Tree planting ceremony in Thatcham marks 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War
A tree planting ceremony was held in Thatcham to mark 80 years since the Second World War ended.
Eight copper beech trees were planted at the Memorial Playing Fields on Wednesday (April 2) to represent eight decades since hostilities ceased with Nazi Germany in the European theatre of war.
Visitors and trustees of Thatcham Memorial Foundation read a passage outlining the chronology of the war at each tree, from the invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 to Victory over Japan in August 1945.
Speakers included MP for Newbury Lee Dillon, standing in for Thatcham town councillor Mike Cole, and chairman of West Berkshire Council Billy Drummond, standing in for Peter Borg, nephew of Jesse Victor Pearce who was killed in France in 1944 and whose name is listed on Thatcham War Memorial.
The key message of the day was handing over the mantle of remembrance to the next generation.
In this spirit, Year 12 students Tilly Green and Harrison Page, head boy and girl at Kennet School, read a poem and assisted with the tree planting, joined by head of sixth form Ronnie Tamale.
Miss Green told newburytoday what being asked to take part in the ceremony meant to her.
“It was a bit of a surprise, but it was really nice,” she said.
“It felt like we had a responsibility to be here. We were welcomed, so that was very nice.
“[The school] seem to be very interested in letting us do lots of different things in the community.”
Sharing her thoughts after the event, mayor of Thatcham Suzanne Adamantos added: “I think it’s been really well put together.
“The fact everyone had a reading, and it was a different bit, I thought was really good.
“I think to also have the young people here was really important.
“Hopefully that’s meant something to them as well, because this [history] is something that’s obviously going to get watered down as this generation dies off.”
An Act of Remembrance was also led by the Thatcham branch of the Royal British Legion at the war memorial, followed by wreath laying.
Chairman of the Memorial Foundation Nathan Gregory confirmed four new names will be added to the memorial.
They are: Harry Edward Dance (RAF Volunteer Reserve), Cyril Jolly (Green Howards, Yorkshire Regiment), Leslie Walter Ralph (Army Catering Corps) and Lieutenant Colonel Vernon Watkins Urquhart (Royal Army Ordnance Corps).
Lt Col Urquhart was the only person to be killed in enemy bombing raids on Thatcham.
His sacrifice was honoured with a blue plaque by Thatcham Town Council’s Heritage Working Party in October 2022.