New war memorial to remember village's fallen
A PACKED church witnessed the unveiling of a memorial to those from a village who have died while serving with the Armed Forces.
Standards from the Royal British Legion, Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry and the 1936 (Newton) Squadron, Air Training Corps, led formalities by marching into St Thomas's Church, Aslockton, on Sunday for a dedication ceremony.
Until Sunday, there had been no memorial in the village that listed those who made the ultimate sacrifice for king or queen and country.
The project to honour them was led by Aslockton villager Tim Chamberlin, who is the chairman of the East Midlands branch of the Western Front Association.
Mr Chamberlin's research, which was assisted by members of the association, identified 16 men who were either born or lived in Aslockton who paid the ultimate price in service of their country.
Eleven of those perished in the first world war, three in the second and two since.
Mr Chamberlin also produced a booklet detailing the stories behind each man so that memories can live on in more detail.
The 11 from the Great War were Guardsman Percival Jones, of the Grenadier Guards, Private Luke Goddard, King's Royal Rifle Corps, Driver Albert Fenton, Royal Fleet Auxillary, Private Harry Skillington, Leicestershire Regiment, Private Albert Yerrill, Sherwood Foresters, Driver James Pritchett, RHA, Lance/corporal Harold Stevens MM, Machine Gun Corps, Pte Frank Burrows Flowers, Sherwood Foresters, Sergeant Major Albert Tyler, Norfolk Regiment.
The three from the second world war were Pte Ernest Braithwaite, Cheshire Regiment, Leading Steward William Brierley, HMS Hood, Lieutenant Sidney Danson, Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Avenger.
Ernest Braithwaite, for instance died in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk. He was a member of one of two groups to fight until their ammunition ran out and, captured, were murdered by the advancing Germans. Braithwaite's group were rounded up into a barn and butchered with handgrenades.
Leading Steward Brierley was of 1,300 souls lost when Bismarck sank Hood, which was the pride of the British Navy. Only three hands survived.
The two post-war casualties were Able Seaman Adam Twells, HMS Sceptre and Lieutenant Mark Reynolds, Army Air Corps.
Submariner Able Seaman Twells was accidentally drowned in a diving accident in 1995.
Lt Reynolds was one of two men to die when their helicopter crashed on a training flight in 2008.
The congregation at the unveiling included members of the Royal British Legion and dignitaries.
The service was led by the parish priest, the Rev Clare le Marchant-Connell and was attended by Commander Judith Swann, Royal Naval Reserve, a Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire, the Mayor of Rushcliffe, Christine Jeffreys, and the Mayor of Bingham, John Stockwood and the parish council.
It included The Last Post, two minutes of silence, Reveille, the Exultation, the Kohima Epitaph and the National Anthem and wreath-laying.
The memorial itself is an oak plaque that was engraved by Helen (TJ) Murfin, of Ravenshead.
Mr Chamberlin said: "I have lived in the village for 35 years and in the church there was one carved plaque.
"I have always thought that it is much easier to remember people if you are able to see their names.
"It is a focal point and something for the children to see and carry on remembrance into another generation.
"Being chairman of the East Midlands branch of the Western Front Association, I was able to do something about it and thank Nottinghamshire County Council for the grant that made it possible."
Nottinghamshire County Councillor Francis Purdue-Horan, local councillor for Bingham East, backed the project for a new war memorial for the village which received £5,000 worth of funding.
He said: "We are delighted that the County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme has helped fund this war memorial. It now gives the local community a permanent place to pay their respects to the 16 brave, local people who lost their lives.
"It was a very appropriate and timely service. This summer has also seen the unveiling of the Great War Memorial by HRH Duke of Kent, which is Nottinghamshire’s Roll of Honour featuring the names of all 13,482 who lost their lives in the 1914 – 18 War."
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