Warwick Gallipoli Commemoration

On 12th August, The Gallipoli Association remembered the soldiers from local regiments who died in the ill-fated WW1 assault on the Turkish peninsular, with an exhibition in the Court House, an illustrated talk and a walk to some of the homes of Warwick men who did not return.

Afterwards there was a short service at the War Memorial in Church Street, with prayers, readings and the laying of wreaths by the Mayor of Warwick, Cllr Oliver Jaques, and representatives of the Regimental Associations, The Royal British Legion and other uniformed groups.

The event and exhibition of photographs, information, medals and other memorabilia had been organised by Lt. Col. John Rice of the Fusilier Museum, Ian Binnie from the Gallipoli Association, and Tony Glover from the Royal British Legion, with help from the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum team and Unlocking Warwick.

Unlocking Warwick’s War Memorial research group had provided information about the eight Warwick men from various regiments who had been killed at Gallipoli. Their names were read out at the memorial: William Garfield Beech, Edward Albert Cox, Charles Joseph Fleet, Patrick Hughes, Alfred Greatrex Kemp, Sidney William Ledbrook, Percy Hutchinson Reader and Arthur Edward Wyatt.

Lt. Col. Rice said, “We, the living community and following generations of Warwick and its surrounding areas, gather to acknowledge their huge sacrifice for our freedom, real to us, and to rededicate ourselves to build and protect a better world.”