Hallo all

Thought I would share my good news today, and give any interested parties a heads-up.

The 13th Essex never got a Memorial after WW1. But now, 91 years later, it's about to happen!

West Ham United FC have agreed wholeheartedly to erect a Memorial Plaque
on the outside (street) wall of the Bobby Moore Stand, in Castle Street, facing
the Hammers Supporters Club. This location also importantly means the Memorial
will be fully accessible to the public at any time of day and night.

To be unveiled on the closest home match to Remembrance Sunday.

The Parachute Regiment & Local RBL will most likely be the one's providing a Guard of Honour
and I think I can also whip up a few celebrity Hammers via contacts to ensure media coverage.


To think that this whole journey only began here, in February 2008, from discovering
the fate of my GtGrandfather, from discovering he was an original 13th Hammer, from
reading Official History and War Diary - none of this would have been possible without
the kindness, support and research assistance of the GWF. I do sincerely thank you.


Updates will be available, as always, on the West Ham Pals website
as we get closer to the event: http://westhampals.blogspot.com/


Kind regards, all





IRONS!

Well done to you and West Ham!

Regards,
AGWR

Top stuff mate! Would love to get down there for the opening. Ill keep me eyes peeled on the website.

James

Many congratulations, and well done on keeping their memories alive and passing the message on to future generations at the Boleyn!

You must be very proud of this.

Best wishes,
Scottie,
Cum on u Sperz and up the O's!

Cheers all!

I'll be proud when I actually see it on the wall!
Yes, as you say, Scottie, it's ALL about the memory.

I hope it'll be a proper knee's up - and everyone is invited!
Will be nice to see how many living relatives I can get to attend


All the best!

E

Well done! Post a picture here once its on view, please.

Bernard

Elliott

Sincere congratulations on your work to bring this about.

All the best


Clive

Great job Elliott!

Cheers,

Michael

Cheers, you two!

You're both truly fundamental to it all happening, to be honest!

There should be an update in a fortnight, that's when I'll hear
how they propose to go about it, since agreeing to do it and
telling me where they want it to go. Double chuffed, as the
Bobby Moore Stand not only bears the name of a great man
but it also replaced the beloved South Bank of my youth

As a West Ham fan, with family born and bred in West Ham, this makes me very proud.

I often think of the trip to the Boleyn Ground as a pilgimage. This will now take on a different meaning.

John

Update: November 8th, 10.55am before the home match with Everton FC


Will be unveiled by me, with Sir Trevor Brooking as my assistant!

In the presence of 13th Essex Kings Colours, paraded by C (Essex) Company, 1st Royal Anglian Regiment.

Honour Guard provided by 2nd Newham (Busby Troop) Scouts (named after Captain Busby, MC)

A Good many relatives and descendants of the 13th Essex Hammers in attendance.


Light Refreshments afterwards


All welcome, RSVP me at the website



Badges also on sale now, Ltd Ed, selling out fast



Many thanks for all your continued support of the 13th Essex Memorial Project

Brilliant! Well done to all.

Well done that man!

Great news indeed and a lot of hard work by you I suspect.

Where can I get hold of a badge from?

Hallo Squirrel

They're available on Ebay if you search for West Ham Pals,
there's a buy it now deal for one badge or for a pair.

They're also on sale at the Essex Regiment Museum
(all profits going towards their refurbishment fund)

or via the East Ham Branch, Royal British Legion
(all profits going to towards their poppy appeal fund)


Alternatively you (and anyone else!) can email me
here or at westhampals@hotmail.co.uk and I will
give you the BadgeMan's direct contact for swift
despatch.


Remember there's a postal strike! ;[



http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1831606,00.html



Kindest regards, and thank you for the continued support!

Thanks mate.

Excellent news...well done.

As a West Ham fan who now lives 500 miles away from the Boleyn I may not be able to see the memorial but am delighted to see it happen.

My grandparents lived in Redclyffe Road for over 60 years and my childhood and teen years were spent on the terraces watching the Irons.

Postal strike or not I will be buying the badges

Well done


Ivor

Fantastic work - well done mate. I can't be there in person but will be thinking about it. Particularlly Private Bertie Powell (31566) of Heybridge, Essex, who was KIA whilst serving with the 13th on 28/4/17 during the attack on Oppy.

Best regards on a fantastic achievement.

SPN
Maldon

Brilliant work and so pleased to see West Ham FC readily agreeing to the memorial. I was always a North Bank man myself but I will be there on the day

Patrick

Delighted to say that my badges arrived yesterday and they are now a proud part of my collection.

Ivor

I got back today to find my badge...and d**ned good it looks too.

Many thanks.

Now....I wonder....do I wear it on the Kop???



Bruce

Elliott,

Well done for today.

Pleased all seemed to go well apart from the result on the pitch.

Elliott,

Hope all went well today. You should be very proud as are we all of the men of 13th Bn. Essex! Well done my son!!

John

Thanks very much for the support, everyone!
John, great to meet you and Andrew yesterday!

Brilliant - what a fantastic achievement. Well done mate - you've done it for those brave lads and now it is a lasting memorial. It's the talk of my office - some West Ham supporters there who had seen the article in the supporters magazine and heard all about it at the match this weekend.

Great stuff.

SPN
Maldon.