Villagers create towering poppy memorial to three WWI soldiers
October 27, 2022A towering tribute to unsung heroes of the trenches: Villagers create poppy memorial to three WWI soldiers because there was no monument to honour them
- Devon villagers spent four years creating beautiful tribute to three WWI soldiers
- Tribute honours Arthur Piper, 21, brother William, 28, and George Westcott, 21
- The cascade of more than 5,000 handmade poppies flowing from the tower
- Project also features sculpture of soldier lying in hand surrounded by poppies
Villagers have spent four years creating a beautiful poppy tribute to three soldiers who died in the First World War after discovering there was no memorial for them.
The cascade of more than 5,000 handmade poppies flowing from the tower, window and door of St Peter’s Church honours Arthur Piper, 21, his brother William, 28, and George Westcott, 21, of Dowland, Devon.
The touching project also features a sculpture of a soldier lying in a large hand surrounded by 3,000 more poppies, and a bench in the grounds.
Villagers have spent four years creating a beautiful poppy tribute to three soldiers who died in the First World War after discovering there was no memorial for them
Sue and Graham Dunn at the St Peter’s Church in Dowland, Devon, which has been decorated to honour the three local men who lost their lives in the First World War
The project’s Susie Dunn said: ‘As our soldiers were all farmers, born in the parish, we decided to make something ourselves in the parish as we felt this would be more meaningful.’
Four Piper brothers went to war, with Arthur and William dying in conflict while a third, Harry, died after the end of the war from influenza. None of the Piper family remain in the village, but George Westcott’s relatives still farm in the parish.
Yesterday in London the Royal British Legion launched its annual poppy appeal. Among those present was D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan, 98.
Mr Morgan, from Crewe, became the youngest RAF sergeant to land on Gold Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Source: Read Full Article
