Royal British Legion: 100 year commemoration of Worksop cenotaph

The service will begin at 10.30am and will be held at Memorial Gardens, located on Memorial Avenue in Worksop.

The Royal British Legion is hosting the special service dedicated to the Worksop War Memorial, conducted by Reverend Nigel Stones, chaplain to the Worksop branch of the Royal British Legion.

The service will include welcome music, readings, a live band, and historical snippets from the last century.

History

As stated in the event's programme, the Great War of 1914-1918 ended on November 11, 1918, marking the conclusion of that global conflict.

By the end of that year and throughout 1919, men from Worksop who had served in the Armed Forces began to return home to their loved ones and, in many cases, to their old jobs.

Of those who went to fight, over 500 did not return, making the ultimate sacrifice.

In common with towns and villages across the country, plans were initiated to create a permanent memorial in memory of them.

Mr. A.H. Richardson, from the local architectural firm Richardson and Lloyd, designed the monument in the form of a cenotaph – an empty tomb.

The construction, using Portland stone, was entrusted to local stonemasons Lidster and Brammer.

The names of Worksop's fallen soldiers, which had been carefully collected and recorded, were mounted on the memorial in ten bronze panels.

On Saturday, May 30, 1925, the War Memorial was unveiled by General Horace Smith-Dorrien and dedicated by the Right Reverend Edwyn Hoskyns, Bishop of Southwell.

General Smith-Dorrien had strong connections to the Sherwood Foresters, having received his first commission with the 2nd Battalion.

William Henry Johnson, the only man from Worksop to be awarded the Victoria Cross, was also present, along with members of the British Legion.

The Guard of Honour was provided by the Worksop & Retford Squadron of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry and the Worksop Company of the 8th Sherwood Foresters.

On the same day, the extension of the Victoria Hospital War Memorial was officially opened.

In subsequent years, further research revealed additional names that should have been included on the original plaques. These names, along with those of the fallen from later conflicts, were added to the Eastern Memorial in 2012.

Worksop's cenotaph has been a backdrop for annual remembrance days and commemorative services in the town, standing as a pillar of history for both present and future generations.

For more information about the Worksop branch, visit branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/worksop/branch-information/.