Ghost soldier to remember fallen
Veteran Barry Fisher has created his own ghost soldier in his garden to honour those who died in service of their country.
The 58-year-old veteran, from H et ton, served with the Light Dragoons, where he took part in tours of Germany during the Cold War, as well as stints in Northern Ireland and Cyprus.
This year’s Remembrance services are going to be different as the country continues to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Barry wanted to do something to remember the fallen in his own way.
The former soldier told the Echo where the idea for his creation came from.
He said: “I do a lot of work with the Sunderland charity Veterans In Crisis and they have an art department who were making one after seeing some photos of some.
"When I saw what they had made, I decided that I wanted to have a go myself and got some mesh wire from some local allotment owners.”
Despite England being in its second national lockdown, the Government said services on Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day (November 11) can still go ahead.
For Barry, this year will be a low-key affair, but he is determined to remember those who gave their lives while serving their country.
He added: “It’s a shame that there won’t be big celebrations this year but we’ve got to stick to the rules and just remember them privately. I’ll be at home and it does take away from the day not being with old comrades, but just because people aren’t gathering, it doesn’t mean that we won’t be remembering.”
Meanwhile, Hetton Town Council has announced that its traditional Remembrance Day parade and service will not be taking place this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The event due to be held on Wednesday in Hetton Mini Park has been cancelled.
Cllr David Geddis, chair of the council’s events committee, said: “Disappointingly, the town council has been forced to cancel the remembrance event this year due to local Covid-19 restrictions in place preventing the use of parks and highways.
“Representatives of the town council will still lay wreaths as a mark of respect, but regrettably there can be no formal event for the public or other organisations.”