'Striking' WW1 memorial unveiled in village

45 minutes ago

Kelly WithersSomerset

A grant to create a memorial to commemorate fallen men from World War One was given in 2018

Lesley Isaac The memorial stands in a copse of trees. The stone has a black and white image of a soldier along with the words "Lest we Forget". It is covered by an installation of poppies. — A grant to create a memorial to commemorate fallen men from World War One was given in 2018

A "striking" living memorial to commemorate fallen soldiers from World War One has been unveiled.

Fifty-nine trees representing the men killed from Martock and Bower Hinton in Somerset were planted in 2021, and now a stone and knitted poppy installation have been added to complete the monument in Martock, Somerset.

After an appeal was launched earlier this year, people from Martock knitted or crocheted thousands of poppies, which have been laid out at the recreation ground.

Lesley Isaac, from the village's poppy project, said: "It looks absolutely stunning and it's very striking and I think the main thing is it's a real community project."

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The memorial was first commissioned in 2018 to mark 100 years since the end of World War One when a government grant was given to create a copse of 59 trees to commemorate the fallen men.

Isaac said the memorial stone, which is about 6 ft (1.8 metres) tall and set in slate, was a "lasting legacy" for the men who died.

"Fifty-nine men out of a village that was much smaller than it is now is a generation, and these were young men," he said.

A purple poppy installation has also been added to a trough that commemorates the horses lost in war.

"We didn't start off with that idea, but people said, 'can we do purple poppies for the animals', and we thought that was a fitting place to do that," she added.

An installation of purple poppies to commemorate the horses lost in war in Martock

Victoria Chudleigh A horse trough with purple and white poppies installed inside. Two wreaths are also attached on the left and right of the trough. The trough is in front of a building in Martock. — An installation of purple poppies to commemorate the horses lost in war in Martock

A short service of blessing, led by Revd Paul Fillery from All Saints' Church, will be held at the memorial later.

The names of the soldiers will be read out at the dedication ceremony, which will be attended by the local community, including some schoolchildren.

Fillery added: "It's really nice to be able to dedicate it to the memory of those men in prayer, and before God, and with the community there joining in that moment.

"It's simply a focus for all the hard work that has gone in to creating this memorial plaque and the copse itself."

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