Memorial Title

D Day Landings

Summary

Derbyshire War Memorials: a description of of WW2 war memorial gates at the memorial Garden, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, commemorating the D Day Landings.

Images



Click on a thumbnail to see a larger image. Further images may be available on request.

Locations

Last known location: Memorial Garden St Johns St (B5023) Wirksworth Derbyshire	Nearest postcode: DE4 4DS NGR: SK 28728 53835 (From online digital mapping.) (Map opens in new window.)	Location details: The garden is on the east side of the road in the centre of the town. The gates are at the eastern end of the paved area.

Previous location: Memorial Garden St Johns St (B5023) Wirksworth Derbyshire	Nearest postcode: DE4 4DS NGR: SK 28703 53840 (From online digital mapping.) (Map opens in new window.)	Location details: The garden is on the east side of the road in the centre of the town. The gates were at the western end of the paved area, adjacent to the public footway.

Type

Overall type: Gates

Overall condition: Fair, but the inscription seems to be lost.

Description:

A pair of mild steel gates painted black with the inscription superimposed across the centre in gold lettering, originally accompanied by a plastic plaque on a wooden backboard mounted on an adjacent wall, now demolished. The gate maker's mark is cast on the two posts.

Glossary

Components:

Component	Material	Height	Width	Depth	Condition
Gates	Mild steel	2000	3160	150	Fair
Plaque	Plastic	150	230	2	Lost
Backboard	Wood	200	270	30	Lost
Dimensions in millimetres ±5mm unless stated otherwise.

Inscription

Gates:

Conflicts and people named:
Conflict	Second World War (1939-1945)	Totals
Action or event	Allied invasion of Europe (D Day Landings) (6th June, 1944)
Number died	0	0
Number served and returned	0	0
Total names	0	0

LEST WE FORGET

Gateposts:

HILL & SMITH BRIERLEY HILL

Plaque (now lost):

[THE]SE GATES WERE
SPONSORED BY
[THE] ROTARY CLUB OF WIRKSWORTH
THEY WERE PRESENTED TO
THE WIRKSWORTH BRANCH OF
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
ON JUNE 6TH 1994
BY ROTARY PRESIDENT RON DUGGINS
ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE D. DAY LANDINGS 1944

[This inscription was recorded on 30th November, 2011 when the plaque was already damaged and some lettering missing.]

Administration

Custodian: Presumed to be an association between Wirksworth Town Council, the Wirksworth Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Wirksworth Memorial Foundation, Registered Charity 1068771.

Local authorities:
From 1974: Wirksworth Town Council; Derbyshire Dales District Council; Derbyshire County Council.

History and Conservation

21 August 1970: The Wirksworth Conservation Area was first designated: the memorial lies within it.

c1994: The gates were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wirksworth and made by Hill and Smith Ltd of Hill's Ironworks, Brierley Hill, West Midlands.

6th June, 1994: The gates were presented to the Wirksworth Branch of the Royal British Legion by Ron Dugdale of the Rotary Club of Wirksworth.

30th November 2011: The memorial was surveyed by Roy Branson and Alan Willmot in its original location adjacent to the public highway. The gates were in fair condition but the adjacent plaque was in poor condition with the top left corner broken off.

8th October, 2014: Ideas were proposed for refurbishment of the memorial garden.

Unknown date c2014: The memorial garden was refurbished: more paving was provided and the gates were removed, refurbished and relocated at the eastern end of the paving. Some of the wall adjacent to the public highway was demolished and the plaque lost.

11th November, 2018: The gates were photographed by Glyn Williams while they were decorated for local commemorations.

18th July, 2019: The memorial was surveyed in its new position by Roy Branson. It was in fair condition and cared for.

References

Matlock Mercury; 8th October, 2014: a report on the possible refurbishment of the memorial garden.

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