'˜Tommy' memorial erected in Hillsborough to honour the fallen of World War One

The Royal British Legion Women's Section in Hillsborough recently purchased a 6ft aluminium silhouette of a World War One soldier for the village.

The soldier has been placed in the vicinity of Hillsborough’s War Memorial and was dedicated on Sunday July 1.

“We raised the money to buy ‘Tommy’ at our recent coffee morning and sale,” explained Joanne Walker. “The ‘Tommy’ is part of the ‘There But Not There’ project, an initiative to try and have a silhouette installed in every town and village affected by the First World War.

“As well as this being the centenary year of the end of World War One, the branch is 80 years old and we feel the silhouette will be a welcome addition to the village and hope he will be an added attraction to the extra visitors to Hillsborough during the summer.

“We also hope it shows how grateful we are as a community, 100 years later, for the enormous contribution this small village made during World War One.

“The ‘Tommy’ is about remembering our WW1 fallen but also helping today’s servicemen and women as the profits from buying him will go to 5 forces related charities , including Combat Stress and Help for Heroes.

“We would like to thank the Rev. Dr. Canon Bryan Follis and the Select Vestry of Hillsborough Parish Church and Hillsborough Old Guard for their co-operation and help on providing a location for ‘Tommy’, for the remainder of this year, after which ‘Tommy’ will be erected again every November.

“We would also like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who supported our wish to have a ‘Tommy’ in Hillsborough by attending our coffee morning and Sale in May.”