Poignant service honours war dead a century on
A service of remembrance has been held to rededicate a war memorial 100 years after the start of the First World War.
Fourth year Music student Will Blackstone performing The Last Post
Former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion read a poem as part
of last night’s service in Parkinson Court.
The names of 25 men from Leeds who served in the war have been added to the University’s
Brotherton War Memorial. The stories of the men, who all had connections to
the University, were uncovered by community researcher David Stowe as
part of the University’s Legacies of War project.
Following a welcome by Vice-Chancellor Sir Alan Langlands,
Sir Andrew read his poem The Death of Harry Patch as part of a service
conducted by the University’s Anglican chaplain, the Reverend Matt Ward.
Students read details of some of the fallen, before all 25
names were read out. School of Music fourth year student Will Blackstone then
played The Last Post to herald two minutes of silence.
Guests then viewed a new exhibition, University of Leeds: Legacies of the First World War. It tells the stories of some of those commemorated by the memorial, as well as setting out various aspects of life at the University during the conflict. Developments in agriculture, chemistry, textiles, medicine and cultural life are examined, as well as the role of women and the Officer Training Corps (OTC) through the war years.
One of the names added to the war memorial is William
Skirrow, who was born in Addingham, near Ilkley, in 1894. An electrician and
cadet in the University OTC, he enlisted in Leeds and died in April 1918 aged
just 24.
A distant cousin, Fraser Skirrow, said he was pleased his
relative was being commemorated.
An amateur military historian who lectures regularly on
Great War tactics, Mr Skirrow spent hours in the University library researching
a book about the war. But he said he was unaware of William Skirrow’s link to
the University, until he saw a story about the war memorial rededication on the
internet.
The former Territorial Army captain, who leads annual
battlefield tours for schoolchildren which take in the Flanders cemetery where
his forebear was laid to rest, said: “I was very pleased to hear his name had
been added to the memorial.”
Work commitments meant Mr Skirrow, from Surrey, was unable
to attend last night’s ceremony.
Sir Alan Langlands said: “The discovery of several missing
names has revealed a number of poignant and touching stories that we wish to
mark and remember. Rededicating the roll of honour is a fitting way of
commemorating these men, the Centenary of the First World War and all those who
lost their lives.”
Sir Andrew Motion later took part in a concert in
the Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall on campus. Anthem for Doomed Youth saw
him join pianist Ian Buckle for a performance of music and poetry.
Earlier in the day he led a poetry workshop for local
A-level students at Leeds Central Library.
Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council’s executive member for digital and creative technologies, culture and skills, said: “It was a massive honour to welcome Sir Andrew Motion. I really hope having the chance to speak with him about his work will have inspired those young people to follow in his footsteps and make the most of their literary talents.”
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