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July 2013
News
War memorial plans ridiculed in national press
P
lans to turn two granite gate posts in the Town Square at the Willow Brook shopping centre into a war memorial for Bradley Stoke have attracted ridicule in the national press because no resident of the town has been killed in military action. The project, promoted by the 1st Bradley Stoke Scout Group and Cllr Ben Walker, first came to light at the Bradley Stoke Festival on 8th June, where visitors to the Scouts’ stand were asked to participate in a “public consultation” to choose the wording for the inscription on one of the two black plaques that will constitute the memorial. In a press release put out on 19th June, the Scouts revealed more details about the project and announced the winning phrase as the traditional “we will remember them”. However, the need for a memorial has been questioned in some quarters, leading to suggestively disdainful headlines in the regional and national press. The BBC led the way on 20th June with an online piece titled “Bradley Stoke war memorial to be erected for ‘those yet to die’“, in which the chairman of a local Royal British Legion county branch is quoted as saying the construction could only be called a ‘war memorial’ if local people had died in conflict. This was followed by “Town
erects blank war memorial ‘for future deaths‘” in The Telegraph Online on 21st June and then “The town war memorial that has no names and has been left blank for future wars” in the Daily Mail Online on 22nd June.
Simulation of how the memorial will look. A black plaque will be added to each of the two existing granite gate posts in the town square.
Wartime connections
A reader poll on the Bradley Stoke Journal website which asked: “Should Bradley Stoke have a war memorial, even though nobody from the town has died in military conflict?” was showing 58% against the idea as we went to print. A number of reader comments on the website also question whether the Willow Brook Centre would be the best location for a memorial, because of the commercial surroundings and the fact that the land isn’t in public
Katherine Robinson, Beaver Scout Leader and an ex-Royal Naval Nurse, who is fronting the Scouts’ side of the initiative, points out in the press release that there are many wartime connections in the surrounding area, such as the former Bristol Aeroplane Company (BAC) at Filton. She also mentions that a decoy airfield (for Filton) was set up during WWII on farmland that now lies within the boundaries of Bradley Stoke. She adds: “I felt it was a great shame that a town the size of ours does not have somewhere where we can hold a proper Remembrance parade. I view Remembrance Sunday as a very special event and I see it as my duty to ensure the next generation not only learns about it, but actively carries on the tradition of Remembrance.” It is hoped to hold the inaugural Remembrance parade on Sunday 10th November 2013. An official dedication ceremony will take place on a date still to be confirmed, prior to the first parade.
ownership. Several contributors suggest Jubilee Green as a more appropriate location. Read the discussion and join in at http://bit.ly/bsj-1307-1 A spokesperson for the Stoke Gifford Branch of the Royal British Legion, which covers Bradley Stoke, told The Journal: “The Royal British Legion is the national Custodian of Remembrance and the Stoke Gifford branch would support a suitable public location for Remembrance in Bradley Stoke.
Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, comments: “I have been aware for some for us to pay our respects, time that there is a feeling in demonstrate our thanks and Bradley Stoke that the new appreciation for all those who town centre is missing a place paid the ultimate sacrifice in of remembrance, somewhere WW1.” where people could pause to “Bradley Stoke is now the pay their respects to the fallen largest town in our local area and reflect. Groups could and I think that it is right that parade or even perhaps raise a there is somewhere in the town flag on suitable occasions.” centre where on Armistice Day, “This has been fed back to Remembrance Sunday and me by local residents, town occasions like the Centenary of councillors and members of WW1, local people can pay their the local British Legion among respects.” others.” “I was delighted to hear “A few months ago of the ongoing local Scouts’ I had discussions with campaign for a memorial, in representatives from the the form of a commemorative Heritage Lottery fund about plaque which you often see how they could help support elsewhere, for instance on the commemorations locally to the Filton Library. But I think mark the centenary of WW1. looking forward to next year’s Some sort of memorial for the WW1 commemorations, we as town centre was an option to a community in Bradley Stoke, consider.” working with the town council, “Very recently I wrote to the the local British Legion, schools Bradley Stoke Town Council and community groups, should to inquire over what plans have a local debate about how they had put in place to mark we mark this very important next year’s Centenary of WW1 anniversary and how we provide and to support a campaign for a permanent way to honour our a memorial. The Centenary nation’s fallen in the Bradley will be an important occasion Stoke town centre.”
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