Call to start new tradition at Buxton’s war graves this remembrance

At 11am on Saturday November, 11 people of Buxton and the HIgh Peak are invited to join the Buxton brank of the Royal British Legion and lay crosses on the graves of war heroes.

Bob Nicol, chair of the Buxton legion branch said: “We have a service at the cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday which is always well attended but we have lots of war graves in the town cemetery which are often forgotten.

“Every year I have been going in the evening and placing the crosses on the graves on November 11 and thought why not include the public.

“We are paying tribute to those who lost their lives and where better to do that and take a moment to remember than at the graves of these heroes.”

Buxton has a rich military history, during World War One there was a American military hospital and some of the soldiers who did not survive their injuries are buried at Central Drive.

Bob said: “There are also 32 Canadian soldiers buried in Buxton, as well as various air crew members who lost their lives and a repriated soldier who served in the Vietnam War.

“And there are lots of graves of Buxton men too, but they are dotted about the place and you have to walk around to find them but they are there.”

Vera Britian, the famed nurse and writer worked at Devonshire Royal Hospital, now the Devonshire Dome, and her finance lost his life during the fighting and his name is on the war town’s war memorial.

“There is a lot of history in Buxton and that shouldn’t be forgotten and I wanted to do something which would bring people together so they can pay their respects at the graves of the people who died for our freedom.

“I would love it to become an annual event and start a tradition this year where remembrance is also carried out at the cemetery as well in town.”

Anyone wanting to join Bob should meet him on Saturday November, 11 10.45am at the cemetery on Central Drive.