Memorial details

Memorial type
Other memorial
District
Wyre
Town
Fleetwood
County
Lancashire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
63092

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Current location

St Paul's Free Church of England
Corner Of Darbishire Rd And Warren Avenue South
Fleetwood
Wyre
Lancashire
FY7 6QA
England

OS Grid Ref: SD 32975 47816
Denomination: Free Church of England

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Description
Replica flowers with a dedication on card. Note: The dedicatory card associated with this memorial states (without giving an explanation) that the person commemorated had to remain anonymous. However, it is known that the relevant tank commander was Captain Ian Oswald Liddell, V.C., 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
Inscription
LEGION D'HONNEUR/ THESE FLOWERS ARE A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL ONES WHICH/ FORMED PART OF A POSTHUMOUS AWARD TO A SOLDIER OF THE/ SECOND WORLD WAR. TOGETHER WITH A ILLUMINATED/ FRAMED ADDRESS AND THE MEDAL ITSELF, THEY WERE/ PRESENTED BY THE FRENCH WAR OFFICE TO HONOUR THE/ BRAVERY OF THE SOLDIER IN SAVING FRENCH LIVES./ THE SOLDIER (WHOSE NAME MUST REMAIN ANONYMOUS)/ WAS A TANK COMMANDER IN THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS/ ARMOURED DIVISION. IN THAT PARTICULAR ACTION, HIS WAS/ THE ONLY TANK THAT SURVIVED. HE AND HIS RADIO OFFICER/ WERE MOVING THEIR DEAD COMRADES - OR WHAT WAS LEFT/ OF THEM - BACK TO BASE, WHEN SOME FRENCHMEN CAME/ OUT OF HIDING AND ASKED TO BE TAKEN WITH THEM. THEY/ WERE TOLD THEY HAD TO SHARE WITH THE OTHERS, OR STAY/ THERE, SO THEY DECIDED TO SHARE. THE FRENCHMEN WERE/ SENIOR PERSONNEL AND WOULD HAVE MADE VALUABLE/ PRISONERS TO THE GERMAN FORCES./ THE AWARD WAS MADE TO HIS WIDOW WHEN THE/ NORMANDY VETERANS TOOK THEIR D-DAY MEMORIAL/ PARADE ON 8th JUNE 1994. TWO MEMBERS OF THE FRENCH/ CABINET MADE THE PRESENTATION./ HE WAS A VERY PRIVATE MAN - BUT ALSO A VERY BRAVE/ MAN. HE RECEIVED 8 MEDALS IN TOTAL INCLUDING THE/ VICTORIA CROSS AND THE MILITARY CROSS. THESE HAVE/ BEEN PRESENTED TO THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS MUSEUM AT/ COLDSTREAM BY HIS WIDOW. THE REPLICA FLOWERS WERE/ PRESENTED TO ST PAUL'S CHURCH IN MEMORY OF A BRAVE/ SOLDIER.
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: rank,regiment,place of burial,additional,decorations
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Other structure
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Undefined
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-63092

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