Brigg Town Councillors continue to give deep thought and due consideration to establishing a policy over names to go on the Monument War Memorial. We expect debate and perhaps a decision during April.
Coun John Kitwood - himself a veteran of the Forces - told colleagues that he'd been down to have a look at the plaques on the front and back, containing the names of servicemen.
It's not many years since the Town Council paid to have the Monument refurbished, the contractor making a very good job of the task.
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I would strongly object to Brigg TC creating a 'formal policy' re who names qualify to be on the war memorial.
ReplyDeleteI, however, have no objections of Brigg TC creating general guidelines suggesting qualifying criteria.
Nationally, there are no policies prescribing who and who cannot be included on local war memorials. The national guidelines that do exists are sufficiently vague to allow the 'community' to decide whose name should, God forbid, be inscribed on a local memorial.
Indeed, what guidelines that do exists tend to indicate that no one-body, or organisation should act as a gate-keeper.....it is the wider 'community' that should decide.
From reports, some Brigg TC councillors are suggesting, for example. only those from Brigg parish should be included.....and it should be recognised that Brigg TC, although the management team for Brigg war memorial, is only part of the local community. From my understanding, organisations, such as the local Brigg & District Royal British Legion and other local veteran groups have not been consulted, or even invited to offer their thoughts, re possible guidelines.
To impose a policy is creating black and white rules and consequently, as such,have the potential of creating barriers and gross insensitivity should there ever be a need to consider adding a name to the Memorial.
Apart from 2 World Wars, there are, and will be, unfortunately, causalities from other conflicts.
I lost two colleagues in Aden - 66/67.....and for some council to be the focus in arbitrarily deciding whether their names should, or should not be included on local war memorial, I would find distasteful and insensitive.
The Brigg war memorial includes the war dead from both Brigg and Wrawby, but what would happen if there is a causality from Scawby Brook.....and a potential policy document indicated that only 'Brigg Parish' causalities could be inscribed on the Monument !!
We also have the case of Sister Ellen Andrew, from Wrawby - a nursing sister, KIA - 21st March 1918, on the Western Front. She is buried in a CWGC plot....but unlike her male Wrawby comrades who paid the ultimate sacrifice, her name is not included on the Brigg war memorial.
The Monument was erected under the auspices of the then Brigg Urban District Council and did not exclude the Wrawby fallen.
In this case, I understand that some Brigg TC councillors have indicated a 'lack of space' for additional names. If this is correct, then I find such comments appalling and should not be included in any criteria for qualification on whose name should, or should not be inscribed.
Totally agree with you Ken, ,y understanding is the same as yours and I do believe that Brigg Town Council are over stepping a very sensitive mark on this one if they proceed with this
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