Tag: #Memorial

Broadwindsor’s War Memorial Ceremony

On Tuesday, 6th June, 2023 at 11am, the sun shone and the following ceremony took place. (You can find the full Itinerary HERE).
[Please note: this is an amateur recording, there IS a great shot of the Spitfire flying overhead, the names and stories read out by relatives and representatives can be found below – Editor]

 

Well done & thanks to the Year 6 pupils of Broadwindsor Primary School, teacher Beth Steward and Head Teacher, Jean-Paul Draper!

Poppy & CandleThe Exhortation – read by Chris Loder MP:
(The Exhortation is an extract from a poem written by Robert Laurence Binyon called “For the Fallen“, written in mid-September 1914, just a few weeks after the outbreak of The War and was first published in The Times newspaper on 21st September 1914)

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.”

Response: “We will remember them.”

The Last Post & Reveille played beautifully & perfectly by Elizabeth Carter.

Poppy & CandleThe Kohima Epitaph – read by Chris Loder MP:
(The Kohima Epitaph is carved on the Memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery of Kohima (North-East India).

‘When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.’

Remembering…

Poppy & CandleRichard Rust & Edwin Hancock – read by Helen Doble:

On the morning of the 16 December 1940 a Westland Lysander Mk 111, flying from RAF, Weston Zoyland airfield near Bridgwater crashed into the ground at Drimpton due to low cloud and bad visibility, killing the two crew members from No 16 squadron. No 16 squadron was a RAF reconnaissance unit which had been evacuated from France in May 1940 after the Germans invaded the country.

The pilot of the Lysander was Flight Lieutenant Richard Rust age 26 who trained at Sandhurst military college for officers in the British Army before the war. After joining the Royal Fusiliers Regiment, he was later granted a temporary commission as a flying officer and seconded into the RAF in April 1939. He was awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) in July 1940. Flight Lieutenant Rust, an only child, was newly married and his wife Miriam later gave birth to their son, Michael, five months after his death.

The other airman was Air Gunner Sergeant Edwin Hancock age 20 of Scunthorpe. Edwin was the eldest of five children and had been a member of the RAF volunteer reserve before the war. Edwin is buried at Middlezoy Churchyard in Somerset whilst Flight Lieutenant Rust’s remains were returned to his home town of Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.

Flight Lieutenant Rust’s widow Miriam, later married an American Soldier and as a war bride left England in 1946 travelling on the ‘Queen Mary’ with her son.

Miriam’s daughter Sherry has written to me from America – she said:
‘My Mom adored him and he had a beautiful son Michael, he never got to meet. Michael grew up to be a wonderful person, brother, son and father  I wish my brother was aliNee Studleyve to see this. I am so honoured and grateful.’

Poppy & CandleWalter Dommett – read by Bev Coleberd Nee Studley:

I am here today for Walter Dommett. Caroline Dommett was my great grandmother. She lived with her parents and siblings here at Redlands farm. Walter Dommett was one of Carolines brothers.Their siblings were; Rosa, Mary, Caroline (herself), Arthur William, John Wyatt, Walter– who was born 1st Sept 1890, Olive, Dennis, and 2 step sisters Dorothy and Margaret (Taken from the Broadwindsor Parish Magazine for March 1917)
Killed in Action.The war has taken heavy the past month. Walter Dommett,to whose honour we remember that he was one of the first to offer himself in 1914 has been killed in action in Mesoptamia at the age of 26.
In Memory Of Private W.DOMMETT
Service Number 2506
!st/4th Bn., Devonshire Regiment who died on 03 February 1917
Remembered with Honour
Amara War Cemetery
AVIII.G.3.

Poppy & CandleSergeant Harry Frampton – read by Gillian Yeates (nee Frampton):

Sergeant Harry Frampton was my great uncle . He was born a mile away from here at Burstock Grange Farm in 1920.
He had two brothers and two sisters and worked on his family farm until the age of 18 where he signed up for the 43rd Wessex Division at the outbreak of World War 2. Being a farmer he didn’t need to join up as he held key worker status but all his friends had and so he began his training .He got engaged to Sylvia Bridal who’s family had the George Hotel in Broadwindsor square and the plan was that after the war they would marry and run the Hotel together.

On the 25th of June 1944 he and 16,000 other 43rd Wessex division soldiers landed on the beaches of Northern France and headed to Caen to begin Operation Jupiter . This was to capture a hill known as Hill 112 overlooking the planes of
Normandy and German General Rommel said “The forces that controls Hill 112 would control Lower Normandy“.
They faced fierce resistance from German 9th,10th and 12th SS Panza divisions and the division suffered 7000 casualties of the 16,000 that set foot in France.
On July the 15th 1944 Harry was killed by a German sniper in the French village of Etterville when he popped his head over a wall .He is buried less than 3km from there in St Manvieu War Cemetery near by his great friend Maurice Loosmore. He was 24 years old.
A memorial service for him was held in Burstock Church some months later in November with the mourners packing out the Church. Our family continue to visit his grave in France and we never forget his bravery and service to our country.

Poppy & Candle

 

Maurice Loosmore – awaiting text.

 

 

Poppy & CandleJean Decloedt – read by Andrew Frampton:

Jean was born in the St Giles district of London on May 31st 1916 to Belgium parents Prosper & Jeanne Decloedt. They had married in 1903 and had another son ten years after Jean was born called Raymond Decloedt Following the outbreak of World War 1 they fled Belgium and sort sanctuary in London until the war had passed.

On March 1, 1940 Jean Decloedt was enlisted as a student pilot in the Belgium 84th Promotion CSLR division. After the airforces mobilisation in 1940, he joined the Belgian 1st Airborne Regiment, that operated from Oostend . He was active there as a non-commissioned officer . After the capitulation, Jean then fled his homeland on 28 May 1940 and chose to join the Belgian forces in England. He arrived in England on 5th August 1940, where he joined the Belgian section of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve . He trained as a pilot at RAF Sealand near Chester with No.5 Service Flying Training School but because he was colour-blind, he was not able to join operational squadrons and  ended up at No. 3 Delivery Flight at RAF High Ercall, Shropshire, tasked with delivering new and repaired Spitfires as replacements around the country. He continued to do that until Sunday 15 March 1942.

He was given the orders to fly a Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb, serial number BL463 from Warrington to a cliff top air base on the south Devon coast called Bolt head to No 317 squadron a Polish squadron to replace Spitfires lost in action. That afternoon Jean prepared himself at RAF Burtonwood, Warrington in Cheshire for what would become his final flight. At about a quarter past six that evening, a sputtering aircraft engine was heard over head here in low cloud and his spitfire crashed into the North side of Lewesdon Hill killing him on impact.  My grandfather on home guard duty that day ,was one of the first on the scene armed with a hazel stick in case it was a German airman. Jean‘s body was taken to Bridport Hospital and later buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey.

On 20 October 1949 he made his final voyage as his remains were repatriated to Brussels. Jean Decloedt received a headstone at the Belgian Airmen’s Memorial at the Brussels Cemetery in Evere.

Last year, 80 years to the day, his great niece attended a memorial service we held at Lewesdon hill where a permanent memorial remembers his story. (Click HERE to read more.)

To all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We will never forget.

Poppy & CandleAdded on social media by Clive Wilson:

Being brought up in Burstock and Broadwindsor, it was a great privilege to return today and see the unveiling of the War Memorial, exactly 79 years ago to the day, the D Day Landings took place in Normandy, France, 6th, June 1944.
It took a long time for the school children to read out all 84 names of Service Personnel killed in action from the 1st & 2nd World Wars. 87 people dead from such a small community, is unthinkable in today’s world.
My father, Reg Wilson, joined the 43rd Wessex Dorset Regiment, along with two other young men who also lived at Burstock , Harry Frampton and Maurice Loosmore. They were good friends who trained and fought together in France 1944. Sadly Harry & Maurice were killed in Normandy, a few weeks after D Day, with my Father being alongside Harry when when he was shot and killed by a sniper. These two names, along with many others were frequently mentioned by my Father throughout his life. He never forgot the two friends from Burstock, a bond I guess that many of us will never know, unless you have been in conflict.
He lived at Fullers for nearly fifty years and was the Broadwindsor British Legion Standard Bearer for the same amount of time. I think he would have been very proud of everyone’s contribution today.

Thank you Broadwindsor, for the long overdue Memorial, appreciated now, by many.

Main Photo & video recording – Editor.


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Last Preparations For Tomorrow’s Ceremony…

In #Volunteers Week, a huge thanks to those who have worked hard in preparing the memorial site at Cross Keys in lieu of tomorrow’s official ceremony: preparing the site, supplying and sowing many hundreds of poppy seeds as well as the plants in situ and including the bit of artificial grass cut to create a path. Thank you all!


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War Memorial Itinerary – Tuesday, 6th June

A long time in the planning after a suggestion from village resident Adrian Gray and with Councillor Andrew Frampton leading the project, Broadwindsor’s War Memorial at Cross Keys will be officially opened on Tuesday, 6th June (D-Day) at 11am. All are invited to attend.

  1. Introduction & Welcome
    Rowland Hibbard, Chairman, Broadwindsor Group Parish Council
  2. Broadwindsor Primary School
    Headteacher, Jean-Paul Draper and year 6 teacher Beth Steward discuss the childrens’ work on the project with 84 names being read out by the children.
  3. Talk and Unveiling of monument
    General Sir Barney White-Spunner
  4. Silence for Laying of the wreaths:
    Lieutenant Commander Sebastian Gamwell (RNAS Yeovilton),
    WO2 Alexander Miller (6 Rifles) and
    Branch President, Tony Greenham BEM (Royal British Legion).
  5. Rev. David Baldwin – Address and Prayers.
  6. Chris Loder MP – Exhortation.
  7. Last Post sounded by Elizabeth Carter
    followed by 2 minutes silence and Reveille.
  8. Chris Loder MP – The Kohima Epitaph & close.
    ‘They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.‘
    “When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today”.
  9. Cllr. Rowland Hibbard invites relatives to talk about some of the men on the memorial and their lives both before and during the war.

Afterwards, you are invited to go down Back Lane to the White Lion Community pub where refreshments will be available 🙂

Lest We Forget

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The Bells! Incase you missed them

On Wednesday afternoon, in memory of Harold Jenkins, our church bells rang 🙂

Here is a 45 minute recording by Jamie Dawson of the Quarter Peal performed by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers)…

 

Thank You!

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

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Final Draft For Parish War Memorial

Broadwindsor’s War Memorial, inspired by village resident Adrian Gray and led by Councillor Andrew Frampton is almost complete…The main photo shows the final draft and the printers need 3 weeks to complete it.

There will be a QR code on the memorial which will enable people to find relations of fallen soldiers so we can then tell their stories on the parish council designated web page.

Memorial Site at Cross Keys

Broadwindsor Fun Group and village allotment champion, Bob Link will be planting many poppy seeds around the stone.
The official opening will be in June. A short ceremony will be held involving the three Armed Forces, the children from the primary school who will read the names of the fallen out loud before a bugler will play the last post and a 2 minute silence observed lead by Rev David Baldwin from 11 am on June 6th (D day).

Councillor Frampton stated “A generous donation of £250 from the Decloedt family in Belgium (the family of the spitfire pilot killed at Lewesdon hill) and £100 from the Broadwindsor Fun Group goes to funding 3/4 of the project.
“Villagers, relatives and locals are most welcome to attend the opening. The eagle eyed amongst you will notice a QR code on the memorial board. This will take you to a page on the Broadwindsor Parish council website and contain pictures,stories and backgrounds of some of the fallen soldiers . If you or any villagers have relations or indeed info on any soldiers on the memorial please send your info in so it can be stored on the web page for future generations to read about.
The year sixes at Broadwindsor Primary school will be using this story and the soldiers for a project next term and researching some of the men who are remembered .
Any questions or observations are most welcome through your parish councillors to the Parish council: hello@broadwindsorgroup.gov.uk.”

More details will be published when confirmed.


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Quarter Peal – 3.30pm, Wednesday, 12th April

The bells at St. John the Baptist church have not been heard for some considerable time. There are not enough ringers who are able to commit regularly, no tower captain or tower secretary and the bells themselves need some maintenance. However…

At approximately 3.30pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, 12th April (tomorrow) there will be a Quarter Peal in memory of Harold Jenkins who died peacefully on 14th January this year.

Harold was pivotal in keeping the bells of St John the Baptist Church, Broadwindsor, ringing for many years and the village owes him a great debt of gratitude. This Quarter Peal rung by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers) will take about 45 minutes and involves at least 1,250 changes (a ‘change’ is when two bells swap places in the order of ringing).

Harold was a very private man and we thank his widow, Margaret Jenkins for sharing this personal tribute:

Born Harold Thomas Fricker Jenkins on 16th January 1940 in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

An extremely shy and private person, typical Capricorn:slow to anger but really mad if he was upset.

We met when we were 16, then married at 22 and immediately went on a posting with Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service, to Brussels, at the Common Market Delegation, until four month’s later General De Gaulle said “Non” to UK entry and the Delegation closed.

Then came four years in Rangoon, Burma where Elizabeth and Nicholas were born. Following that came a two and a half year posting to New York at the British Delegation to the United Nations.

After a three year home posting, the children went to boarding school and we went to Bombay, India.

The next move was another visit to the USA. This time to Washington D.C. This was our favourite posting.

A four year home posting came next with Harold rising to the head of the East Africa Department.  A part of this entailed visiting the refugee camps in Ethiopia.  He was very glad to return home!

Dar es Salaam in Tanzania was the next post – not a favourite but it had its moments.

The last accompanied posting was to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he was Vice Consul and Head of Management with a staff of 50.  Harold was involved with the aftermath of two air crashes that happened within six weeks of each other.  It was a harrowing experience for both the Embassy staff and their wives.

Returning to the UK in 1994, we returned to Surrey before finding our present house.  After a spell of immigration officer duties at Heathrow airport, Harold was asked to go to Kiev (as it was then), to Bucharest and then to Paris, each on special assignments.  These three month assignments left Margaret at home to run the B&B, tend the garden and the allotment. A complaint about weeds was not well received!

Harold lived happily in Broadwindsor for twenty six and a half years, where he spent many hours ringing the church bells.

Please enjoy the bells!
A recording may be heard HERE.

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

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Memorial Service for Harold Jenkins – Wednesday, 1st February

Village resident Harold Jenkins, who died earlier this month, will be remembered at a service on Wednesday, 1st February, at 12 noon in Burstock church.

There will be refreshments afterwards at The Comrades Hall, Broadwindsor.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this sad time.

❤ Harold Jenkins  16.01.1940 – 14.01.2023  ❤

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War Memorial Update

This is the updated final draft – with Seaborough spelt correctly and names added as informed 🙂

Broadwindsor is one of the few villages that does not have a memorial for the hero’s of the First and Second world wars (their names are listed inside St. John the Baptist church) and your feedback is still welcome and encouraged.

It is to be discussed at the next Group Parish Council meeting on Monday, 17th October and your feedback is most welcome before they proceed.
Would you welcome such a memorial?  Do you agree with the placement of the proposed memorial? Please continue to email your comments to: info@broadwindsor.org or comment on this post on Facebook @Broadwindsor.Org or send a message.

Many thanks!

Lest We Forget

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Your Feedback Wanted Please – Broadwindsor War Memorial

Local farmer Andrew Frampton and Broadwindsor Fun Group chairman, Adrian Gray are looking to get support from the Group Parish Council and villagers for a war memorial on the corner at Cross Keys opposite the wild flower gardens. There are currently two black fencing stakes in the ground to mark the site.

Andrew has a 2 tonne stone limestone slab from their farm quarry which he would like to sink into the ground and then attach an A1 size acrylic info board with a war scene and all the names of the soldiers from WW1 and WW2 from our parish ward (Blackdown, Drimpton, Seaborough, Burstock and Broadwindsor) 57 in all for a permanent memorial. The main photo shows the finished proof. This with one or two metal Tommy silhouettes.

The board at Lewesdon hill.

The proposed acrylic board is the same as the one on Lewesdon hill for the Lost Pilot – Jean De Cloedt.  It looks very professional and won’t dominate the stone as the stone is 220cm x 120cm and the board 84cm x 63cm.

And… no expense to the village!

A Tommy silhouette.

It is proposed to have an opening ceremony on Friday, 11th November at 11am involving the school of who’s pupils have great grandfathers and great great uncles on it.

It will be discussed at the next Group Parish Council meeting on Monday, 17th October and your feedback would be most welcome before they proceed.
Would you welcome such a memorial?  Do you agree with the placement of the proposed memorial? Please send your comments to: info@broadwindsor.org or comment on this post on Facebook @Broadwindsor.Org

Thank you.

Lest We Forget

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Farewell Suzette Riggs

Friends and family gathered together yesterday to celebrate the life of Suzette Riggs, Sue who died earlier last month.  Sue had requested a non-attendance cremation, which puzzled some but had to be respected.  The following are the words spoken by the Celebrant, Helen Salway-Roberts from Hillside Ceremonies:

“Hello how lovely to see you all as we join together to celebrate the life of one of Broadwindsor`s finest our very own Sue Riggs, a woman who was strong of mind and will, a tiny woman with broad shoulders where many here will have laid your weary heads or shed a tear, for that was her way, the unofficial social worker, confidante , and wise ol’ bird of Broadwindsor.

How are you managing without her ?,  for when the proverbial hit the fan , she`s the one you turned too, she`d know what to do, the one who could help is not here when we need her the most, the giver of sound advice, every community needs a Sue Riggs.

We`ll never know why Sue made the decision to not have a funeral, opting for a non attended cremation, but you can be sure it would not have been made lightly, no she`d have thought it through, and it would have been made with the best of intentions, my hunch is that she was trying to protect and spare you her friends, her loved ones from the pain and heartache of a funeral ceremony.

As a funeral celebrant you could say I am a bit biased , but it seems to me that goodbyes are important and they need to done with others who miss that special person who is no longer with us.

We also need to celebrate together the life that has ended, we don`t need a chapel or church to remember, this hall definitely feels right, how many times has your Sue celebrated in this village hall, how many village shindigs and shenanigans has Sue been party to here , if these walls could talk eh !.

She loved you her friends and family, she`d not see this gathering as going against her wishes, I think she`d be chuffed to see you all here, no big fuss it`s not a funeral , it`s a doo, and she loved a  bit of a doo, so we`ll have a natter, they`ll be chance for you all to chip in if you want to as we take a trip down memory lane ,there`ll no formal eulogy that wasn`t her thing, and then we`ll share slice a cake, there had to be snack, no one left Sues company hungry.

Every morning she`d put on her trusty red lipstick, back in the day she`d rock a classic beehive, just so , lookout world here I come, do not be fooled by her tiny stature but she was a proper firecracker who took no prisoners you knew where you stood, and to stand at Sue`s side was a  good place to be, a heart the size of a planet, who loved and was loved indeed always will be loved dearly.

And that’s what brought you all here today, to remember, and remember well.”

Helen then welcomed Julie & Sally to speak:

“Hello Everyone
It is so lovely to see so many of you here today, thank you all for being here. Sally and I would like to share some special memories but together by our mum and by us  of Sue.
Suzette (Sue) – Wife, mum, mum-in-law, Granny, Sister, Auntie & Friend. What special memories and love we have all shared for Sue. Suzette was born in 1946 the youngest of four children,  sister to John, Peter and Myrtle.  She was Affectionately known as Lettuce when she was a little girl although we are not sure how that came about or by whom do you know Pete? Being another girl it was taken as read that when old enough she would tag along in her sister’s shadow. Sue tagging along was not always cool and not always welcomed, so inevitably there were times when she was  subjected to the  odd prank or two. She also had to spend time as a lookout in case Nan came back while mum was up to no good.

She was also a bit of a prankster herself, when our dad first came to live in the village he was walking his dog down the road when Suzette and her friend shouted “ Hey Terry your dog just peed in our milk” obviously dad was unsure whether this was true or not so he gave them the money to buy some more, but not before he threw the other away. He still doesn’t know to this day whether it was-true or not and she would never ever let on.
When the two sisters were older and the age gap not as meaningful one thing soon became clear and that was their friendship and love for each other, which carried them right through their adult life, along with their love  for their big brothers John and Peter, and Peters wife Pat.  It must also be mentioned that Suzette had a big Soft spot for our father Terry and regarded him as another big brother.
Once mum and dad took Sue on a trip to WestBay, they were hungry and decided to buy Harvest Fruit Pies for lunch ( who remembers them) ? At that time there were many different flavours and combinations of flavours. Suzette was sent to buy the pies ( how difficult could that be)? All three wanted something different, Suzette wanted Apple, dad wanted Pineapple and mum wanted Pineapple and Apple. Off Suzette went with the order but was soon back with a confused look on her face saying “but that is four pies when there is only the 3 of us”, she never did get it that the Pineapple and Apple were one flavour, even recently she still couldn’t make sense of the request.
There was also a time as a teenager when Suzette had a little too much to drink, she went next door to the Fursemans to sober up, Nan kept asking if anyone had seen Suzette but this was denied wholeheartedly by all of them “ no Mrs Gay they said innocently we haven’t seen her” . She was kept with them until sober enough to return home, Nan never any the wiser.

It should be known that living next door to our grandparents, Suzette was a devoted daughter and was always there for them, Peter and mum played their part too but Suzette was the one that was always on hand.
Sally and I were her older nieces followed a little later by Karen and Tracey, Sally and I were never allowed to call her Auntie as this made her feel old but by the time Karen and Tracey came on the scene she got more used to the idea. Is that right Karen were you allowed to call her Auntie?
She was the cool, unshockable aunt, a confidant. As many of you know she had no aires and graces and would call a spade a spade which is what made her special as we all knew where we stood with her. She was always interested in what went on in our lives and loved to hear various stories of what we were all doing. Followed later by are own childrens antics and family lives.
One funny incident was on our dad’s 80th birthday and we had a party for him in Beaminster playing fields, to get there you had to climb a hedge bank, so not to miss out Suzette was piggy backed across the bank by my eldest son Jon, how they didn’t fall in the ditch on the other side I still don’t know to this day as they were laughing so much and wobbling like they were on ice, both survived and did it again on the way back over.

Finally we mention those who always came first to Sue, Wayne of course and his wife Elaine and their daughters Holly and Lorna, she was so proud of you all, and everything you have and will continue to achieve as a family.
To you all – just try to remember that where there’s love there’s memories and with those memories there are smiles and one day laughter again of the times you shared together.”

 


Helen then read out a personal message from a dear friend, Anna Russell:

<< I met Suzette in July 2001. I was a newly qualified teacher employed at Broadwindsor Primary School and at the time Suzette was the cleaner and all round Social Worker!!!  The best and most skilful in her game!!
Suzette( and Mini the dog!) befriended me from day one. She was the kind of person who within ten minutes had asked enough questions and had had enough experience to know just who you were! I was a DORSET girl so I was O.K.!  She reminded me instantly of my Portland granny who employed just the same tactic!!
Ten minutes became 21 years! From colleagues to friends and near family. Suzette became my second mum (Endorsed by my own mum and dad who have  met her on several occasions and always held her in the highest esteem because of the care and love she always bestowed upon me !).
We continued to support  one another even when Suzette retired and I left the school at Broadwindsor to start a new life in Portland in 2018.  Suzette was anxious that I’d be lonely, but after a visit including a fish and chip lunch thought I’d be just  fine!
We supported one another throughout the pandemic with our calls throughout the day, every day and some surprise visits from me and some very hairy bikers!!
I miss Suzette, Mrs Riggs, my Friend dearly. >>

Her closest friend Vanessa Studley then spoke:

Friendship and Love
A friendship is fondly found, forged and fashioned over 21 years.
A friendship started with a cup of tea in the ‘Fozzie’ cup and afternoon classroom visits with dearest Mini.
Our friendship is ‘Morning Chil’ ‘.
Always saying ‘I’m going on’ at the end of the day and  ‘Night, night sleep tight’ every night before bed.
Friendship was larking and laughing. Riding in ‘chariots’, chasing froglets, hoovering artificial grass and delivering precious but forgotten Mother’s Day cards around our village.
Love is soothing  happy and sad tears. Tough love, advice and honesty even when it hurts.
Love is picking up the pieces, dusting thoughts and tidying minds.
Love is being a second mum but no less cherished than my first.
Love is a pork chop or chips n egg made with a crinkly cutter.
Love, support and comfort always spanned  the miles and the sea between us.
Love is having to say goodbye to my dearest friend but knowing that she will hold a place in my heart forever.

My what a wonderful difference one single life can make.

Our friend was at the heart and soul of this village, born in no2 Little Court, then when she married her beloved Sean she upped sticks and moved no 3 Little Court  where she happily saw out the rest of her days, not that she`d not have a good moan when it was needed she was honest and forthright, you knew where you stood, never shy of putting you straight but more often than not it was laughter you heard from this house.

She loved her husband , wrapping her arms around him the squeeze of a woman who`s found her place in the world and knew exactly where she wanted to be, he was one lucky man.

You all were lucky, Broadwindsor was lucky, she`d taken herself off to foreign lands to earn a bob or two , working at Guppy`s of Bridport, The Pines of Beaminster , Van Heusen s of Crewkerne, but was none too impressed, there`s something to be said for knowing you mind and following your heart and Sues brought her straight back home to first work in the shop in Broadwindsor for a fair few years, until September 1st 1983 when she first rolled up her sleeves and set too in sorting our Broadwindsor Primary School, that`s everyone pupils and staff alike, initially as a dinner lady then as a cleaner, caretaker and key holder,  the place where she saw out her working life, 33 years she devoted to your school, to your children, most likely to you, and even your parents, yep and league`s of fresh faced teachers too, who learnt more from our Sue than any text book or collage, as we have heard from her dear friend Anna , Sue was not just employed at that school she was that school.
And she took her pastoral responsibilities most seriously , so much so that she had to rope her pal Vanessa into sharing the cleaning with her, to free up more time to sort out the teachers complicated lives, her pearls of wisdom were in constant demand.
She loved kids, all kids , they made her laugh, do you think she had any idea just what a positive difference she had to all those little tackers lives, they loved Miss, everyone of them.
Remember her Tabard that classic uniform of a hard working woman of a certain era . intent on getting a job done, no messing, her pockets full of biscuit crumbs, from custard creams nicked from Becky`s lunch box.
Yes she was no Angel, Sue could be a right bugger, set her mind on something nothing got in her way, you`d be a fool to wouldn’t you, there was passion and spirit about her.
Loved her garden, growing her own prize winning veg, no Leeks rivalled Sue`s nor her tenderly nurtured Fuchsias that showed with pride at the   Horticultural Show, though truth be told her husband grew them , though she watered them now and again.
She was a bit of an oracle in the village , nothing slipped past our Sue,  she could keep Mum though, many a tale she takes to the grave.

Now read on behalf of Vanessa,

Never forgotten-

I think of things you used to say

And all that you would do,

At some point, every single day,

My thoughts will turn to you.

To lose you was a bitter wrench,

The pain cut to my core.

I cried until my tears ran out

And then I cried some more.

This wouldn’t be your wish for me

That I’d be forever sad

So I try to remind myself

Of the happy times we had.

I know I can’t be with you now

And you can’t be with me

But safe inside my heart you’ll stay,

That’s where you’ll always be.

“Thank you Vanessa , I`m sure that most people here today will identify with those poignant words, when we met to plan today Vanessa was very clear that it was not about her, she was adamant about that, it`s not about me she said again and again, I can see why she and Sue were such close friends, two very strong will straight talking women.
But I too can be strong willed, so I will override that instruction just briefly,and say loud and clear that this gathering would not have happened with out you, your efforts and determination to honour and say goodbye to your dear friend Sue.
Thank you, and to all those who have supported you in making today so special, and of course thank you Sue Riggs, for living a life that has been such a joy to revisit in this village hall in the place you called home.
I`ll now share a prayer

The Death Of Someone We Love

The death of someone we love and care about

Is like the death of part of us.

No one else will ever call out from within us

Quite the same responses, the same feelings or actions or ideas.

Their death is an ending of one part of a story.

 

Lord as we look back over Sue’s life

We ask what we have received, what we can appropriate

And continue on in our own lives and what must be laid to rest.

 

Our love for her reminds us that our sharing

In one another’s lives brings both support and pain.

Our being parted from her reminds us of our own mortality

And that your love is enduring.

 

We thank you that our love for Sue draws us together

And gives us a new appreciation of one another

And of the beauty and fragility of relationships

Which mirror your grace and goodness to us.

 

Lord, time’s tide may wash her footprints from the shore

But not our love for her nor the influence of her life upon our own

Nor the ways in which they will ever be a sign for us

Of those things which really matter-which are eternal.

Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.

Amen.

Helen continued, “At the beginning of her beloved husband Seans funeral, Sue walked into the church to Vanessa singing Lay The Blanket On The Ground, saying that to hear her friends voice would remind her of happy days dancing with her hubby at Royal Oak.”

Thanks were given and those present shared some tea, home made sandwiches, delicious cakes and their memories of Sue.

Anyone wishing to donate in memory of Sue can do so by contributing to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance HERE.

 


Suzette Riggs
25.08.1946 – 14.04.2022

 

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