Outrage as thieves take war memorial plaque

Mar 11 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal

THIEVES have vandalised a war memorial and stolen a plaque which lists the names of a village’s heroes.

Residents and parish councillors in Stocksfield, Northumberland, were disgusted to discover the memorial badly damaged by the attack.

The bronze plaque listed the names of all those from Stocksfield, both soldiers and sailors, who died fighting during the First World War.

It was one of three plaques on the plinth, which is a focal point of the village and was unveiled in 1921.

Villagers regularly gather at the spot, next to Broomley First School on the A695, to pay their respects to those who gave their lives during conflict.

Villager Margaret Williams, of New Ridley Road, clerk of Stocksfield Parish Council, said: “I can’t believe anyone would do something like this.

“It just shows a complete lack of respect. I’m totally disgusted that someone would actually steal this plaque. I received a call from the police telling me what had happened and I just couldn’t believe it.

“We have been getting more and more people coming every year to pay their respects and now this has happened. I can only think they have stolen it to sell on for cash.

“If the person who took it is reading this, I can only hope they see sense and return it as soon as possible.”

Vice-chairman of the parish council, Ian Hall, of Birches Nook, said he had already been speaking to the War Graves Commission to look at ways the plaque could be replaced.

He said: “It’s such a shame. Only last week a group of youngsters held a ceremony up there. But we have been quite fortunate in one respect.

“Someone was driving past the memorial and saw something happening. They went back and interrupted the thieves before they could take the other plaques. We could easily have lost all three of them.

“It would have to have been quite an organised effort to get the plaque off, tools and chisels would have been required. I’m afraid it is quite likely it has been melted down by now.

“Fortunately we have a list of all the 40 names which were on the plaque so we will be able to replace it.

“But we will be using a much cheaper metal, it’s just not worth trying to put bronze back up if it is just going to be stolen again.”

Theft of metal has been increasing in the last couple of years due to high prices caused by increasing demand from China and India.

A spokesman from the War Memorials Trust said many memorials throughout the country had been targeted and the North East was not the only region to suffer similar incidents.

Northumbria Police are investigating the theft.