With the renovation of the War Memorial imminent the Group has met to agree its definitive list of names for recarving. Followers of this blog will be aware that the inscriptions of World War One victims and survivors are badly faded and that certain letters, particularly 'C' and 'G' notoriously difficult to decipher. With the aid of photographs digitally enhanced in PhotoShop and rubbings it has been possible to work out the lettering and superscripts and reconcile these to various source documents. So we know now who among the survivors is George and who is Charles. Our list will be passed to the Parish Council, the custodians of the War Memorial, so that the stonemasons can undertake an accurate refurbishment. Work is due to begin next week (week commencing 3 May 2010).
The Blackmore War Memorial Research Project Group has assigned names to all but one individual carved on the monument (S Ball is a complete mystery) although a handful are, and probably will remain, educated guesses.
Researching around 125 names from the early twentieth century has been, and no doubt will be as more information comes to light, a huge undertaking - and extremely enjoyable. The Group is not content to stop at this point and has always had the objective to publish it findings. This will be done in full online on the main website, with an accompanying file produced hard copy to ensure longevity, plus shorter articles of interest to the more general reader.
Winston Churchill famously said, "This is not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning". As the Group moves its emphasis from research to publication that comment seems very apt. There is much to be done.
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