Page 9 - April - 2018

Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net Town & Around April 2018 9
Launch of the Snettisham 45 project at St Mary’s

In a village that lost one in six of its adult male
population during World War I, the
community has come together to launch a
project to remember them. Called Snettisham
45, each of the graves of forty-five men from
Snettisham who died in the 1914-1918 war
that claimed 18 million Allied lives overall,
will be visited and their stories will become
part of the Village Archive.
The church was full to hear the stories of
the two men whose graves are in the St
Mary’s churchyard. Project leader and County
Councillor Stuart Dark said: “The project
would tell the stories of each of the men, their
lives as soldiers and as members of the
community.” The team is contacting as many
descendants as they can and hoping they will
be part of the Village’s Remembrance Day
observance this November.
The Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Richard
Jewson, said: “I’m very pleased to support
this project; the way you intend to remember From left: Arriving for the launch Mayor’s Consort Simon Bower, Borough Mayor
and honour these men is truly inspiring and I Cllr Carol Bower, The Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Richard Jewson, Team Rector Rev
applaud the way the whole community is Veronica Wilson and Nigel Day in the uniform of the Medical Corps who tended the fallen
coming together to achieve this vision.
“I can see why the Royal British Legion is
using your work as a beacon of excellence to
others across the UK.”
Rev. Veronica Wilson led an Act of
Remembrance at the graves of Jacob Flack
and Sidney Mitchell where the Lord
Lieutenant laid a wreath and the Borough
Mayor Cllr Carol Bower a letter. Also laid at
each grave was a wreath of Norfolk Lavender,
Rosemary (for remembrance) and a torc
together with a letter from Snettisham
schoolchildren. Kian Suckling’s letter was
laid at Sidney Mitchell’s grave and Ruby
Whyman’s was laid at Jacob Flatt’s. Dennis
Sparrow sounded the Last Post and Reveille.
There are twenty-five sites in seven
countries and Team Rector Rev Wilson said:
“I’ll be saying the same prayers at every Borough Mayor Carol Bower at the grave of Sidney Mitchell. Kian Suckling, Snettisham
grave; one of the reasons that we as a church Parish Council Chairman Ros Pugh, The Lord Lieutenant and Rev Wilson look on
are so involved in this project is because God
says he knows each of us by name, so we will Jacob Flatt’s grave with the wreaths,
be remembering each man as an individual. Borough Mayor’s letter and
And at every grave we will be laying the Ruby Whyman’s letter
same wreath, the Borough Mayor’s letter and
an individual letter from a child at Snettisham
School.”

Janet Lane with the 45 poppies made by
Snettisham WI

Dennis Sparrow sounded
The Lavender and Rosemary wreath the Last Post and Reveille