In those days of the first World War it is likely that most had not even been to Preston never mind any where further and a certainty none had been abroad. It must have been like going to the moon for them. Some would be scared stiff before they even got to France. I have never forgotten that day. Our respect and gratitude should no no bounds for all those who have fought and lost their lives for our freedom.

Re: ACCRINGTON's WAR MEMORIAL
 

Rowlf, your spot on with your observations, some of our lads round here had some help, there were a heck of a lot of old soldiers living in Greater Acc, they couldn't wait to put their old uniforms on again and get stuck into who ever challenged England, they became father figures to a lot of the younger ones, even the ones that were under age nobody split on them, those lads only fear was their parents claiming them back, many did suffer that fate, then when the next recruiting drive came, some would travel miles away to enlist, give a false name & address, their real name & age only discovered when they were in hospital wounded, a lot of them not even 17, them lads had guts by the bucketful, (not like today's 17 year olds roaming round in gangs intimidating their elders.)
I think the youngest Accy lad to be killed was 15 years of age. All I can say is Heroes one and all, may their names be revered and live on for ever.