A century on, Ipswich will once more come together to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, with a ceremony in Christchurch Park this weekend.
One hundred years ago today, on May 3, the Ipswich War Memorial was unveiled, bearing the names of 1,481 men who had bravely given their lives to fight for King and country.
Tomorrow, Ipswich will once more come together to honour the town’s fallen soldiers.
“The word ‘duty’ now means something slightly different nowadays than what it meant to people then, who would go and do their duty for the country,” said Andrew Beal.
Mr Beal, along with Helen Ely, runs the Ipswich Memorial Project.
The project works to digitally preserve the individual legacy of those who have gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars.
Today and tomorrow, the Ipswich Memorial Project is displaying its collection of photo portraits around the area of the cenotaph. This 930-strong collection honours not just those who fought in the two world wars, but also the conflicts post-1945, including 14 portraits from the Boer War in South Africa.
At 11am tomorrow, there will be a short service of remembrance at the memorial in Christchurch Park, led by the Reverend Tom Mumford of St Mary-le-Tower and the Royal British Legion.
The Mayor of Ipswich, Councillor Lynne Mortimer, will be speaking, paying tribute to her grandfather who died in Dunkirk.
Also in attendance will be Lorraine McClure, the mother of Aaron McClure, who was just 19 when he died serving in Afghanistan in 2007.
“When you meet someone like Lorraine, you’ve then got to picture thousands of mothers mourning the loss of their son, the daughter or their husband,” said Mr Beal. “It’s always very poignant.”
On This Day
The Ipswich War Memorial Project has kindly transcribed an article which appeared in the Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury newspaper on May 6, 1924.
Unfortunately, the article reads, the Lord Derby was unable to attend due to illness, and the Mayor of the Borough, Dr J. Staddon, was taken unwell at the last minute.
However, “despite the eleventh-hour alterations to the programme, the proceedings were carried through with smoothness, grace and dignity, in the presence of a vast concourse of townspeople”.
A “guard of honour” flanked each side of the path leading to the steps of the memorial. This included 34 officers and 542 from other ranks, and included representatives from the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment, the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, the Royal Navy, the RAF and Ipswich School, among others.
The deputy mayor, Mr A. Sizer, officiated in place of Dr Staddon. Wearing the scarlet robe and chain of office, he walked in state from the Town Hall to Christchurch Park, preceded by sword and mace bearers.
Union Jacks were pulled away simultaneously, revealing the cenotaph and the name panels.
The article goes on: “Dedication prayers by the Bishop of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich were followed by a two minutes' silence, broken only by the birds in the trees and the faint chatter of little children, borne on the breeze from across the park, where the tots were at play, unmindful of incapable of understanding the emotions of their elders.
“‘Stand at ease’ came a clear, crisp command to the guard, and the period of tension was broken. The Rev. John A. Patten, M.C., who wore khaki, afterwards uttered prayers for all who suffered in the war and for the peace of the people, and the "Last Post" was sounded by buglers of the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment.”
After the unveiling, guards were posted at the memorial by the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, and sentries kept a vigil until dusk.
To read the article in full, visit: www.ipswichwarmemorial.co.uk
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