Revealed: Incredible project to trace stories of all 1,163 names on Harrogate War Memorial in time for 100th anniversary

The Grade II-listed war memorial was first unveiled on September 1, 1923 in Prospect Square between Cambridge Road, Cambridge Crescent and Parliament Street.

To mark its centenary, volunteers from a number of Harrogate-based groups and societies have come together in the Harrogate War Memorial Project Group to mark the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the British Army and their country in two world wars.

At the heart of the anniversary will be a remarkable heritage project seeking to trace the personal stories of every person on the town’s towering 60ft tall stone-built obelisk.

The end result will be a free multi-media exhibition called “More than a name on a Memorial” in the magnificent surroundings of West Park United Reformed Church from September 1 to Remembrance Sunday.

It is being designed and constructed by local resident Terry Williams who was responsible for the hugely successful exhibition The Story of Harrogate’s Railways held at Harrogate Rail Station.

Nigel McClea, chair of the Harrogate War Memorial Project Group, said: “Thanks to herculean efforts over many years by local historian Graham Roberts, all 1,163 names on Harrogate’s war memorial are being researched.

"Much has already been discovered and recorded including military units, war records, photographs, cause of death, date of death and place of burial, though, it should be said, more than 300 of the First World War names inscribed have no known grave.

“This on-going research will form the core of the exhibition but, thanks to support from North Yorkshire library service through Harrogate Library, we are now in a position to seek out their family stories."

The names inscribed on the memorial all had loved ones, families, friends and jobs – and potential futures cut short in the cruellest of ways.

Among the names is 2ND/Lt Donald Bell VC, the first English professional footballer to join the army in the First World War.

Before he set off for the battle fields of France, he had signed his first professional contract with Second Division, Bradford Park Avenue in 1912 aged 22.

Would he have ever played for a First Division club?

It’s not possible to be certain either way as the brave British Army officer died aged 25 in the Battle of the Somme.

To complete the project in time for the centenary in Harrogate in September, organisers are issuing an appeal to the public.

Nigel McClea, Chair of the Harrogate War Memorial Project Group, said: "Graham Roberts has a lot of photographs of the 1,163 named but by no means all.

"We would love to hear from anyone with an ancestor named on the memorial who might have photographs, or recollections of their experiences passed down the generations.

"We would also love copies of things such as letters home or letters they received from home, battle orders or telegrams and anything about what these brave people did before going to war.”

Any such material should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line ‘More than a name on a Memorial’ or taken into the library for copying.