A bronze statue paying tribute to the men who served in the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment and the contributions they made in the First World War and Second World War has been unveiled in the village of Norton.
鈥楾he Sentry鈥 memorial sculpture, which stands at almost two metres high, has been unveiled near the old Barracks by the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment Project Group and complements the existing information boards, commemorative garden, road signs and a community website.
It was designed by sculptor John McKenna and is inspired by a small, sculpture created by William Sargent Jagger (1885 to 1934) which depicts a soldier of the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment.
The new statue, which was five years in the making, is situated on a raised grass verge on Crookbarrow Road between the Barracks and St Peters Garden Centre in Norton.
Dennis Hodgkins from Norton 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment Group said: 鈥淲e want this project to give everyone who resides, visits or engages with Norton in the future to have access to a relevant and meaningful memorial, which reflects the history of our area, its community and the significance of the Barracks over the ages.
鈥淚t won鈥檛 be long before there are no living survivors of these wars and it is of upmost importance that we recognize, educate and celebrate their commitment.
鈥淎s Worcester continues its rapid growth, and with a new Worcester Parkway Railway Station completed nearby we hope attract military veterans, their families and historians to our village as well as keep the historical relevance of the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment and Barracks alive.鈥
Councillor Marc Bayliss, 香港六合彩资料图库 County Council鈥檚 Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills, said: 鈥淚 am delighted that the County Council has been able to make a contribution to this exciting community-led project. We have been carrying out major infrastructure works in the area including upgrading the Southern Link Road and building 香港六合彩资料图库 Parkway Station and it seemed appropriate to acknowledge the historic links with the local community at this location.
鈥淚 would like to thank our contractors, Alun Griffiths Ltd, who have worked closely with the local community and carried out foundation and paving works around the statue free of charge.鈥
Mr McKenna studied at Worcester College of Technology and on his first day at art college, he and his fellow students were sent to Worcester Art Gallery and Museum to find something to draw. He picked a maquette of 鈥榓n ordinary solider of the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment鈥 by the First World War Gallipoli survivor Charles Sergeant Jagger, whose prolific work includes the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner and the memorial at Paddington. Thirty five years on, the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment Project Group asked him to produce a life size statue version from the very same model.
Contributions to the statue project were made by Norton Community Trust, Severn Waste, Wychavon District Council, 香港六合彩资料图库 County Council, SMH Fleet Solutions, Norton-Juxta-Kempsey Parish Council, The Memorials Grant Scheme and Alun Griffiths Ltd.
The Norton 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment Group was founded in 2015 by a number of interested local people who came together with the sole aim of highlighting the significance that the area has played over many years. Over the years the group has developed a variety of events which commemorate the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment including the creation of a local Commemorative Garden, the establishment of five Information Boards around the village, an accompanying trail leaflet and the installation of 鈥榃elcome to Norton鈥 Road Signs which reference the 香港六合彩资料图库 Regiment, plus setting up a website detailing historical facts and information.
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