27/6/21: Remembering the fallen
27 June 2021
As Armed Forces Week draws to a close, we would like to pay tribute to The Chelsea Pensioners who were evacuated to Ross (1939-1946) and rest in St Mary’s churchyard; the fallen of the Korean War (June 1950 to July 1953); and the fallen of The Falklands War (2 April to 14 June 1982).
Special thoughts are of local men who fell in the battlefields or subsequently died due to the after effects of their ordeals. Many men sacrificed their lives during the course of the Korean War, sometimes known as The Forgotten War, and many hundreds came home with life changing effects and never fully recovered from their ordeals.
A memorial English oak tree was planted in 1999 in St Mary’s churchyard in memory of all those who fell and were left behind in the Korean cemeteries. Unfortunately very few veterans of this war remain and those who do are very frail. The Royal British Legion vowed in 2010 to carry on a Service of Remembrance each year in their stead.
The memorial stone for the fallen from all British Forces during the Falklands War was also placed in the Prospect Gardens and dedicated with due blessing and ceremony in November 2018.
The stone itself was brought back from Mount Longdon and was donated by a comrade of Private Timothy Jenkins, 3rd Parachute Regiment, who lost his life from sniper fire there just two days before the conflict ended in June 1982. Tim lies at rest in Tudorville Cemetery, amongst members of his family.
Special thanks to Mary Sinclair Powell for her help and input.