Veterans' Walk creates lasting tribute to armed forces in Sunderland
The first names have been laid down in the Veterans’ Walk, recognising not just those who have fallen in service or passed away, but all those who dedicated part or all of their working career in the forces and took the Oath of Allegiance.
So far 104 names have been listed on the granite panels, which have been laid in Mowbray Park in Sunderland city centre, a fitting location as it is already home to a series of war memorials.
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Hide AdIt is believed to be the only one of its kind in the UK, with the piece unveiled at a ceremony held this morning.
The project is the brainchild of Ashbrooke man Tom Cuthbertson, who was a private in 2 Para for four years from 1988, and was followed into the same regiment by his sons, Connan and Nathan.
Nathan, also a private, was just 19 when he was one of three paratroopers killed in June 8, 2008, when a lone insurgent detonated an explosive in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Connan, 21, has recently moved to the Territorial Army base in Seaburn.
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Hide AdTom, 47, who now works as an ambulance technician, said: “This is to recognise people who have served, not just those who have given their lives.
“When you’ve served, there’s no lasting reminder, and this is for anyone who has signed on that dotted line.
“It’s fantastic to see it now and to see our names, but you really have to come down and see it to believe it.
“We hope people will come along and take a look at it, we hope it will be popular and the more names that goes down, the better it will be.
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Hide Ad“We’ve got people listed from all over, someone from Canada who emigrated years ago, people from Coventry who have family connections in Sunderland.
“They don’t have to be from here, but we find people tend to have a connection with the area.”
The next section of the walkway, which has been backed by the Friends of Mowbray Park, will be laid once more than 80 further names have been collected, with each name costing £250 to include in the display.
Some of those still in service have asked for the closing year of their expected service to be engraved.
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Hide AdTom, who worked with Rob Deverson on the path to agree plans with Sunderland City Council and with contractor SCS on the scheme, has also had a warm reaction to a suggestion that another part could be created for those who have worked for the emergency services.
He was also part a team of friends and family who gathered together to set up the Brothers in Arms wall in 2011, with the walkway proposed as that remembered those lost.
Sunderland is the largest provider of armed forces recruits and is home to more than 26,000 surviving personnel.
Anyone interested in adding a name to the pathway can find out more via www.veteranswalk.co.uk for further information or contact Rob on 07771 864 690 or Tom on 07951 853 128.
The fill list of service men and women:
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Hide AdDavid Anthony Knox Sergeant 1989-2012 12 Regiment Royal Artillery
John Robert Kelly Trooper 1991-1996 Light Dragoons
Richard Fothergill A LMEM (M) 1980-1989 Royal Navy
Paul Brocki WO2 1979-2002 Royal Logistic Corps
Thomas Capeling Marine Engineer 1979-1986 Royal Navy
Thomas Arkley Gunner 1940-1945 Royal Artillery
Colin Charlton WO2 1972-2002 3 Para
Keith Cochrane Lance Corporal 1984-1995 4 Para
Gerald Cochrane Guardsman 1952-1955 Coldstream Guards
Ian W Davies Petty Officer 1987-2011 Royal Navy
Craig Meik Lcpl 2005-2010 Royal Signals
Alfred George Langley JX 139885 Petty Officer 1933-1944 Royal Navy
Phil Harris Cpl 1992-2005 FPG Royal Marines
L.A. Parker SACW 1962-1966 WRAF
G.H. Parker Chf Tech 1954-1978 RAF
Ernest Jones FUS 1940-1946 Royal Welch Fusiliers
Bernard Bussey Cpl 1954-1974 Royal Corp of Transport
Michael Donkin SPR 2007-20139 Parachute Sqn R.E
Brian Lormor Private 1999-2004 Paras
Denise Cox Captain 2000-2013 QARANC
W S Carr Corporal 1998-present 3 Para
Steven West Lt/Cpl 1978-1986 3 Para
John George Hammond Private 1915-1916 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
Paul Moore Major 1976-2010 REME
Martin Parker Corporal 1987-1991 RAF police
Joseph Gill Parker Colour Sergant Major 1939-1946 Royal Armoured Corps
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Hide AdWilliam Parker Lance Corporal 1939-1944 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
Brian Morgan WO2 1976-2000 7 Para Royal Horse Artillery
Paul Barker Sergeant 1978-2001 REME
H A Carr 1923-2005 RAF
Nathan Cuthbertson Private 2005-2008 2 Para
Tom Cuthbertson Private 1988-1992 2 Para
Connan Cuthbertson Lance Corporal 2010-2014 2 Para
Paul Bachurzewski Private 1979-1984 3 Para
Michael Boyle 2L/Cpl 1989-1996 2 Para
D G Royal Private 1980-1981 Parachute Regiment IV Bn (TAVR)
Colin Carr Sergeant 1980-1992 REME
I G Crammond Private 1988-1992 2 Para
Kevin Lapping SAC 1985-1996 RAF
John Bell Signalman 1957-1959 Royal Corp of Signals
Ian Bell Sergeant 1997 - 2022 REME
Keith Bell WO2 1998-2020 The Light Dragoons
Dean Adam Hutchinson Private 2004-2011 9th Regiment, RLC (Logistics)
William J Burgess Private 1961-1967 Royal Army Ordnance Corp
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Hide AdDavid Snell Lance Bombadier 1959-1965 6th Field Reg Royal Artillery
Raymond Baker Lance Bombadier 1958-1962 463 Royal Artillery TA
Aubrey Davis Commando 1959-1968 Royal Marines
Karl Craigs Fusilier 1982-1989 Royal Fusiliers
RL Ball-Foster Petty Officer 1939-1961 Royal Navy
Jacob Watson Private 1914-1918 Royal Army Medical Corps
John Watson Sergeant 1941-1945 75th Shropshire Yeomanry
Richard R Walker Sapper 2008 - 2013 REME
Richard Chalk Senior Ordinary Seaman 1941-1944 Merchant Navy
David Gibbins Cfn 1970-1976 REME
Mathew Edmundson Private 1942-1947 Royal Scots
James Bell Hindson Gunner 1950-1952 Royal Artillery
Chris Gee Sergeant 2002-present Royal Regiment of Artillery
Daniel James Price Aircraft Handler 2004-2008 Royal Navy
John Usher Lance Corporal l1965-1974 RAOC
George Lee Waller LAC 1941-1947 241 Squadron RAF
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Hide AdGraham Hodgson Private 1984-1987 Light Infantry - 2nd Battalion
Stan Fowler Private 1953-1962 Para
Frank Golden Corporal 1939-1945 RAF
Jake Cheetham RSM 1967-1992 Royal Green Jackets
Michael James Breeze Private 1914-1916 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
Stan Foste WO2 1984-2013 3 Para
Doreen Nash 1939-1945 Women’s Royal Air Force
James Guyan 1922-1934 Scottish Rifles
Gary John Lowthian L/CPL 1997-2020 Royal Logistic Corps
James Millar STO/MECH C/KX 1944-1950 Royal Navy
William R Dunn DVR 1941-1945 REME
P Coates CPOMA 1993-2016 Royal Navy
Martin K Gray WO2 1978-2006 Light Infantry
Neil Stothard Private 1987-1990 Light Infantry
John William McLachlan Corporal 1952-1956 9th Para Royal Engineers
Owen Allan Sapper 2009-2015 REME
Leslie Sopp Lance Corporal 1964-1970 Durham Light Infantry
Ronald Francis Private 1955-1959 Royal Engineers
Karen Crammond Captain 1984-2006 QARANC
Graham Vincent Vallely Corporal 1979-1993 1 Para
Vincent Vallely Private 1949-1951 Durham Light Infantry
Herbert Henry Reed Bombadier 1941 Royal Artillery - George Cross
John W Bell Private 1968-1972 Para
Jamie Anderson Private 1989-1992 2 Para
Ian Miller WO2 1968-1992 REME
Martin Gibson Sergeant 1980-2002 REME
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Hide AdAnthony McDermott Corporal 2002-2010 Royal Army Medical Corps
Keith Oliver CPO Wtr 1963-1985 Royal Navy
John Harnett Private 1939-1946 DLI
Frederick Albert Scully Company Sergeant Major 1940 DLI
James Brocki Lmem 1975-1990 Royal Navy
C H Lavender Bombadier 1962-1978 29 Commando R A
Gav Gavaghan WO 1980-2013 Light Infantry
Billy Redmayne Lance Corporal 2008-2016 1 Para
Jeff Doherty Private 2004-2008 2 Para
Lyndsey Lancaster-Park WO2 1994-2016 REME
Gordon Crinson Private 1980-1986 11th Royal Signals
Doug Mcready Drum Major 1971-1993 2 Para
Adam Startup L Cpl 2000-2013 1 Para
Pete Callaghan Private 1 Para
Terence Gibson P/J RO2 (G) 1954-1965Royal Navy
David Anthony Abbott WO1 1993-2015 Royal Navy.