The 9th to 13th September 2024 saw the most intensive period of cleaning and restorations ever attempted by the Victoria Cross Trust. The target was to restore at least 15 memorials on the Isle of Wight and Devon, including a re-build on two memorials as part of the work schedule. The outcome was 32 memorials in total, and four tired out team members!
The VCT was supported by Red Funnel who provide free crossing and The Veteran Hotel, Ryde, who provided accommodation free of charge. Local volunteers from the island as well as HArberton in Devon paved the way for a smooth logistical outcome that allowed more memorials to be cleaned and restored. At the heart were a total of six Victoria Cross recipients Tombs VC - Rickard VC - Browne VC - Gore-Browne VC - Cairns VC (memorial stone) all Isle of Wight and Farquharson VC (Devon). Whilst visiting however, we had permissions in place to clean and repair any other memorials in the immediate vicinity of the six VCs, and a late request to clean the 60 foot tall Newport war memorial.
The best way to tell the story is through photographs and refer to our grave care section.
Rickard VC - Ryde IOW
Browne VC - Ryde IOW
Cairns VC memorial stone Brighstone IOW
Tombs VC Carisbrook IOW
Gore-Browne VC and grandson aged 15 - Brooke IOW
Farquharson VC Harberton Devon
We also took the opportunity to complete a number of cleans on other memorials. These include John Ferrari at Shorwell who aged 15 lost his life attempting to deal with incendaries dropped during a bombing raid in WW2.
At Carisbrooke a memorial to Corporal Alfred Tayler was restored in the presence of a current relative two generations since his death.
To end our work on the Isle of Wight never a more impactive setting than at Chale where we completed our last restoration on a memorial to Colonel Johnston Hamilton and family members as the sun set at Chale IOW.
So a total of 32 memorials restored in four days of work. A brilliant effort.
