Hartlepool's Field of Remembrance to return for 2019 - and the plans are even more ambitious this year

A return of Hartlepool’s Field of Remembrance and silhouettes remembering each life lost in the bombardment are among ambitious plans for this year’s November commemorations.
By Mark Payne
Published 29th Oct 2019, 06:00 BST
Updated 29th Oct 2019, 15:25 BST
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2018 saw volunteers planted 1,750 small wooden crosses with poppies on around the war memorial in Victory Square each carrying the name of a person who died in the First World War.

This year, the team are working on an even more impressive display by replanting last year’s crosses plus around 1,000 more dedicated to those who were killed in the Second World War.

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Not only that, two large nets with thousands of hand knitted poppies sewn onto them will be put in place at the town centre memorial with another at the Heugh Battery Museum on the Headland where it will stay on display up to December’s annual bombardment service.

One of the Tommy silhouettes that will be displayed at the Heugh Battery Museum by the Hartlepool Field of Remembrance project.One of the Tommy silhouettes that will be displayed at the Heugh Battery Museum by the Hartlepool Field of Remembrance project.
One of the Tommy silhouettes that will be displayed at the Heugh Battery Museum by the Hartlepool Field of Remembrance project.

The museum will also display 130 wooden silhouettes to honour each of the victims of the Bombardment of Hartlepool in the shape of soldiers, women and children.

The project, which is raising money for the Royal British Legion, is being spearheaded by a core group of around a dozen volunteers who are being helped by dozens more.

Jaime Horton, of The Hartlepool Field of Remembrance group, said: “There’s a hell of a lot of people involved. We have had volunteers helping to collate last year’s crosses and put them in alphabetical order.

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“Hartlepool Men’s Shed and Women’s Shed have hand cut every single silhouette out. We have got companies from out of town supplying equipment and have had a kind offer of a life-size Tommy silhouette.

Jaime Horton with named crosses ahead of the Hartlepool Fields of RemembranceJaime Horton with named crosses ahead of the Hartlepool Fields of Remembrance
Jaime Horton with named crosses ahead of the Hartlepool Fields of Remembrance

“It’s all coming on really nicely and there has been a lot of work from everybody.”

Pupils from Kingsley Primary School are helping create the silhouettes which were designed by Danny Threadgill and Elizabeth Rooney.

Jaime added: “It’s really nice to see the younger generation coming together for it.

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“This year’s display is going to look absolutely spectacular.”

Jaime Horton and Dan Threadgill with poppy net ahead of the Hartlepool Fields of RemembranceJaime Horton and Dan Threadgill with poppy net ahead of the Hartlepool Fields of Remembrance
Jaime Horton and Dan Threadgill with poppy net ahead of the Hartlepool Fields of Remembrance

More volunteers to help paint the silhouettes are needed and the group are appealing for donations of grip ties to help fix the poppy nets in place.

For more details see The Hartlepool Field of Remembrance page on Facebook or call Jaime on 07931 242950.

To donate visit Hartlepool Field Of Remembrance 2019 at gofundme.com

Related topics:HartlepoolRoyal British Legion