City to honour war heroes with new memorial

Inspiration for the stone sculpture, expected to be around one metre square and featuring the image of a soldier, will be taken from the personal accounts of families of service personnel who have lost their lives in the conflict.

Artist Andrew Vickers, from Dungworth, was approached by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield Graham Oxley to produce the piece.

He said it was to remember those who have lost their lives during all wars but will focus on those in Afghanistan.

The 45-year-old hopes to start work on the one-tonne monument in the spring and it should be installed at Barker's Pool by the end of the summer.

He said: "These men and women have died for our country, for our freedom and they deserve respect and something fitting in their memory.

"It is absolutely imperative that every generation understands, whether they believe politically in the war or not, that these personnel are putting their lives on the line for us."

Mr Vickers said he was shocked to be asked to make the sculpture and honoured to have been offered the chance.

"To be honest, I feel really privileged to be asked to do this work and as far as I'm concerned it's the most significant thing I've been asked to create to date," he added.

"I got the phone call one Friday night and I first thought it was a joke, I just went along with it as it's not something you expect, to be invited to the Chamber by the Lord Mayor for a cup of tea."

A 12,000 fundraising drive for the memorial was launched last week by the Lord Mayor and Sheffield MP David Blunkett.

The exact design is yet to be finalised but Mr Vickers hopes Sheffield residents will have an influence on it, especially the families of those who have lost loved ones in battle.

"I haven't decided on the exact design yet, it will be a boulder type stone rather than a square block and will probably have the form of a soldier on it.

"I am going to talk with the families of soldiers who have died to try and make it personal to what people are feeling at the moment."

Mr Vickers has numerous works in Sheffield, including Hillsborough Park and boundary marker stones for Grenoside and Bradfield, carved from local stones.

He has also bought 12 acres of woodland, Storrs Wood at Storrs Lane, between Dungworth and Loxley, to turn into a public gallery for his work.

"Stones local to here tend to be harder to carve, but I like to keep everything as close to Sheffield as possible.

"The inspiration for my work is like a diary of my life, as I'm dyslexic I can't really express myself through the written word, so by carving stone I can release thoughts and feelings."

The new war memorial marks a significant time for the armed forces as the deaths in Afghanistan continue to mount.

The Royal British Legion said public support for troops remains strong, regardless of political support for or against the conflict itself.

Russell Murray, the Legion's county manager for South and West Yorkshire, said: "The memorials are as significant now as they have ever been – you see what happens if someone does something to a war memorial, the public anger shows the respect the vast majority of people have for our service personnel.

"The great British public have always supported their service personnel - you only have to see the crowds at war memorials on Remembrance Day."

Bomb victim adds to conflict's toll

The number of British military personnel killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 stands at 247 after Captain Daniel Read, from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, died after an explosion in the Musa Qala area of Helmand on Monday.

Yesterday, Lieutenant Colonel Gareth Bex, paid tribute to Capt Read's "selfless commitment".

It was also announced that the funeral of Sapper David Watson, who died after an explosion on New Year's Eve, will take place next Tuesday in Whickham, near Gateshead.