Village Turns Out in Tribute to its WWI Heroes

Visitors from Upchurch and Lower Halstow attended the

WWI Commemoration Weekend

organised by Newington History Group.

Richard Oldfield, the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Kent; Cllr George Bobbin,
the Mayor of Swale; Mrs Brenda Bobbin, the Mayoress, and Gordon Henderson,
the Sittingbourne and Swale MP, examine the Book of Remembrance.

Thelma Dudley, Dean Coles and Debbie Haigh of Newington History Group who
researched the Book of Remembrance.

Villagers and dignitaries gather around the Memorial Cross for its re-dedication
exactly 95 years to the hour after it was unveiled.

Wreaths and remembrance crosses laid at the memorial during the
commemoration service on Sunday.

The Book of Remembrance to the Newington men who fought in the Great War.

Pictures courtesy of Graham Dudley and Reverend Ron Partridge.

Exactly 95 years to the hour after the unveiling of their Memorial Cross, more than 300 Newington villagers and visitors crowded around the monument to remember their World War One dead on Sunday.

It was the culmination of a WWI Commemoration weekend organised by Newington History Group (NHG) at the Sittingbourne village’s parish church.

The Bishop of Dover, the Rt Rev Trevor Willmott, re-dedicated the memorial and Sgt Ricky Stephenson, of the Royal Engineers, read the address originally given at the 1919 service by Brig-Gen Hugh Adair.

The names of 31 Newington men killed in WWI were read out by Dean Coles, chairman of NHG, and The Exhortation was read by Tim Phipps, a descendant of several enlisted villagers who survived the war. Wreaths were laid by WWI victim Frederick Lloyd’s niece Maisie, the Royal British Legion and parish council, while children from Newington primary school laid posies.

Uniformed members of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Living History Group presented arms and Mark Hinchliffe sounded The Last Post.

Among those in attendance were: the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Richard Oldfield; the MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Gordon Henderson; the Mayor of Swale, Cllr George Bobbin; Maj Simon Dean, of the Kent Army Cadet Force and grandson of Donald Dean, VC, from Sittingbourne; Susan Featherstone, of the Imperial War Museum, representatives of the Royal Engineers, the Royal British Legion and county, borough and parish councillors.

Earlier, during a commemoration service, the Bishop had received and blessed a Book of Remembrance detailing the lives of the Fallen and some of the 130 troops who returned to the village. The unique book, researched and produced by NHG, will go on permanent display in the church.

Hundreds of visitors also attended the other weekend events that included displays and exhibitions detailing the group’s two years of research, information about Newington’s role in the frontline of Britain’s WWI defences, and descriptions of what it was like living in a Kent village in 1914.

There were themed music, film, poetry and floral display events, with performances by the UK Paper brass band and Newington Concert Party.

Mr Coles said: “The weekend was a fitting commemoration to our villagers who fought and died in the war. There has been huge interest. In particular, it was noticeable how many children were engaged and enthused by the exhibitions and hearing about the bravery of ordinary men – many in their teens – who gave their lives.”

During Sunday’s service, members of the Queen’s Own Buffs discovered that Private Edward Carver, of the East Kent Regiment, The Buffs, who died in November 1918, is buried in Newington churchyard.

Later, they gathered at his grave in tribute and Jack Jarrett, chairman of the Queen’s Own Buffs in Sittingbourne, laid a wreath on behalf of the regiment.

For more information contact Richard Thompstone: 01795 842405 / 07896412427

Email: sepr@hotmail.co.uk

Richard Thompstone

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