THIS year marks 100 years of Saddleworth Royal British Legion, which continues to support local service men and women and their families.
With the centenary in mind, councillors Max Woodvine and Luke Lancaster have been on a mission to ensure every village in north and south Saddleworth has a memorial to major conflicts.
In addition to Saddleworth War Memorial at ‘Pots & Pans’, Austerlands, Denshaw, Uppermill and Lydgate all have individual war memorials while Dobcross and Greenfield already have a silent soldier.
Now, the councillors have funded the erection of two silent soldier statues in villages which didn’t have a formal memorial.
The statues are situated on Oldham Council-owned land beside Diggle Brook in Diggle, and adjacent to Christ Church in Friezland – where the nearby cemetery also contains several Commonwealth war graves.
A further unknown ‘Tommy’ has been put up in Delph, following conversations with the councillors, by the Trustees of the Chapel Garden.
“All our villages have individual Remembrance activities from poppy displays to the beautiful postbox toppers,” said Councillor Lancaster, who represents the Saddleworth North ward on Oldham Council.
“It’s important to support the continued acts of Remembrance across Saddleworth and these statues will go some way towards that.”
Saddleworth South councillor Woodvine added: “Saddleworth War Memorial was 100 years old in 2023 and 2024 is the centenary of Saddleworth Royal British Legion – it goes to show Remembrance is as important today as it always has been.
“Our aim is to provide a focal point for people to gather together to remember.”
Keep an eye on the Saddleworth Independent website and social media channels for details of Remembrance commemorations across Saddleworth next month.
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