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Articles
About the Project
"THE
DOVER WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT" by Marilyn Stephenson-Knight
There are over eight hundred people
commemorated on the Town Memorial outside Maison Dieu House.
Supported by Dover Town Council the Dover War Memorial Project aims
to trace and publish the histories of each one of them. Born,
aptly, on Remembrance Sunday last year, the Project is making
good progress. Research has now provided some information on
virtually all those named, along with many from our town who are
commemorated elsewhere. A number of people have offered further
information from their own research interests – and meanwhile
many relatives of those who died have contacted the Council
Offices with details, photographs, and artefacts. From the
letters of thanks and encouragement received it is clear that
the War Memorial Project is both popular and much appreciated.
Ultimately the full results will be
presented and published, but in the meantime articles,
exhibitions, and booklets are planned, along with preliminary
web pages. While we remember and honour those who died for us,
the Project also looks towards the future, aiming to create
educational resources that our younger generations may reference
and contribute to. This will enable them to relate important
events in history to local knowledge and give them also an
introduction to social and family history. It will also help
them respect and understand the sacrifices made by their
forebears.
But this important work couldn’t be done
without the involvement of everyone. There’s a vast amount of
knowledge and expertise in our town, and everyone is welcome to
contribute ideas, suggestions, information, and help -
everything and anything that will ensure that the memory of one
or more of those fallen does not fade under the shadow of
passing years. Please
let us know.
The Dover War Memorial
Project is a true community initiative. And - an integral part
of that community are the TCM members, a number of whom have
already helped or promised support. To you, and to TCM, thank
you!
This article first appeared in Dover Life for June/July 2006
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