"TUDDENHAM WAR MEMORIAL"

To the eternal memory of the men of TUDDENHAM who died in the service of their country
Eleven in the Great War of 1914-1919





photo: Newmarket Journal




Until 2014 Tuddenham had no memorial to it's men who died in the Great War of 1914-1918, but a group of residents rallied support in the village and managed to raise the £2,500 needed for a permanent monument.
Susan Cook, who led the memorial project, said: "All the publicity about the First World War made us realise we did not have a memorial to our men, just a framed roll of honour in the church which is starting to fade".
The money for the memorial, made by Hanchetts Memorial Masons in Bury, was raised following a plea for donations by Susan and a group of local history enthusiasts. She and eight others researched the men who went to war and produced a book, "Our Village in the First World War", a copy of which was given to every house in Tuddenham. After its publication in August, Susan and her research partners asked the village for donations towards a permanent memorial to the soldiers.
"We had about 120 people in the church that afternoon and managed to collect £660," said Susan. "We didn't go in for a large memorial because we didn't know how much money we could raise, but we spent about £2,500 in the end. We raised all the money from donations in about three months."
The memorial on the village green was unveiled by 71-year-old Barry Seamark, the grandson of one of the men it commemorates. A young bugler from the Boys Brigade played The Last Post at the service, and representatives for the Royal British Legion also attended.
The new memorial includes two men missing from the book , James LYES DCM and James TAYLOR.

The plaque on the monument reads:-
In Remembrance of the men of this village
who gave their lives during the Great War
1914-1918

Pte Spencer Grimwood         L Cpl Henry Nunn
Pte Alfred Leonard              L Cpl Charles Scott
Pte Burton Lyes                Pte Percy Sparkes
L Cpl James Lyes DCM            Pte James Taylor
L Cpl Alexander Milne            Pte Edgar Willett
           Sgt Edward Hollock Smith MM

Also in grateful memory of all those who served
and were spared to return

The plaque is mounted on to top face of a rectangular monument with a slightly sloping top surface
and a simple cross incised on the smallest vertical face

When I gain access to the church, there are other memorials to be seen. So far all I have is a photo of a collection of artifacts in the church


photo: Simon Knott www.suffolkchurches.co.uk



There is also the clock on the Village Hall presented to the "Reading Room" in 1977 on the occasion of Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee, in commemoration of those who fell in 1914-1918. A wooden plaque is inscribed
THIS CLOCK, RESTORED DURING THE SILVER JUBILEE OF 1977 WAS PRESENTED TO THE 'READING ROOM' BY THE EX-SERVICEMEN OF THIS VILLAGE IN COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918




"Celere"...."Swift"


In addition, in Tuddenham has another memorial, basically the same style, commemorating the men of 90 Squadron Royal Air Force. At the eastern end of the Green


The front face (west) bears the Squadron crest and
"FOR ALL THOSE WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY AS MEMBERS OF XC SQUADRON R.A.F."
The south face has

1917
DOLPHIN
CAMEL
AVRO 504
D.H. 6
HIND
BLENHEIM
FORTRESS
STIRLING
LANCASTER
LINCOLN
WASHINGTON
CANBERRA
VALIANT
1965
These being the types of aircraft employed by the Squadron, in chronological order.
On the north face, in a similar fashion, are the names of the bases used by the Squadron
SHAWBURY - BUCKMINSTER - LEADENHAM - BICESTER - WEST RAYNHAM - WATTON - BODNEY - MASSINGHAM - POLEBROOK - SHALLUFA - BOTTESFORD - RIDGEWELL - WRATTING COMMON - TUDDENHAM - WYTON - HONINGTON - MARHAM - UPWOOD.

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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.