Veterans remember the fallen
Last updated 13:02, Friday, 07 November 2008
TWO Workington war veterans have visited the cenotaph in Workington’s Vulcan Park to pay their respects to friends and family lost in the wars.
World War Two veterans Benny Evans, 87, a former sergeant in the Army Physical Training Corps and former leading seaman Bill McCourt, 84, attended the war memorial in the park on Wednesday.
Mr McCourt who served for three-and-a-half years on HMS Venerable, said: “The monument is a mark of honour to those who died in battle.
“We’ve come here today to pay our respects to family and friends who died in both wars.”
In 2006, Mr Evans, who was stationed in Westwood Ho! in Devon from 1941 to 1945, campaigned for the memorial to be inscribed with names of local soldiers who died in wars.
Mr Evans said: “I lost many of my friends and family during the war so it was important to me that they were honoured in a proper way. It made sense to inscribe the names of the fallen into the cenotaph.”
This was unsuccessful, because of funding issues, but the town council organised a roll of honour to be erected in St Michael’s Church.
The pair were also invited to watch Workington’s sea cadets rehearse their marching for the Remembrance Sunday parade.
Army veteran Mr Evans of Shelly Court, was one of three brothers who served in the war. His eldest brother Alfred an artilleryman was killed in the Battle of Tobruk in 1941.
Mr Evans, a lifeguard and featherweight boxer said: “It’s lovely to see the young people of Workington taking such pride in honouring the men that battled in the first and second world wars.
“Without their efforts none of us can be certain that we’d be here today.
“The war was a scary time but our regiment was known as the toughest of them all. “We were stationed near the beach at Westwood Ho! which was bombed many times.”
Naval veteran Mr McCourt, of Douglas Road, survived a near fatal shipping accident at the end of World War Two.
He was on his way home on the American troopship Georgetown Victory when she ran aground at Killard Point, Ballyhornan County Down. All 1,400 men who were on board were rescued.
He said: “I was on my way home after the Germans packed in but the American captain who was in charge of the ship forgot to change his clocks so we ran aground just off Killard Point.
“Even though it was pitch black the locals came down with lights and lifeboats to help us and thankfully everyone got off alive.
“When we went back the next day to try and retrieve the presents that we had got for our families the reality of what had happened sunk in, it could have been much worse.”
Mr McCourt also praised the team at the Workington Sea Cadets for the training that they give to the youngsters.
He added: “It’s important that the boys and girls train in a realistic atmosphere so that they get used to how a naval ship is run.
“I was 18 years old when I first signed up at HMS Blackcap in Stretton,near Warrington and I spent three-and-a-half years on HMS Venerable stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
“It was a big shock to the system being out at sea and away from family for such a long time. It’s good that the boys and girls are taken out on practice runs.”
Workington sea cadets will be leading Sunday’s parades in Harrington from 9.30am and in Workington from 1.30pm.
