WAR MEMORIAL

[Greencatcher]

The event was absolutely wonderful and made me proud to be a Featherstonian.
Many thanks to all concerned and a very well done.

[Seamus]

Congratulations to everyone who was involved in making the war memorial a success. It was a great turnout and everyone who was able to make it to the occasion shared a great moment of united respect and pride. Well done all

[yetion1]

Looking forward to your videos Mr. T. the best spot will be on high ground or a roof where I will be.

Today was an orsum day for Featherstone and its war heroes. What a turn out. It was proper hairs up on the back of your neck stuff.

The following pictures cerebrate today. There are truths to be told but not here.

 an anti-tank gun mounted in a vehicle at the head of the parade with Brian Harper in the rear.


The parade starts with a great army band.


The parade gathers at the memorial


During the service


The big lump in the throat moment. Featherstone in mass and very well behaved.


People looking upon those local people who gave thier lives for us.

[yetion1]

Post office road does not see this very often.


Making a salute.


People are still viewing the memorial. just pulling up and without a word looking and thinking. Thats what it was ever all about.

[karen]

it looks great glad to know it all went well to all r who involved you want to be proud of your selfs because the men that died would be

[Victor]

It was a brilliant day, and something Featherstone has to be really proud of, a load of work and effort has gone into this great memorial, despite certain people who had the cheek to turn up on the day, not invited, not wanted, but thats enough about them.
Just to see peoples faces on the day, and hear their comments, made it all worthwhile, a truly great day, and to see Brian Harper and Roy Bickertons expressions, just brought a tear to your eye, you could see how proud they were as were everyone else, well done to everybody involved, lets just hope the memorial gets left alone, and people go and visit it and appreciate what its there for.

There was an announcement in the Rovers afterwards, im sure they said the Red Arrows were flying above Featherstone at 12.44pm.

[Victor]

Great to see the Red Arrows flying past the war memorial, they came down low and fast, there were a few photographers there and Calendar, hope someone got a decent photo so we can all see it

[claytonroyston]

i would like to thank all who had a part in the organizing and building of the war memorial on featherstone lane ,
a great deal of time and effort must have gone into this project to achive such a beautiful memorial to the  memories of the fallen in both world wars,and to the other people killed in other conflicts around the world.
it made me feel proud to belong to featherstone on sunday morning when the official opening took place it could not have gone better,so once again to all those involved well done.

[yetion1]

Calendar news got the story tonight. It is not on thier net as yet. By the sounds of it thier has been a lot of footage taken over the last 2 days. The Wakefield film club filmed all the events to make a DVD for sale locally. it will be in the shops shortly. Thier will be some internet viewing also very shortly. Should be bloody brill

[ABBOO]

Me and my sister went by the War Memorial today, and we had a lump in our throats Going up to my mams and coming back down home.  So for all those people that worked on that project all feathewrstone people should stand back and applaud the people for what they have achieved.

[karen]

there wasent much on news but what i saw was very good

[Mr T]

As stated in a previous post, I missed getting the Red Arrows on camera, however, I have some good news! I know someone who is a very keen photographer who wasn't as unlucky as me and he got some cracking shots and I asked him if I could have a copy of the photo's he took when they flew over...So ladies and gentlemen, I present.....

THE RED ARROWS FLYING OVER FEATHERSTONE 

[yetion1]

If anyone has a spare copy of Tuesdays evening post i would be greatfull. this is the electronic version,

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/wakefield-news/Red-Arrows-in-tribute-to.4564286.jp

[Ruthie]

Has anyone else noticed how every time you drive or walk past the memorial there always seems to be someone looking up at the wall, walking round the gardens or sat on one of the benches?

Its really nice seeing people taking time to go up there to look at it, to take time out to think about things, and in some cases remember and reflect of memories of their past.
Overall i think that its great that people are willing to give up those few precious moments in an ever busy world to do this.
 

[Greencatcher]

One thing that really saddened me was when I noticed the blank squares, presumably for the future names that will have to be put on the wall. 

[Willow]

Lets pray they never have to be used.

[yetion1]

A few more pictures of interest,

[yetion1]

I am sure there are going to be many touching moments. The majority will never be heard and probably rightly so. By chance or fate 1 story has un-folded in part. Last week whilst a number of people concerned were talking about the memorial on site, a motorbike pulled up. The description given was that of a "hells angel".
The man walked towards the memorial. He unzipped his leather jacket and pulled out the shield you see. He placed it where you see it now and then stood back. After a short while the people meeting outside noticed the male crying. The male was approached and kindly asked if he was ok. The man replied “I cannot believe you have done this", then walked away and rode off.
Such a short incident and yet I have tears in my eyes writing it. What has hit home to me is that people we love do die in war and those left need to remember as we all should.
Does anyone know what the shield represents?

[Ruthie]

A quick look on Wikipedia came up with this:


The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). It was formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of the three separate regiments of the Green Jackets Brigade:

1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd)
2nd Green Jackets, The King's Royal Rifle Corps
3rd Green Jackets, The Rifle Brigade

There were also two Territorial Army battalions made up as follows

4th(v)Bn Royal Green Jackets - formed from the remnants of the Rangers (KRRC), London Rifle Brigade, Tower Hamlets Rifles, Queens Westminsters, Queen Victoria's Rifles and Civil Service Rifles.
5th(v)Bn the Royal Green Jackets - formed from the 4th Bn the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (TA) and the Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
In 1992 1st RGJ was disbanded and 2/RGJ and 3/RGJ renumbered 1/RGJ and 2/RGJ respectively.

Their motto was Celer et Audax (Latin: "Swift and Bold"). As they were used as shock troops and marksmen, they had to get to the front line of battle as fast as was possible; as a result the RGJ marches at 140 paces per minute whereas other regiments march at just 120. Until recently no other regiment has devoted so much time to becoming highly proficient with the rifle, even though it has been part of standard army issue for 140 years; as a consequence, the RGJ's lowest rank (after 'recruit') is Rifleman (Rfn), rather than Private (Pte), as in other regiments.

The regiment was classed as a 'rifle' regiment, having its lineage in the regiments of foot that were equipped with the first Baker rifles. Traditionally, rifle regiments wore rifle green tunics, an early form of camouflage, instead of the red jackets worn by line infantry, hence the regimental name. Also, the regiment carried no colours, as traditionally rifle regiments, being skirmishers and sharpshooters, had no need to identify where their fellows were on the battlefield. So, the battle honours of the Royal Green Jackets were worn on the regiment's cap badge. Infantry in the regiment wore a beret with the badge behind the left eye towards the side of the head, traditionally to show that they don't need to hide behind their colours to show how good the regiment is. Green Jackets were issued with short swords instead of bayonets as the Baker rifles of the past were shorter than the traditional musket, fitting the sword to the rifle made the overall weapon length the same as a musket with bayonet attached. The RGJ still refer to their bayonets as 'swords'. The Royal Green Jackets have won more Victoria Crosses than any other unit, with a total of 56.


The Badge on the Shield is the Royal Green Jackets Cap Badge.

[Forkhandles]

That's right ruthie, the badge represents the campaigns the royal greenjackets have been involved in