Remembrance 2018

Wooden Crosses of Remembrance

In the lead up to the centenary of the end of the First World War, wooden Crosses of Remembrance were attached to Ingleby Cross war memorial on the 100th anniversary of the death of each of the 5 soldiers commemorated. The one exception was the cross laid on the 94th anniversary of William Stockdale’s death: he had returned in ill health from being a prisoner of war and was unable to recover, dying in 1924. To each cross was added a laminated notice giving details of the circumstances of the soldier’s death and where he is buried. 

Planning for Remembrance Day 2018

Possible arrangements for Remembrance Day 2018 including a display in Ingleby Cross Village Hall were discussed at the meeting of Ingleby Arncliffe Parish Council on 25th May 2017.

Each year the Service of Remembrance and Act of Remembrance alternate between East Harlsey and Ingleby Arncliffe/Ingleby Cross. The latter were due to host in 2017. In July East Harlsey Parish Council kindly agreed to host for the second year running in 2017 so that Ingleby Arncliffe/Ingleby Cross could host in 2018.

In January 2018 the programme for Remembrance Day was firmed up, and was to include refreshments in Ingleby Cross village hall after the Act of Remembrance. In the village hall would be a display giving details of the war memorial and the soldiers commemorated.

Several residents began crocheting or knitting poppies for displays near the war memorial and at All Saints church.

 

"There But Not There" initiative and fundraising.

In February 2018 the “Remembered” charity announced the “There But Not There” initiative, whereby communities could purchase 6’ Tommy sculptures, life size Perspex pew silhouettes and engraved Perspex name blocks to help commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. Proceeds would go to several charities including "Walking With The Wounded", "Combat Stress" and "Help For Heroes" that support serving and former members of the Armed Forces especially those suffering from mental disabilities.

Our Parish Council was keen to promote this initiative as long as funds were raised by members of the local community; and processed via the Parish Council’s bank account so that all transactions would be fully auditable and VAT could be recovered on purchases.

The wooden crosses had become dilapidated and it was proposed to install on the war memorial a brass plaque for each soldier engraved with words similar to those on the laminated notices. 

Quotes were obtained for the purchase and installation of all of the items, and David Warhurst kindly printed off over 150 fundraising leaflets that were delivered by Parish Councillors and the Parish Council Clerk to every household in July.

In a marvellous response over £1,200 was initially pledged, enough to purchase and install one 6’ Tommy and purchase 5 pew silhouettes and engraved name blocks.

Pledges were then gathered in by Ruth and Gerry Eastham, processed by Susan Stephenson, Parish Council Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer, and orders were placed.

Donations were also gratefully received from relatives of Sergeant Adamson:

• From Pat Mitchell, Great Niece of Sergeant Adamson;
• From Pat’s late Father’s Cousin Ken Adamson;
• And from Pat’s Cousin Michael LeRoy, Great Nephew of Sergeant Adamson, on behalf of his late Mother, Florence Muriel LeRoy, ne Adamson, Niece of Sergeant Adamson.

 

Brass plaques funding

County Councillor Bryn Griffiths suggested that a bid be submitted to the North Yorkshire County Council Locality Budgets for £300 to purchase and install the brass plaques on the war memorial. The bid emphasised that the plaques would be a permanent benefit to residents but also to the many visitors to our villages who inspect the war memorial having been to the Old Joiners Shop café, to the Blue Bell Inn or in passing on the Coast to Coast Walk. We were very grateful that our bid was successful. Fox Mouldings Limited of Thirsk produced the plaques which are heavily engraved in a similar font to the words on the war memorial stones. Monumental masons Dales of Thirsk attached the plaques to the top surfaces of the modern facing stones in time for Remembrance Day. 

 

Cleaning the war memorial

Before the plaques were attached, the opportunity was taken by Alan O’Connor and Tim Roy to pressure wash and clean the war memorial. The modern facing stones were finished using a strong solution of Red Label Hypochlorite, a disinfectant used for cleaning milking parlours and patios. (All Photographs By Tim Roy)

 

Preparations for the 6' Tommy

Local builder Anthony Nelson cast the concrete base for the 6’ Tommy. Stainless steel drop-in anchors, security bolts, washers and nuts were purchased along with a padlock.

 

Paying respects at the graves of our fallen soldiers

In September Malcolm and Vanessa Atkinson-Leighton visited the war graves in France of Captain Pease and Sergeant Adamson to pay their respects on behalf of all residents of our villages and to lay a poppy crocheted by Vanessa on each grave. They did the same at the Arras Memorial to the Missing where Private Medd’s name is inscribed. In November they laid a poppy at the war grave of Private Granger in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Leake, 7 miles to the south of Ingleby Cross; and another at the grave of Private Stockdale in the churchyard of All Saints, Ingleby Cross. (Photographs are on each soldier’s page on this website)

 

Remembrance displays at All Saints Church and at Ingleby Cross

The 6’ Tommy, pew silhouettes, name blocks, accompanying biographies and poppy displays were positioned at the church and at Ingleby Cross on 1st November. The poppies were arranged in groups of 5 to represent the 5 men commemorated on the war memorial. Thanks go to Pam Smith, Muriel Cowan, Malcolm and Vanessa Atkinson-Leighton, Elizabeth Hunter, Karen Wilde and Jude Temple for all their efforts to make the poppies; to Malcolm for producing the poppy cascades outside the Blue Bell Inn and above the entrance to the church; and to Peter Hunter for producing the hand carved soldier silhouettes and cluster of crosses. 

Ingleby Cross 6' Tommy and poppy displays gallery

All Saints Church display gallery

Members of the Parochial Church Council kindly opened the church for public viewing of the displays on the first 2 weekends of November.

Six relatives of Sergeant Adamson visited Ingleby Cross and the church on the morning of Saturday 10th November and were given a guided tour of the displays by Tim and Janet Roy.

 

Remembrance displays in Ingleby Cross Village Hall

Ingleby Cross Village Hall was prepared on the afternoon with thanks to Clifford and Sue Rudd, Janet Roy, Ian Heseltine and Les Sutton-Haig; and to David Warhurst for printing 80 commemorative leaflets for the tables. Tim Roy set up display boards at one end of the hall: one per soldier and one covering the history of the war memorial itself.

 

Remembrance Day

On Sunday 11th November the Service of Remembrance and Act of Remembrance were taken by the Reverend Bill Dewing and were very well attended with just over 100 residents at the war memorial. It was very touching that also present were relatives of Captain Pease, Sergeant Adamson and Private Stockdale.

Many people then took refreshments in Ingleby Cross Village Hall that had been kindly prepared by Ernie and Winifred Laking, with help from Clifford and Sue Rudd, Ruth Eastham and Janet Roy.

The Church bells were rung at 1230pm by Alan Wade, with assistance from Sandra Barry, for 15 minutes in conjunction with many other church bells throughout the world to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. (Click here for a photograph)

Members of our community and our visitors raised a significant amount for the Royal British Legion through the "poppy tins" (£358.93), the collections at All Saints Church and the Act of Remembrance (£231.00) and from the sale of refreshments at the village hall event (£170.00). The total came to £759.93.

 

After Remembrance Day

During the week after Remembrance Day all of the displays were packed away ready for the following year.

After all of the “There But Not There” bills had been paid, the remaining funds raised by the community, £142.29, were donated to the “Remembered” charity.

The members of Ingleby Arncliffe Parish Council would like to express their thanks to the many residents who made such an effort to make it a very special and memorable Remembrance period. It was a great community effort.