D(DLOY) Years 2009 - 2010

THE FRIENDS OF WIGAN’S BOER WAR MEMORIAL

20 December 2009

PRESS RELEASE

Former Wigan, Penrith Panthers and Great Britain legend Bill Ashurst and Radio presenter Graham Lovett recently lent their support to help kick start the Friends of Wigan’s Boer War Memorial’s appeal to raise upwards of £30,000.00 to replace the missing Boer War statue in Mesnes Park. The statue (pictured) of a Boer War soldier stood proudly for decades in honour of those Wigan soldiers who gave their lives in the South African campaign.

D (DLOY) Squadron RMLY which is the local Territorial Army unit based on Woodhouse Lane also lent their support by hosting a Sporting Dinner to raise funds for this very worthwhile cause. A total of £1406.00 was raised on the evening and the organisers would like to thank all those who attended and generously contributed on the night.

Captain Jimmy Aspinall stated “it is unbelievable to see the amount of support members of the public give to service charities such as Help for Heroes, Royal British Legion and The Army Benevolent Fund in support of service personnel who are tragically injured in places such as Afghanistan or whilst serving on other operations around the world. I have experienced first hand what lengths the people of Wigan are willing to go to in order to support our soldiers and it is something they should be extremely proud of”.

He continued to say, “However it is also important that when memorials are erected in memory of those personnel who have sacrificed their lives in the call of duty, they are maintained, otherwise their sacrifice would have been for nothing. This appeal aims to do just that and in no way detracts from the importance of the work being carried out for other worthwhile causes, however when those who have given their lives on behalf of their country and are subsequently honoured with a memorial, it is fundamentally important that we remember their sacrifices and do our utmost to ensure they are not forgotten”.

Wigan’s Boer War Memorial in Mesnes Park was erected by public subscription in 1903 to commemorate the Wigan members of the Armed Forces killed in the South African War of 1899-1902. The statue was eventually damaged by pollution and vandalism, and was removed and lost in 1968. The plinth survives on its original site in front of the café-pavilion. Our aim is to replace the statue, which will cost upwards of £30,000. Support or donations to help the Friends of Wigan’s Boer War Memorial achieve its aim of replacing the statue would be very much appreciated. Please contact D (DLOY) Squadron RMLY on 01942 248882 or Mr Tony Hilton on 01942 235681 for more information.

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