Memorial Playing Field 70th Anniversary

: Planting a new liquidambar to mark the Memorial Playing Field 70th anniversary

: Paul Murray unveils the wooden plaque

: Rector William Prescott waiting for the unveiling of the wooden plaque

: Paul Murray with the memorial plaque from the original pavilion

: Liquidambar in its autumn colours

On 11 November 2018, after the Remembrance Sunday Service at All Saints, Compton, and the services at the Wayside Cross and the stone memorial on Shawford Down, a good number of villagers made their way to the Memorial Playing Field.

This was to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the opening of the playing field in 1948.

The field honours the memory of the local servicemen who gave their lives in the 1939 – 45 World War. Mr Judd had given the land in return for the total of a collection. Trees were planted around the field in memory of 21 named servicemen.

Road building has meant that the boundaries of the field have changed since 1948.

One of the trees on the western boundary of the field has been missing for a number of years. This was a great opportunity to replace it.

Paul Murray had donated the replacement liquidambar which he planted, after a short dedication by the rector, William Prescott and the sounding of reveille.

The wooden plaque

We then walked over to the Pavilion, where Paul revealed the refurbished Playing Field wooden sign that had first been erected seventy years previously.

Paul had rescued the sign after the demolition of the old pavilion. He had stored it in his garage for fifteen years, before he had it restored recently ready for this occasion.

The Rector rededicated the sign, before bringing the ceremony to a close.

Paul Murray

This is a slightly edited version of an article which appeared in the December 2018 Parish Magazine