Council 'crestfallen' after vandals attacked First World War memorial figure

VANDALISM to one of the tributes put up in memory of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War have left members of Marchwood Parish Council “crestfallen”.

The silent soldier and silent suffragette statues were placed in the centre of the village ahead of Remembrance Sunday as part of a campaign run by the Royal British Legion.

The soldier figure, which was not damaged, was funded by the parish council while the suffragette was paid for by Marchwood WI.

Clerk to the council, Brendan Gibbs, told the A&T the broken suffragette was discovered by a member of the public and he believed the damage had happened sometime between 11pm on Saturday and 9am on Sunday.

He said: “Everyone in the council is crestfallen. To see this, particularly after being on display for so long, is a heartbreaking turn of events. We have spoken to the British Legion but as they were produced especially for the centenary celebration, the production line has finished. It has been lost forever.”

He added: “The parish council were also upset on behalf of the WI. It's an organisation we support and we are devastated for them.”

Local county councilor David Harrison said: “It is pretty shocking that anyone could be so disrespectful to the memory of people who made sacrifices so we can enjoy the democratic freedoms we have today, but there are.

“Marchwood Parish Council is keen to hear from anyone who can provide information about the vandalism. It would be good to identity and prosecute those who carried out this heartless act.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.