Missing names of 114 fallen soldiers to be recognised
THE NAMES of 114 Loughborough soldiers who gave their lives in the First World War, but who are not commemorated at Loughborough’s Carillon Tower and War Memorial, are to be honoured at the unveiling of a new plaque.
When the war memorial was built and opened in 1923, the names of 478 men of the town were recognised but the omission of 114 names was discovered by Marigold Cleeve, a researcher with the Carillon Museum, when she was researching the stories of the 478 who were included.
The stories have been featured in the Loughborough Echo each week on the anniversary of the men’s deaths, but during that work Marigold discovered the names of 114 men who died but for various reasons who were not included in the original list of Loughborough men who fell.
An appeal was launched in the Echo in March to raise £700 for the cost of the plaque and within hours of the paper being published, Loughborough Grammar School stepped in to donate the cash.
Mel Gould, chairman of the Loughborough Carillon Tower and War Memorial Museum, told the Echo that the background to the Grammar School gift was very appropriate.
“The Grammar School had a number of special commemorative cherry trees vandalised and when the culprit was caught, the school was awarded £500 compensation by the courts. It was also given £200 in donations by the public towards the cost of replacing the trees.
“As this amount was not needed to replace the trees, due to the generosity of Coles Nurseries in providing replacements free of charge, the school had been trying to identify an appropriate way of using the funds and the headmaster Duncan Byrne felt the plaque was the perfect solution.
“Produced by Kevin Mitchell Memorials of Selbourne Street, Loughborough, the plaque will be a fitting tribute to these men and their families who sacrificed so much.”
It will be unveiled on Saturday, November 3, on the ground floor of the Carillon. At 10am the Mayor of Charnwood will lay a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance by the main gate in New Street into Queen’s Park.
Following a short service, the party will move to the Carillon where the mayor will be invited to unveil the new plaque.
Members of the public are most welcome to attend and in particu- lar members of the families of those commemorated on the plaque.
For more information email Mel Gould: carillonmuseum@gmail. com