Jump to content
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Searching for 15 men


jemm

Recommended Posts

Recently a war memorial near my home has been renovated etc unfortunately it seems the names of the 15 men commemorated on it have been covered over or something. Is there anyway to find out who the 15 men would have been by using the SDGW index... ie typing in the village name.. would it find the soldiers by this method?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i

Just before thet re painted our local War Memorial a couple of years back the local libary made a list of every body how was listed on it,

so you could start at your local libary!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you check the local newspaper's archives there was probably an article when it was dedicated, listing the names.

Local histories often list the names on the memorial.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all your suggestions, I actually work as a volunteer photograph librarian for my local museum. I also run the local history website for this area and spend a lot of time researching for the site by using the old newspapers especially the 1914-1920 papers. I have the full report for the opening of the big war memorial in the centre of town in 1928 but can't recall having seen anything on the Weir memorial. Weir being a little village in between Bacup and Burnley.

What I do have is a photograph of the Weir first world war committee who erected a Roll of Honour in a recessed area of the local co-op wall, unfortuantely there is no date on the photograph and whilst you can see the roll of honour in the background you cannot see any names.

I also have some written memoirs here, I have been using for the website written by an old member of the museum in 1943 he describes the memorial and even says who donated the land etc but he gives no dates.

I have included a picture of the memorial, it is I think one of the highest in the country, in a very remote location.

post-4696-1163976713.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Local museum is also worth a try

As would the company that did the renovation. And whichever body commissioned the renovation.

It seems an extraordinary thing to have happened. When you say the names have been "covered over or something", can you work out what has happened? Were the names inscribed in the stone and it has now been filled in? Or there was a metal plaque that now isnt there (or now has something in front of it)?

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jemm

I see that it is only within the last few days that the announcement was made of the £5000 grant coming via English Heritage.

Could it be that the name plaque has simply been removed for renovation or replacement, whilst work is undertaken on the memorial cross?

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Further....

It would seem the renovation will have been commissioned by Rossendale Council which is responsible for its maintenace. The work is being undertaken in conjunction with the UK National Inventory of War Memorials (the War Memorial Trust). Its website lists the memorial and confirms that they hold a list of names.

This is the link to their website. click here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thankyou for that link John, I have just spoken to the man from the Rotary club who placed the request in the local paper for the names of the 15 men. Apparently the original roll of honour was buried under the memorial.

Somone somewhere must have kept a copy but no-one knows who. So I am going to try the site you gave me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...