Thorpe Acre memorial unveiled on The Green
Names of the village’s fallen in the two wars
JUST one year after a special appeal was launched a permanent war memorial to Thorpe Acre soldiers who fell in the two world wars has been erected.
The man behind the whole scheme, Coun Roy Campsall proudly helped unveil the memorial obelisk on the village green at a special ceremony attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Charnwood Coun David Snartt and his wife Joan.
The appeal, to raise £3,700 was launched after a temporary memorial was put up at Thorpe Acre in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, which included details about eight men from the old village.
Coun Campsall, independent Charnwood councillor for the Loughborough Garendon ward, said: “The temporary memorial was put up for a month and the feedback we got was brilliant, that we ought to have something to last forever.”
A special raffle was launched and there were also donations from the village’s Plough Inn and the manufacturing firm Polypipe Loughborough and the money was raised within just six months.
Originally the memorial, which is made of black granite was only going to include the names of the eight who fell in World War One but then it was thought only right to include the 13 men who died during World War Two as well.
Three local stone masons, Kevin Mitchell, Kev Sharman and Ian Spiby generously worked on the project for free.
The unveiling was scheduled for April but because of the lockdown it was postponed until last week.
Coun Campsall said of the unveiling: “It went well. I think everyone’s delighted with it. It’s there now forever and people can enjoy it.
He added that he was very proud of the memorial: “I’m Thorpe Acre born and bred, I was born on Rupert Brooke Road and I’ve lived there all my life, it’s has never had a memorial before and it’s helped put Thorpe acre on the map a little bit.”
Following the event Coun Campsall posted this message on the Thorpe Acre Village Facebook page: “Hi all, I would just like to thank you all again for coming along this afternoon to the unveiling it was really good.
“Also I`d like to give a big thumbs up to Kevin Mitchell who with Kevin Sharman and Ian Spiby gave their time for free working on the war memorial.”
The memorial ceremony held on the anniversary of VJ Day was also attended by Colonel Robert Martin representing the Royal British Legion and members of Thorpe Acre Scouts
The dedication was read by the Rev Eric Whitley and the The Act of Remembrance by Rev Rosie Whitley.