Our Regimental Memorial continues to be the focus of much of our remembrance activities. This has certainly been the case if we consider all that has happened in our regimental calendar in 2023. The memorial is very much the focal point during larger scale events such as the Regimental Day in September, and Remembrance Sunday. The memorial also attracts visits from curious and respectful members of the general public as part of their visit to the IWM site. Visitors to the Royal Anglian Regimental Museum also make the short walk across to the memorial from the Land Warfare Hall.
Away from the traditional regimental days we do see groups of soldiers from all three battalions visiting the memorial to pay their respects to fallen comrades. The memorial also attracts a large number of visits from our affiliated cadets as part of their introduction to our regimental history at the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum. There is no doubting the affect that a visit to the memorial and the laying of a wreath to our fallen has. We are always pleased to see these young, highly motivated young people at the memorial.
The care and maintenance of the Regimental Memorial is overseen by a panel of Trustees. Daily maintenance and periodic inspections are supervised by RHQ in the shape of the Deputy Regimental Secretary, Major (Retd) Mike Peters. The Annual inspection of the memorial is carried out in the winter months prior to the visitor season commencing at full pace from Easter onwards. This inspection includes the surveying the condition of the stonework, the surrounding grounds and the flags that fly over the memorial. Any refurbishment or cleaning is carried out before the Spring.
This year’s 60th Anniversary of the Regiment’s foundation will of course bring the Regt Memorial to the fore. It will inevitably, and quite rightly highlight the names of those members of the East Anglian Regt, and the Royal Anglian Regiment listed on its stone wall to mind. That is after all one of the purposes of our memorial. This year, we look forward to seeing another increase in the numbers of Royal Anglian family members gathered at Duxford to remember our fallen.
