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War memorial set for ‘Guild year opening’
Preston Pals on the Flag Market
A memorial to fallen First World War soldiers is set to be unveiled during Guild year, the project leader has revealed.
When 250 new recruits from Preston boarded a train bound for northern France at the beginning of the First World War, it was with a collective sense of excitement.
But 200 members of the D Company 7th Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, known as the Preston Pals, lost their lives.
A group of volunteers, led by businessman Andrew Mather has been working tirelessly to establish a memorial to the fallen soldiers, about whom very little was known.
More than £11,000 has already been raised for a large plaque to be placed between platforms three and four which was the southbound platform where the D Company 7th Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, boarded its train.
Mr Mather said work on the 1.9m by 93cm Cumbrian slate plate is well underway and he is confident people will come forwards to help raise a further £5,000.
He said: “We have raised approximately £11,000, it is from sponsors and donors from the general public.
“Each sponsor who normally pays £250 then has their name recorded in the Preston Pals memorial book which is to be published about the time of the unveiling of the memorial.
“We have had help from individuals and companies and in fact Preston Council has put down £250.
“They have been very supportive and helpful with getting planning permission.
“Everybody generally has responded very well and the people down at the station have been very helpful.”
Mr Mather is confident an unveiling ceremony will take place this summer and any surplus cash will be used to establish a memorial at Bezentin-le-Petit, where the Pals died.
He said: “I can hazard a guess that it may be in June.
“We have raised over half the sum, we have paid most of the quotation for the job now.
“Initially we were looking for £20,000 but we will be able to do it for £15,000 and if we get more, it will go to a small memorial in France.”
If you would like to donate to the project log to the Preston Pals War Memorial project log on to prestonpals.org and follow the instructions.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Kickass
Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 04:13 AMHaving left Preston almost 50 years ago and being well aware of the public's changing habit's with transportation I must query the positioning of the memorial plaque somewhere betwen platforms 3 and 4 on Preston station. Although I can understand the reasoning for the positioning of the plaque, I wonder just how many people will actually see the plaque in that position. Surely either attach it some where on the War Memorial in Prestons city center or on the face of the Harris Museum facing the flag market where it will be seen by almost everyone living in, and visiting Preston.
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