A County Remembers

In 1923 a County War Memorial was completed to commemorate fallen servicemen from the county of Montgomeryshire. It was built by means of public subscription. Standing 14 metres high, 320 metres above sea level. It is built of white Portland Stone and was originally dedicated to those men from Montgomeryshire who fell in the 1st World War. It is situated on a hill overlooking the border town of Montgomery and is visible for many miles in all directions. The climb up from the path opposite the Castle car park is not difficult, though good footwear is recommended. Beautiful views reward the visitor from the top with Cadair Idris clearly visible on a fine day.

In 1990 the monument was seriously damaged by an earth tremor. For the next 12 years the repair and refurbishment of the County War Memorial became the sole focus of attention for one man - Terry Boundy, who noted: - "The object must be to repair the County War Memorial and to hold in trust with Montgomery Town Council funds sufficient for this work to be carried out and leave a sufficient amount for the future care and upkeep of the Memorial." In addition, he pressed successfully for proper direction signs to be erected and an entry to be made in the local Guide Book next to the details of Montgomery Castle so that each would enhance the other as an attraction for visitors.

Until more recently however the town of Montgomery had a memorial garden but no war memorial as such. In 2014 (to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War} a large granite rock was placed in the garden with the names of the fallen inscribed on a plaque on the front. The two memorials now nicely complement each other.

Bridging the river

Some distance east along the River Severn from the famous Ironbridge is a war memorial which is certainly unique in Shropshire and possibly in the whole country. It is a memorial footbridge of steel truss design which spans the river from Coalport on one side to Jackfield on the other.

Identical plaques stand one at each end of the bridge stating “This bridge is free O tread it reverently in memory of those who died for thee”. In the centre is a metal plaque erected “in honoured memory of our comrades from Jackfield and Coalport who fell in the World Wars”. The memorial bridge replaced a ferry which had operated on this fast flowing part of the river since the 1790s and was used principally by workers from Jackfield and Broseley travelling daily to the Coalport china works. The ferry carried a maximum of 40 people and had a chain or wire rope attached to the top of its mast and was secured by an anchor in the centre of the river. In 1799 disaster struck when the ferry sank and 28 people were drowned .

Discussion about the replacement of the ferry by a footbridge first cropped up in the early years of the 20th century but the plans did not come to fruition until the 1920s when the residents of Jackfield decided that they wanted a war memorial which was of more practical use to the community than those in nearby towns. In 1920 the Rev’d R Gillenders, Rector of Jackfield, began to raise funds by public subscription and social events in order to erect a memorial footbridge. His efforts were successful and the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company built it in nine weeks at a cost of just over £1,000. A large crowd witnessed the formal opening on 2nd September 1922 by Lady Forester, who cut the ribbon with a pair of silver scissors, stating: “I declare this bridge open and wish it a long and happy life”. The Jackfield and Madeley brass bands played ‘spirited music’ during the afternoon and proceeds from the sale of carnation buttonholes were given to the organising committee. Mr CH Parker of the Court Works, Madeley gave and cast the original First World War memorial plaques . Today, the land leading down to the bridge at the Jackfield end is still called Ferry Road and the nearby pub is the Boat Inn.

"Sit, reflect and remember"

War memorial benches have become a common sight throughout the British Isles in recent years. Different designs are available and many are placed in beautiful locations. They provide a chance to sit, reflect and remember and few towns or villages seem to be without them nowadays. The one in Llanidloes however has a unique design and an interesting background. It stands in the centre of the town, next to the main war memorial. This is set in an arched recess on the outside of the Town Hall; it is elegant and elaborately decorated with a carved lion on each side and below a ‘trophy of arms’ and the Prince of Wales’ feathers.

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Loppington - from the Great War to Iraq

Loppington is a village of about 600 people which a lies a few miles west of Wem in north Shropshire.

Loppington war memorial

A rusticated granite obelisk stands opposite the Dickin Arms and serves as the village’s First World War memorial.
Amongst those listed is Elsie Maddox, Munitions Worker who is buried not far away in the village churchyard. Elsie was the daughter of William and Annie Maddox of Church Cottage,
Loppington and the sister of William Maddox jnr, also listed on the memorial; she died on 24^th January 1918 at the age of 20. Local tradition has it that she was brought home, very ill, from the factory where she worked and conveyed from Wem railway station on a pony and trap, but died later at home. Following the tragedy of the Second World War, Loppington church was provided with a new organ in memory of men from the parish who had lost their lives. The story of Loppington’s war memorials however does not end there. In 2011 a badly damaged handwritten First World War Roll of Honour was discovered at the bottom of a chest in the church. 

St Michael & All Angels', Loppington

Though incapable of restoration, it prompted the making of a new Roll of Honour in the same year to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the Royal British Legion. It hangs near the font and contains the names of all those it has subsequently been possible to trace who served and died in times of conflict, including Elsie Maddox and her brother. The Roll has been brought up to date with the inclusion of names from the Second War as well as that of Richard Sedgley, a Personal Protection Officer, who died in Iraq in 2006. Richard had only recently moved to Loppington, from Codsall near Wolverhampton. He worked for the Olive Group, a private security firm which provided protection for workers rebuilding facilities in war-torn Iraq and died almost immediately after suffering terrible injuries when shrapnel from an improvised roadside bomb ripped through his armoured vehicle. His inquest inevitably was an emotional affair with his parents, Michael and Hilary Sedgley, too upset to hear much of the evidence and a colleague, Richard Goodman from Tennessee – who gave his evidence personally – breaking down whilst reading his statement, unable to continue.