Poignant engraving completes memorial

The town will stop to pay homage to all casualties of wars at the annual Remembrance Day service in Memorial Gardens this Sunday.

And this year, there will be special reference to the First World War to mark 100 years since Armistice Day.

The First World War Memorial, just behind the main war memorial in Memorial Gardens, has just had its engraving completed by a local stonemason, who himself completed the work free of charge in honour of his great grandfather.

The memorial was put up four years ago to mark the centenary of the beginning of the war, and the reverse face left deliberately blank until now.

The memorial was funded after Boston Borough Council launched an appeal and it was paid for entirely by public subscription - donations from the public, schools, businesses and councillors.

Stonemason Richard King, of Richard King Memorials, Bridge Road Industrial Estate, Long Sutton, waived his fee, charging only for materials and cut, installed and engraved the memorial for free.

He said he wanted to make his contribution in honour of the memory of his great grandfather.

Sgt George Robert Richer, of Holbeach, served throughout the First World War with the 8th Lincolnshire Regiment, receiving the Military Medal and Distinguished Conduct Medal, both with bar.

The polished grey granite obelisk has been engraved, at the suggestion of the Boston branch of the Royal British Legion, with the famous words from John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields”.

Everyone is welcome to attend the Remembrance Day service and memorial re-dedication in the Memorial Gardens, starting at 10.45am on Sunday.

The service will be conducted by Bishop Nicholas of Grantham and the Rev Alyson Buxton, from Boston Stump.

The Mayor of Boston, Cllr Judith Skinner, will lay a poppy cross at the First World War Memorial.

After the service in Memorial Gardens community remembrance will continue in the Stump.