Hinckley War Memorial, Leicestershire

Here's a set of photos of the Hinckley War Memorial, built on the site of an old castle near the centre of the town. It was built between 1921 and 1922. Good to see that since my last visit several years ago, the barbed wire on the building behind the memorial has been removed

The war memorial in 1923

And today

This plaque was added after the memorial was built, and isn't seen in the 1923 photo - anyone know why?

On one of the plaques can be seen S Bolesworth - more commonly known as 'Togo' Bolesworth, a famous boxer. There's more information on him here http://www.green-tiger.co.uk/id46.html

This is his name commemorated at Tyne Cot. He was serving with the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, 110th Brigade 21st Division when he was killed at Polygon Wood, and his body was never found.

An overall shot of Polygon Wood - 'Togo' Bolesworth's body is probably located somewhere in the scope of this photograph, possibly as one of the unknown graves in the Buttes British Cemetery

Great stuff man, were flying an ultra-light?

I think you'll find many big memorials have addenda for the people either discovered belatedy to have died, or those who DID die late, of wounds, influenza, etc. They might be men killed in Ireland. They might also be men originally from the area whose military links to Leicestershire are slight. My mate researching men from Southend, Rochford and the locale, is still finding people who moved away whose only family remained local - so their names are recorded.

You'll know from surfing there is a website for the Missing, meaning people who are in the wrong graves or have incorrect commemorations because of badly transcribed (or wrong) IWGC/graves registration cards.

Polygon Wood looks good from the air. I thought it to be one of the gloomiest and saddest places I've visited. It also has very big rabbits!

MB

Thanks Snapper - not from a microlight, from a Stampe SV.4 biplane, like a Belgian Tiger Moth, and used as a WW1 plane in pretty much every WW1 aviation film. I'm yet to visit Polygon Wood on the ground - I can understand what you mean about gloomiest and saddest, it looked so from the air on a bright, hot April day, i'd like to visit in September/October when the Leicesters were there for the proper effect