In memoriam
A rededication service for the East Dulwich war memorial took place on 12 November at its new location at Peckham delivery office.
Colleagues from both East Dulwich sorting office and Peckham delivery office attended the service, which was conducted by Royal Mail pastor, Darren Street, and ended with a playing of the Last Post.
The East Dulwich war memorial commemorates four colleagues who were killed in the First World War - Lance Corporal Alfred James Edmund Duke D.C.M, Frederick Horgan, Joseph Henry Kingsbury and Cyril Arthur Victor Russell.
The citation for Alfred Duke’s award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (the D.C.M. is one tier below the Victoria Cross) reads:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, this N.C.O. took sole charge under heavy shell fire of the arrangements for the evacuation of the wounded from a locality in the front line, and made excellent arrangements for a system of relief. He remained until all the wounded of his company had been evacuated to a dressing station, and finally carried a wounded officer belonging to another unit a distance of some four miles. Throughout the action he showed complete disregard for his safety, and set a very fine example to those serving under him.’
The East Dulwich war memorial could have been lost forever had it not been for the actions of postman, Tuns Asaf. When renovation work was being carried out on the delivery office a few years ago builders accidentally placed the memorial in a skip. It was Tuns who fished it out and after speaking to the war memorials team, helped get it restored to its full glory.
Deployment manager, Nick King, said: ‘The East Dulwich merger with Peckham delivery office is part of a project within the central delivery and pipeline programme of which I am a member. As a team, we are all passionate about the company’s heritage and especially the war memorials.
‘Being the team’s “anorak” I was asked to research the names on the memorial so that I could give some background information to Rev Darren Street, for the rededication service. While investigating, I discovered that the Imperial War Museum was asking for any war memorial photographs that they hadn’t yet seen. They have now updated their archives with the photo and information I sent them.’
Royal Mail is one of the largest custodians of First World War memorials, with approximately 300 memorials located on former General Post Office (GPO) sites across the country.
The delivery office merger team takes its responsibilities concerning both the Company’s heritage and those of previous colleagues very seriously and whenever there is a move ensures that memorials are relocated to new offices sympathetically and arranges for the rededication of memorials at the new site.
We shall remember them
Colleagues across the country held Remembrance Day services to honour those from all conflicts past and present.
Hexham delivery office held a service, which was attended by postman John Jones, who served with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Royal Dragoon Guards in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, and the Gulf War. Delivery office manager, Tony Jackson’s 13-year-old son, cadet Lewis Jackson, also attended and helped lay a wreath in the caller’s office.
CMA representative, Charlie Osler, attended a memorial and parade at The Church of the Ascension in Bedmond, a village near Abbotts Langley, Hertfordshire, as his grandfather’s brothers, Clifton David Osler of The 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, and Hamilton Clyde Osler of The Queens West Surrey Regiment were killed in 1916 and 1918 respectively.
While researching his ancestors, Charlie visited the Abbotts Langley ‘Back to the Front’ project website, ‘I found it interesting that my ancestors who served in infantry regiments in the First World War would have been aware and may even have seen the Post Office Rifles in their village,’ he said.
‘The project stated that the 8th London Post Office Rifles were billeted at Abbotts Langley and made an impression on the village. Their progress was followed throughout the Great War.’
Delivery change lead, Bob Silver, whose grandfather served in the Royal Welch Fusiliers regiment during the First World War, attended the Remembrance Day parade in central London.
‘It was a great honour to be part of the parade and to wear my granddad’s medals for the first time,’ said Bob, who served for 34 years as a volunteer in the Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary. For the last four years, Bob has served with the Volunteer Emergency Response unit of the London Ambulance Service.
