The Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour'
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1. The Cleator Moor 'Book of Remembrance'
(Front cover)
2. The Cleator Moor 'Book of Remembrance'
(Back cover)
Incorporates Lt.-Col. John McCrae's 1915 poem:
'In Flanders Fields'
3. Dedication of the Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour'
Cleator Moor Methodist Church, Cumbria.
Sunday 11 November 2012 (Remembrance Sunday)
4. 1914 West Cumbrian recruitment advert:
"Is YOUR name on a Roll of Honour?"
[Courtesy of 'The Whitehaven News']
For additional information click on 'Comments below.
posted by ritsonvaljos at 9:55 pm
3 Comments:
Additional information
Remembrance Sunday, 11 November 2012
Remembrance Sunday 11 November 2012 was the day that the community of Cleator Moor and district finally had a 'Roll of Honour' to remember all those from the area who have lost their lives in the World Wars, in other wars and conflicts or while serving in the Armed Forces at other times. The names of all known casualties since the Boer War have been recorded in a 'Book of Rmembrance'.
The front cover illustration of the Book of Remembrance for Cleator Moor (Photograph No 1 above) shows the silhouette of a 'Tommy' standing on a hillside beside the grave of a recently fallen pal. His head is bowed in prayerful remembrance of his fallen comrade. In the foreground, on each side, are 'remembrance poppies'. These are the symbol of commemoration of those who have lost their lives in wars and conflicts. Beneath the image are the words: "Lest we forget". The names of those listed in the book, and their sacrifice, should not be forgotten.
On the back cover of the Book of Remembrance (Photograph No 2 above) is an image of the Union Flag of the United Kingdom and the words of "In Flanders Fields" by the Canadian physician, soldier and war poet, Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918). The opening lines of the poem refer to the poppies that were often the first flowers seen growing on the graves of the fallen soldiers on the Western Front during the First World War. This is a universal poem of sadness, remembrance and faith.
The Book of Remembrance was dedicated at Cleator Moor Methodist Church during the Remembrance Day commemorations. This followed short wreath laying services at the Cleator & Trumpet Terrace War Memorial and St John's Church, Cleator Moor, a parade through the town and the singing of hymns at the War Memorial in Cleator Moor Square. Mrs Joan Hully, Chairman of Cleator moor Town Council presented copies of the Book of Remembrance to the three church communities still serving the community (Church of England, Roman Catholic and Methodist), the local library and the Local History Society.
Photograph No. 3 (above) shows some of those who took part in the Remembrance Day service at Cleator Moor. Those seen in the photograph above are (left to right): Joan Hully (Chairman, Cleator Moor Town Council), Laura Starkie (Cleator Moor library), Helen Gilmour (Town Clerk, Cleator Moor Town Council), Joseph Ritson (volunteer who compiled the book), Father John Moriarty (St. Mary's R.C. Parish Church, Cleator) and Reverend John Turnbull (Crosslacon Team ministry, Church of England). Missing from the photograph is Reverend Gerry Wilson (Cleator Moor Methodist Church), as are the representatives from the Local History Society.
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A Remembrance Sunday parade
The parade through the town was led by the young people from the local Cadet Forces. Immediately behind the cadets, the local brass band of the community, Cleator Moor Brass, led the town councillors and many of the townsfolk from St John's Church to the civic war memorial, which was first dedicated in November 2005. A large proportion of Cleator Moor's population is of Irish descent and it is often referred to by its 'unofficial' name of "Little Ireland".
Appropriately - and poignantly - the first tune played by the band during the parade was "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", the popular music hall song from the early 20th Century. This was one of the songs that the townsfolk of Cleator Moor had sung at recruitment meetings in the town in the first weeks of the First World War. In 1914, men of the district were encouraged to enlist to the Armed Forces and have their name listed on a 'Roll of Honour' (Photograph No 4 above).
In those days a 'Roll of Honour' did not necessarily mean a list of war dead. Rather, it meant a list of all those from one firm or community who had volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces.
The exhortation in 1914 that went with the recruitment advertisement seen above was as follows:
"IF YOUR NAME goes down on your firm's Roll of Honour. it also goes on that mighty Scroll which records the names of all who have rallied round the Flag.
There is room for your name on the Roll of Honour.
Ask your employer to keep your position open for you. Tell him that you are going to the help of the Empire. Every patriotic employer is assisting his men to enlist, and he'll do the right thing by you.
Tell him NOW -
Your King and Country
Want You - TODAY.
At any Post Office you can obtain the address of the nearest Recruiting Officer.
GOD SAVE THE KING."
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Later in the First World War almost all those who were listed on some of these 'Rolls of Honour' were also listed as casualties - killed, wounded or missing. It was at this time the meaning of a 'Roll of Honour' changed in the minds of many of the bereaved who remained behind.
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Dedication
The town's War Memorial, dedicated on Remembrance Sunday, 13 November 2005, has the following inscription:
"To the Glory of God and to remember the sacrifices given by those to all conflicts".
The modern Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour' will henceforth take the form of a Book of Remembrance. The intention is to link the past, the present and the future. It is dedicated to the residents of Cleator and Cleator Moor who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the two World Wars and in other wars and conflicts.
"We will remember them!"
To read the BBC "People's War" article about the dedication of the Cleator Moor War Memorial in November 2005, click on the following link:
Dedication of the War Memorial at Cleator Moor
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I recently saw that someone was looking for John Belton. His first wife was
Annie and after John's death she married my grandfather William Eilbeck.
Is William eilbeck on the Roll of Honour?
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