Memorial
Wye Fire Service
Current Location
N E Aisle of the nave, All Saints Church, Church Lane, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4EU, England
OS Grid Reference
TR 03330 48140
Denomination
Church of England
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© WMR-1509
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- Type of Memorial
- Board / Plaque / Tablet
- WMR Reference Number
- 1509
- Description
- WOODEN BOARD WITH INSET LANCET SHAPED CENTRE PART UPON WHICH IS THE INSCRIPTION IN WHITE, RED AND GOLD LETTERING. INSCRIPTION IS PAINTED ONTO A DARK BLUE BACKGROUND. PAINTED DESIGN ABOVE THE INSCRIPTION AND MEDALLIONS ON THE TOP CORNERS OF THE MEMORIAL MEDALLIONS OF CROSSED AXES AND FIREMANS HELMET AT THE TOP. FOLIATE GARLAND ABOVE THE INSCRIPTION WITH AN IMAGE OF THE BURNING CHURCH IN THE CENTRE OF IT
- Inscription
- REMEMBER / THE SEVEN MEN OF WYE FIRE SERVICE / WHO SAVED THIS ANCIENT PILGRIM CHURCH OF / ALL SAINTS / FROM DESTRUCTION BY FIRE BOMBS: / (NAMES) / IN THE LATE AFTERNOON OF MONDAY, 16TH SEPTEMBER / 1940 AT THE HEIGHT OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, TWO HIGH / EXPLOSIVE AND SOME FIVE HUNDRED INCENDIARY BOMBS WERE / DROPPED NEAR THIS CHURCH. MANY FIRES BEGAN, MOSTLY / AMONGST THE NEARBY FARM BUILDINGS, BUT ALL SEEMED TO / HAVE BEEN SWIFTLY EXTINGUISHED. / HOWEVER, ONE INCENDIARY BOMB WHICH LODGED ON / THE CHURCH TOWER WAS OVERLOOKED. IT EVENTUALLY MELTED / THE LEAD ROOF, FIRING THE BEAMS BENEATH, AND BY MIDNIGHT / THE TOWER WAS AFLAME. WHEN WYE FIRE BRIGADE ARRIVED / TWO ENEMY BOMBERS WERE CIRCLING OVERHEAD AND THE CHURCH / TOWER HAD BECOME AN INFERNO, FANNED BY THE HIGH WIND. / WITH ONLY FARM LADDERS AVAILABLE THE FIRE WAS TREACH- / EROUSLY DIFFICULT TO TACKLE. NEVERTHELESS, THE COURAGEOUS / FIREMEN AT LAST REACHED THE AISLE ROOF. THEY THEN SCALED / THE HAZARDOUS SLOPES OF THE NAVE ROOF TO THE TOP OF THE / TOWER WHERE THEY EVENTUALLY PUT OUT THE BLAZE. / PILGRIM GIVE THANKS THAT THIS CHURCH / SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST OF WAR. / TAKE THE SHIELD OF FAITH WHEREWITH YE SHALL / QUENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED. EPH6.16
- War
- Second World War - civilians
- Number Commemorated
- 7
- Served
- 7
- Information shown
- Surname,forename
- Order of names
- Surname,forename
- Maker(s)
JOHN WARD CBE, RA, Designer
JOHN WARD CBE, RA, Artist
MICHAEL RUST, Writer
- Costs
- £1250
- Sponsor Type
- public
Ceremonies
Unveiled
06th June 1993
CANON DAVID NAUMANN
Dedicated
06th June 1993
CANON DAVID NAUMANN
- Custodian
- BROUGHTON ALUPH WITH EASTWELL PCC
Components
- Board
Height: 2000mm
Width: 1050mm
Depth: 150mm
Made from: Wood - Oak
Condition: Good
- https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/252634/ (for photograph)
- KENTISH EXPRESS, 03-JUN-1993, 10-JUN-1993, 17-JUN-1993