The Bradley Stoke War Memorial

This year, at another very successful town festival, a small stand formed part of the 1^st  Bradley Stoke Scout Group area to let everyone know that the group is joining forces with the Willow Brook Centre to create a war memorial for our town. They were also asking people to help them decide on the inscription that should appear on one of the memorial plaques.   The winning phrase was “We Will Remember Them ”. Bradley Stoke Scout Group would like to thank everyone who stopped and voted and took an interest in the memorial plans and feel the inscription really captures everything they wanted it to stand for – a truly generic memorial to represent anyone affected by conflict.

Bradley Stoke now has a major MOD base (Abbey Wood) just around its corner.  There are many service families taking up residence here who need no reminding of the serious consequence of modern conflict.   The geographic landscape of our town also proves how close it was to the war effort.   Filton airfield, once home to the Bristol Aeroplane Company (BAC) that was producing aircraft parts at a frantic rate during the Second World War, needed to be protected from air raids. The land around our very own Savages Wood (just opposite the Willow Brook Centre) spent some time as a decoy airfield for Filton.   Complete with pretend landing lights, the site had to be close enough to the real thing to be convincing, but just far enough away to avoid causing any real
damage to the precious factories and runway.

Katherine Robinson, Beaver Scout Leader, 1^st  Bradley Stoke Scout Group said,   “As one of the Leaders with 1^st  Bradley Stoke Scouts and an ex-Royal Naval Nurse I felt it was a great shame that a town the size of ours does not have somewhere where we can hold a proper Remembrance parade.   So, back in October 2012 Ben Walker (Chairman 1^st  Bradley Stoke Scout Executive Committee and also ex-Royal Navy  http://www.benwalker.org.uk/  ) and I began discussing how we could plan our own Remembrance parade for the following year.   We met with Scott Lahive (Manager of the Willow Brook Centre   http://www.willowbrookcentre.co.uk/  ) fully prepared to “sell ” the importance of Remembrance.   We needn t have worried, right from the very start Scott was as enthusiastic as we were and not only agreed to fully fund the project, but also offered us the impressive granite pillars in the town square to use!   We ended that first meeting already discussing the logistics of holding a parade! Then I began to search for someone to help us design and build it. After a few months, the best design was found.   A
highly skilled stone mason, Alwyn Leek from Kingswood-based Bristol and West Memorials joined the team. ”

There will be an official dedication ceremony (date to be confirmed), but the Scout Group would very much like to know if anyone has someone they would like considered for inclusion in the roll of honour on the memorial?   There are a few restrictions on inclusion, so would be happy to consider those who fought and died, fought and survived (and have now passed away) or civilians involved in conflicts past or present (including those in a “reserved occupation ”). Suitability of candidates will be decided by the Friends of Bradley Stoke War Memorial.   You can submit a written response to: Management Suite, Willow Brook Centre, Savages Wood Road, Bradley Stoke, Bristol, BS32 8BS or via email to    [email protected]

Posted in News