Bridlington priory has created a moving war memorial, ‘The Fallen’ by producing cardboard silhouettes to represent each Bridlington serviceman that died in WW1.
The Revd Matthew Pollard led an act of Remembrance with a two minute silence with some local families who laid a Poppy Wreath bearing their relatives' photographs at the Priory War Memorial as a mark of respect after their visit to ‘The Fallen’.
The re-cycled Cardboard images were cut-out by hand by members of the congregation. Each of the 335 silhouettes bears the name and regiment of one of 296 Soldiers, 28 Sailors, 6 RAF Airmen and 5 ANZAC personnel as shown on the Priory War Memorial. There are a further three bearing the names of 51 people born in Bridlington who died but had left the Town before the War broke out. Visitors are invited to Light a Candle for peace and to imagine how many of the fallen would have sat in the pews in which the silhouettes now sit.
The Priory is indebted to Chris Bonnett, with Mike Wilson, for their research and book ‘The Great War Heroes of Bridlington’ from which the information on each silhouette is taken. The designs for the silhouettes are by artist Stephen Carvill, whose work can also be seen in and around the Priory including his sculpture ‘St John of Bridlington’ (pictured).
The memorial is open to the public daily until Remembrance Day from 10.00am to 4.00pm Mondays to Fridays, 10.00am to 12.00 noon on Saturdays and 2.00pm to 4.00pm on Sundays.
For more information about the Priory please visit their website here.