Faringdon Road park memorial unveiled for Armistice Day centenary

South Swindon Parish Council unveiled a new war memorial in Faringdon Road Park over the weekend, designed by Dr Mike Pringle.

The five rusted steel panels represent all aspects of sacrifice made in the First World War.

The cross symbolises the red cross of the Swindon Royal Army Medical unit, the horse, the part of animals in drawing artillery as well as the men who served in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, stationed next door to the park.

Other panels depicts an Enfield rifle for the infantry and a train wheel recognises the role of the railways in supplying armaments to the battlefields.

Coun Chris Watts told the Advertiser: “This was the most important event coming up for us as a new parish council. We’re here to enhance what’s happening in the town, not just to do the day-to-day jobs like cutting the grass.

“It was a fantastic turnout and the cadets did a fantastic job. It was important it was marked in this way.”

Dr Pringle, who is also the curator of the Richard Jefferies Museum, added: “I wanted to symbolise the battlefield in total. Most monuments just go for the Tommy, but there are so many different aspects to it.”

In August he also unveiled a sculpture of a spitfire at the Orbital Shopping Centre to celebrate Swindon’s engineering heritage, its role in building the famous fighter and the centenary of the start of the RAF.

The unveiling was one of a host of events marking Remembrance Sunday and 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Stratton Juniors football team held a collective silence on Meadow Croft playing field on Sunday, raising more than £400 for the Royal British Legion.

Darren Jackson, who runs the Stratton Community Football Club, told the Adver: “On Remembrance Sunday they always have poppies on their shirts. I found out you could buy these poppies for football kids.

“I spoke to the parents of the under eight Lions, we kind of explained to the kids why were were doing it and sat them down to say why we were putting these poppies on their shirts.”

“They held the minute silence impeccably - all the players from all the Stratton teams did the minute's silence when the games started.

“It was quite a lot of money raised and even though they’re seven years old they understand why were were doing it. We did it as a team and then all the other junior teams from Stratton followed suit.”

Gurkhas, Chelsea Pensioners and reservists also took part in a community project at Covingham School to honour local heroes and show the area's war history.

And Swindon Thamesdown Rotary Club was able to hand over £12,000 to the Royal British Legion raised with a Wiltshire Poppy Ball featuring military bands and the Queen's Colour Squadron.

Debbie Vincent, who was there said: “It was the most fabulous evening, it was packed, I take my hat off to the members of the Rotary Club Swindon.”