OPENING OF MEMORIAL GARDEN AND BENCH DEDICATION FOR FALLEN SOLDIERS

On Tuesday 1st November at Swinton Cenotaph there will be a special unveiling of the Salford Veterans Memorial Garden as well as bench dedications to three fallen fusiliers.

As part of the memorial garden several new benches have been installed to dedicate to the recipients of the Victoria Cross. Brass plaques have also been installed to recognise the twenty nine local soldiers that sadly lost their lives in conflicts since 1945.

As part of the project the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers have dedicated three benches for fallen Fusiliers. The Fusilier benches will be dedicated to Cpl Donald Traynor 3 RRF (Northern Ireland), Fusilier Alex Bunney 3 RRF (Kuwait) and Fusilier Simon Annis 2 RRF (Afghanistan).      

The memorial garden has been created by the Salford Veterans Association and supported by Salford City Council. It’s aim is to create a year round area for quiet reflection to remember the fallen.

The proceedings will start with singing from Salford in Harmony choir followed by a short service conducted by Father Jeremy Sheehy and Father Ian Hall. Family members of the fallen will also be in attendance.

Lt Col (Retd) M R McDonald , Area Secretary North for The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers said:

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“It’s a great honour to be part of this special project and to be able to commemorate local soldiers and our fallen fusiliers in this way. They all fought with bravey and determination so this is the very least we can do to honour their service and create a lasting memorial for many years to come.” 

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: 

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“A huge thank you goes to the Salford Veterans Association for their hard work and dedication to provide this memorial garden and benches in memory of our much loved fallen soldiers.

“We would like to send our love, payers and thoughts to the family and friends of Cpl Donald Traynor 3 RRF (Northern Ireland), Fusilier Alex Bunney 3 RRF (Kuwait) and Fusilier Simon Annis 2 RRF (Afghanistan) for what will be an emotional day for them. 

“And our thoughts remain with all the families and friends who have lost their loved ones in conflicts that we remember today. It is fitting this new garden is located next to the Swinton Cenotaph to make sure our loved ones will never, ever be forgotten. It now creates a space where people can sit down, reflect and remember.” 

 

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, known as ‘The Fusiliers’, is an English infantry Regiment in the British Army, formed from four historic Fusilier Regiments in 1968.  Since then, the Fusiliers have seen service across the world in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, the Balkans, the 1st and 2nd Gulf Wars and Afghanistan. The Regiment has two battalions – First Fusiliers in Tidworth and Fifth Fusiliers in Newcastle – and both adapt readily to challenging scenarios.