Dozens watched as two new names were unveiled at Cheltenham’s war memorial service
The names of Labour Corps and Pioneer Joseph George Mitchell from the Royal Engineers and Corporal Francis Howard Pargeter of Royal Berkshire regiment now stand among the hundreds of others. This comes 100 years to the month since Cheltenham War Memorial was officially unveiled in October 1921.
The two soldiers weren’t on the list of names added in 2016, as there was not enough evidence to attribute their deaths to their service. After significant research, which was done by family members of Corporal Pargeter and historians, The War Memorials Trust and The Council decided that the names of both men would be added.
The short service began at 11am which included, prayers, words from Councillor Steve Harvey and the traditional two minutes of silence. Members of the public and representatives from the Royal British Legion watched on to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers.
A 12-year-old distance relative of one of the names unveiled was there. After speaking to him, he explained that his grandma was going though family history when she found someone distantly related, who died in action of gas poisoning just before the end of the first world war. Due to the passing being so close to the end of the war, the name was never put onto the memorial. His Grandma went on “a quest” the boy described, to get the name put onto the memorial.
Sunday 13th November, a bigger ceremony will take place which will begin at 10:50am that will include a colourful parade, march and a 2 minutes silence at 11am. It will be another beautiful tribute to the fallen soldiers.
