Tribute to town's war heroes who came home
A tribute to Market Drayton's decorated Great War heroes has been created at a new housing development in the town.
David Wilson Homes has installed the tribute at its Drayton Meadows development to honour the local soldiers who received gallantry medals and survived the war.
Ten trees have been planted in the memorial area, with a soldier named for each tree, marked with a plaque. An information display which tells visitors about the soldiers’ life, service and death has also been installed.
The memorial came about as local resident, Pru Stones, realised that while soldiers who died during the war were commemorated by the town’s war memorial and in the book "The Men of Market Drayton who lost their lives in World War One," the men who returned home with gallantry awards were not named.
She then undertook a research project to track down the men’s history and David Wilson Homes installed the memorial area, for new and existing residents to use as a place of reflection and commemorate the 10 soldiers.
The area has now been officially opened by Pru, alongside the Mayor and Mayoress of Market Drayton, Councillor Roger Smith and his wife Margaret. Residents are being encouraged to visit the memorial, which is on the right hand side of the entrance to the development off the A53.
Managing director of David Wilson Homes, Dominic Harman, said: “We are so proud that we could honour Market Drayton’s war heroes this way. It is incredible to hear their stories and now their history is there for all to see and remember.”
The men honoured are: Lieutenant Albert Charles Allman, Royal Navy Volunteer, who won the Distinguished Service Order and lived from 1891 to 1963; Colour Seargeant-Major Joseph Faulkner, 5th Royal Berks Regiment, Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1894-1965; Sergeant Ethelbert Hancock, 18th Infantry Battalion Canadian Force, Military Medal, 1893-1957; Private John Patrick Hankey, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, DCM, 1891-1923; Sergeant Ernest David Holland, KSLI, DCM, 1887-1970; Private John Patrick McKeon, 1/4th KSLI, MM, 1883-1931; 1st Class Boy Edwin Arthur Ogden, Royal Navy, Distinguished Service Medal, 1900-1963; Lance Corporal Arthur B. Storr, Machine Gun Corps, MM, 1887-1953; Corporal William Alfred Wade, 38th Welsh Heavy Battery, formerly KSLI, MM, 1898- possibly 1969; and Private Ernest William Watkin, KSLI, MM, 1895-1974.
