Stories behind 25 local war memorials will be revealed at talk in north Northumberland

From East Ord with its three names to Berwick with 474 men listed, the memorials unveiled in north Northumberland between 1919 and 1923 are expressions of communities’ collective grief at the appalling losses of ‘The Great War’.

Etal resident and freelance writer Eric Musgrave, who researched and wrote 25 Facebook posts for the North Northumberland branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL), will be telling some of their stories in an illustrated talk.

He said: “Between 2019 and 2023, I was asked by the local RBL branch to write short pieces on 25 memorials to celebrate the centenary of the unveiling of each of them.

“From Lindisfarne to Kirknewton, from Beadnell to Berwick, I discovered the always-fascinating stories about how they came to be erected and about some of the men whose sacrifice is remembered on them.

“There are around 1,000 names on these memorials – and, on Tweedmouth’s, the only woman’s name from the First World War.

“It was while local communities were organising their memorials that the British Legion itself was formed in May 1921 to support service men and women, ex-serving personnel and their families.”

Entrance to the cheese and wine event in Etal is free, but donations to the North Northumberland branch of the RBL will be welcome. If you see this in advance and intend to attend, please email RBL branch chairman Jim Carnegie – [email protected]