THE PEOPLE of Petersfield are being urged to turn out in large numbers for a special ceremony to mark the re-dedication of the town’s war memorial.
High Street will be closed to traffic for the event next Tuesday, June 26, which follows the completion of around £11,000-worth of restoration work carried out on the monument which will be 96 years old this year.
The ceremony has been organised by the Petersfield branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL), with the support of Petersfield Town Council. The road will be closed to traffic from 6.30pm and the service, which will be led by the Rev Will Hughes, will start at 7pm and is expected to last for around half an hour.
The names of the people listed on the memorial will be read out for all conflicts, and that list will differ slightly from the one read out on Remembrance Sunday last year.
Around a dozen names were added to the memorial during the restoration work - new research and records brought about the discovery of more fallen heroes linked to Petersfield from the First and Second World Wars.
Chairman of the Petersfield branch of the RBL Clive Lewis said: "I’m absolutely delighted with the work the town council has carried out.
"It has been needed for a long time but the memorial now looks brilliant."
Among the crowds expected to gather at next week’s event are the Combined Cadet Force units from Churcher’s College and The Petersfield School, cadets from the Air Training Corps in Petersfield, and the Training Ship Active cadets from Waterlooville.
The event will close with the National Anthem.