“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”
George Santayana – The Life of Reason (1905-1906) Vol. I, Reason in Common Sense
Introduction
Welcome to the website about the War Memorials of the village of Tutbury in East Staffordshire, their preservation and Remembrance of the Fallen.
The first task is to document everything we can find out about Tutbury’s (originally we thought five) existing and two missing memorials to the fallen of the two world wars and the Trophy Guns of WWI (one of which is missing).
The second is to record the activities of the Tutbury War Memorials Preservation Committee (TWMPC), a group of people who were involved in conserving the Stone Cross War Memorial (SCWM) at St. Mary’s Priory Church (SMPC) and any of the other memorials and related artefacts.
On the following pages you will find descriptions of each the War Memorials and items about specific elements of Remembrance. If you know anything more about the Memorials, or you think that we have got something wrong, then please contact us – our aim is to document everything we can as accurately as possible.
You will also find a record the activities of the now disbanded TWMPC, including minutes and agendas of meetings and correspondence with other organisations, what is happening and what has happened.
If you have any comments, extra information or are willing to get involved please contact us via the contact page.
Rick Nuth – Former Chairman, Tutbury War Memorials Preservation Committee
Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours…
You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears;
Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.
Kemal Atatürk – 1934 – written as a tribute to the ANZACs killed at Gallipoli – this inscription appears on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, ANZAC Parade, Canberra.
