THE  DOVER WAR MEMORIAL  PROJECT

Dedication of New Plaque 2009

ARMISTICE DAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2009

Our War Memorial is now in the care of Dover Town Council. As well as refurbishing the paving, lighting, and gardens, they have undertaken to update every three years the Memorial with names of the Fallen requested by relatives and friends. The Memorial was updated twice in the 1990s while under the care of the District Council; the first of the new updates was dedicated on Armistice Day, 11 November 2009.

The service was conducted by the Mayor's Chaplain, the Reverend David Ridley.

"Welcome to this service of dedication for the new plaque on our Town Memorial ... There are 22 new names on the new plaque: all of them gave their lives in the service of their country and for our freedom.

"We take this opportunity to remember them and acknowledge their sacrifice. This is also a time to offer solace to their families and friends, who mourn their loss, and who have kept the memory of their loved ones close to their hearts and alive today.

Many are here this morning, and it is by their request that these names have been inscribed on our Memorial. We thank Dover Town Council and the Dover War Memorial Project and Friends for arranging the plaque, thus helping to fulfil the pledge we make each year to our Fallen - that "We Will Remember Them".

The new plaque is at the bottom left on the reverse of of our Memorial:.

"In the Faith of Christ, for the benefit of this town and community, and in memory of those whose names have been added to our War Memorial, we dedicate this memorial plaque to the glory of God, in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit."

Two schools attended the dedication, Barton Road, and St Mary's. Many of our casualties were old St Mary's schoolboys, and each Armistice there is a Remembrance ceremony at the Parish Memorial.

This year, to the tune of Frère Jacques, the children hummed and sang a round on the meaning of the poppy. The second verse was:

"We remember,
We remember,
On this day,
On this day,
Soldiers on the hillside,
Soldiers on the hillside,
Far away,
Far away".

Mr Ken Nunn, of the British Legion, read out the twenty two names on the plaque:

David Ridley began his sermon with a reading from John, Chapter 15. "

He continued, "As we gather this morning to add 22 names to this War Memorial, we are very aware of the countless numbers of people who have given their lives for this nation in time of war. Indeed, yesterday, the bodies of another six British service personnel passed through the streets of Wootton Bassett, having been repatriated from Afghanistan.

"Today, as every year, we remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who have responded to the call to fight for their country. This Memorial is a reminder to us of those who have died, but it also compels us to look forward; to honour those who died by seeking to build a better future.

"So as we look back in remembrance at the bravery and sacrifice of so many, we also bear the responsibility of looking forward, looking forward to ensure that the courage and sacrifice of others will never have been in vain, but rather that it offers new hope and opportunity to those who come after."

"The Bridge Builder", by Will Allan Dromgoole, speaks of the importance of the those in the past preparing for those to come. David Ridley had read it at the Memorial service at the South Eastern and Chatham Memorial on the former Marine Station, Dover, and read it again for our dedication.

A pilgrim asks an old man,  "You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide - Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?"

The old man answers:

"There followeth after me today,
A youth whose feet must pass this way ....
 He too must cross in the twilight dim,
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him"

The intercessionary prayers followed: ".....We remember with thanksgiving those who made the supreme sacrifice for us in time of war ... By your grace enable us on this day to dedicate ourselves anew to the cause of justice, freedom, and peace .....

"... We thank you for the communities of which we are a part, and for all who serve their varied interests .... Help us as we have opportunity to make our own contribution to community life and be good neighbours ...

".... Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of war ....have compassion on those for whom we pray, and help us to sue all suffering in the cause of your kingdom ...

"... Let us pray for the peace of the world ....for statesmen and rulers, that they may have wisdom to know and courage to do what is right ....and for men and women the world over, that they may have justice and freedom, and live in security and peace ...In particular, we pray for those on active service in Afghanistan and other troubled parts of our world."

After the Lord's Prayer was the Act of Remembrance.

"Let us remember before God and commend to his sure keeping those who have died for their country in war; those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure, and all who have lived and died in the service of all people."

Mr Nunn read the Exhortation:

"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not wary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them"

The Last Post, played by Phil Hackett of the Sea Cadets, was followed by two-minutes silence. It was broken only by the echoes of the bugle at Dover College as they too observed Remembrance. Many of our Fallen once studied there.

"When you go home tell them of us and say, "For your tomorrow, we gave our today"

The blessing was given by David Ridley:

"God grant to the living - grace, to the departed - rest, to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth, and all people -  unity peace, and concord, and to us and all God's servants - life everlasting. And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you all and remain with you always. Amen

Across the generations many came to lay their wreaths.

The November skies wept in Remembrance.     But to be cold and wet is as nothing, when we face the sacrifice of our Fallen.     We Will  Remember Them

After the ceremony, the Town Council invited everyone to the Council chamber for refreshments. Those we were remembering today were pictured on a display created in their honour by the Dover War Memorial Project.

What a beautiful, moving, thankful occasion was our dedication. "We now have somewhere close by to remember them," said one relative. "I feel I have laid my brother to rest."

*

On 5 September 2012 the Town Council resolved that one more update should be made. The Memorial would also be re-dedicated to Dovorians who died in all conflicts. For the foreseeable future, there will be no further updates to the Memorial.