Tribute to fallen of First World War gets new lease of life

The brass plaque dedicated to members of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club who were killed in the conflict was first unveiled in 1924, and has since been viewed by thousands of hillwalkers who have reached the summit of Great Gable as well as those who have paid homage during a service to mark Remembrance Sunday at the top of the 2,949ft mountain each year.

But two spelling errors were recently identified and the club’s members decided to commission a corrected replica plaque ahead of the centenary of the Great War. Royal Engineers based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire were drafted in and made the trip up Great Gable to help remove the plaque back in July.

The Deputy Commander Royal Engineers team (DCRE), which oversees all infrastructure contracts at the North Yorkshire air base, has now put the corrected version in its place ready for next year’s centenary as well as the forthcoming Remembrance services.

Cpl Mark Dodds, who organised the task, said: “It was hard work because there’s a lot of scree and debris underfoot, but we managed to do the whole job a lot quicker than we expected – less than five hours including drilling holes and remounting.

“There was a good sense of achievement when it was all back up there and the guys from the Fell and Rock Climbing Club were really happy with it. You don’t get to do a job like this every day, and it was good to be involved with it.”

Personnel from the DCRE will join the Fell and Rock Climbing Club for this year’s Service of Remembrance on November 10.