Memorial unveiled to soldiers killed in Afghanistan blast

The memorial at Airedale High School remembers former pupil James Backhouse, from Castleford, who died in an explosion with four other soldiers from Second Battalion The Rifles in July 2009.

A wall shows the images of 18-year-old Rifleman Backhouse and his comrades Rifleman Joseph Murphy, 18, from Castle Bromwich; Rifleman Daniel Simpson, 20, from Croydon; Rifleman William Aldridge, 18, from Herefordshire, and Corporal Jonathan Horne, 28, from Walsall.

The mothers of all five soldiers were at Airedale High School on Saturday to unveil the new memory wall.

Funds for the project came through both money raised by Rifleman Backhouse’s mother, Sharon Backhouse, and a donation from Wakefield Council.

The memorial wall was carved by artist Harry Malkin, a former miner who also attended Airedale High School.

The 60-year-old, from Castleford, said: “The memorial is a carved relief wall in fired clay.

“It shows the five of the soldiers that were killed on that day, with James kneeling in the middle. All their mothers were there to see it unveiled, and so were some of their colleagues who are still with us.”

Mr Malkin added that it was an “honour” to be asked to create the memorial, and said: “It’s in the school entrance, and there’s a photograph of James in the entrance as well.

“It’s a tragedy when one of your pupils died at 18 years old.”

Like his father and grandfather, Mr Malkin became a miner at the age of 15, starting work at Fryston pit.

Much of his work to date has focused on the mining world, and has been exhibited at venues such as the National Coal Mining Museum, in Wakefield, and Dean Clough, in Halifax.

Mrs Backhouse said that raising money for the memorial project had helped her to cope with her son’s death.

She said: “This has kept me going. I don’t think I would have been here today if I didn’t have something to focus on.”