War Memorial

The following is extracted from the re-dedication ceremony of Nether Langwith War Memorial held on Saturday 12th October 2013

The original War Memorial was erected in 1920, paid for by public donations, in remembrance of the fallen of the Great War; however after 90 years of rain, wind and frost, some of the stonework was damaged and names had become eroded to the point where they were difficult to read. The memorial was in desperate need of either renovation or replacement.

The Parish Council decided action was needed and following consultation with parishioners, it was agreed to renovate the memorial, keeping as much of the original as practicable.

This renovation was complete at the beginning of September 2013. New names have been added, such that the Memorial nor requires re-dedicating.

The funding for the project was sponsored by Nottinghamshire County Council, through its Local Improvement Scheme.

A century ago the Nether Langwith War Memorial did not exist and was never even envisaged; however the events which would eventually lead to the outbreak of the 1st World War were already in motion and in less than a year its tendrils would touch even this rural community on the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire border.

In 1913 the remembered of 2nd World War were not even born and the others were either in school or working as farmers, colliers, clerks, chemists and cleaners across the local area. They went to the music hall, the pictures, and the pub on a Friday night. They played football and cricket in the local teams on Saturdays and attended Church or Chapel on a Sunday.

Within just a few months however their world would be changed forever. At the outbreak of War many people in the village enlisted into the armed forces, whilst others did their ‘bit’ at the pit of in the munitions factory. The village colliery and munitions factory were considered so important to the war effort that and Anti-Aircraft and Search-light unit were deployed to protect them from Zeppelin attack. The upheaval of four years of war resulted in the loss of twelve Nether Langwith residents, who died of disease or were killed on war service.

This memorial was erected in 1920 by public subscription in memory of their sacrifice and has remained the focus of Remembrance Services in the village ever since. The four individuals who lost their lives in 2nd World War would no doubt have attended these services themselves, little knowing that one day their names would also be immortalised in stone.

This memorial is not intended to glorify war but rather acknowledge, remember and give thanks for the sacrifice made by these individuals in the defence of their country.

The memorial commemorates sixteen Nether Langwith residents who lost their lives in both World Wars;

• 15 men and 1 woman (12 from WWI and 4 from WWII);
• 1 individual remains unidentified (E. Swales);
• 11 have no known grave (their bodies lost or never identified);
• The youngest was 18 the eldest 29 (average age 23);
• Branches of service; Munitions Worker (1), Army Infantry (8), Army Artillery (3), Royal Army Medical Corps (1), Royal Navy (1) and Royal Air Force (1);
• 2 died on Home Service, 10 died in France and Flanders and 3 in Greece, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka respectively;
• 3 died of disease, 9 were killed in action and 3 died of wounds;
• Their pre-war professions were Domestic Servant, Chemist, Bank Clerk, Shop Assistant, Coal Miners (8) and Farmers (3).

The full document produced for the re-dedication ceremony can be downloaded here.