Competition launched to design a memorial to Dacorum soldiers who have died for their country in post World War II conflicts.

Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning, the Mayor of Dacorum Cllr Roger Taylor and the Royal British Legion (Hemel Hempstead Branch) are jointly with the Hemel Hempstead Gazette launching a competition to design a new public memorial to local soldiers who have died for their country since World War II.

Mike Penning said:
“In the past 12 months we sadly lost two young Dacorum soldiers: Marine Matthew Harrison of Boxmoor and Acting Corporal David Barnsdale of Tring. The huge turnout on Remembrance Sunday that followed, I think, brought home to all of us the sacrifices our fighting forces continue to make on our behalf and the desire to have a memorial dedicated to their memory.

“The appeal has been well received and we can now move from the fundraising to the design phase. We thought the best way to do this would be to hold an open competition.”

Dacorum Mayor, Cllr Roger Taylor said:
“I was delighted to be part of discussion process for this appeal and now look forward to the suggestions put forward by members of the public. I encourage anyone with ideas for this memorial to share them with us. We want it to be a memorial from local people to commemorate those who have given their lives since VJ day on 1st September 1945.”

Chairman of the Hemel Hempstead Branch of the Royal British Legion, Peter Gibbons said:
“It is important for us to remember those who have given their lives for our freedom, so I am very pleased there has been a good response to this appeal. I encourage people of all ages to rise to the challenge and have a go at designing a fitting memorial from the people of the Borough of Dacorum.”

The competition is open to anyone.

Designs need only be submitted in sketch/concept form as the winning design will be passed on to a professional design architect. The design entries can be emailed to mike@penning4hemel.com [1] or handed in to Mike Penning MP’s office at Hamilton House, 111 Marlowes or the Hemel Hempstead Gazette office, the Mayor’s office at Dacorum Borough Council or the Royal British Legion Club in Queensway.

Closing date has been EXTENDED TO 15th October 2011.

For those seeking inspiration the National Memorial Arboretum website has photos of many of its memorials. www.thenma.org.uk [2].

Other Dacorum residents who have died in wars since 1945 include:
Private Lionel Gordon Killick, aged 19, died on 12th May 1951 in Malaya
Lance-Corporal John Secrett, aged 18, died on 8th May 1952 in Malaya
Signalman G Collins, died 25th October 1965 in Aden
Sergeant Kevin Keoghane, aged 31, died 1982 on RFA Sir Galahad, Falkland Islands
Flight Lieutenant Jeff Bell, aged 28, died 17th October 1983 in a flying accident in the Falkland Islands

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