Austerlands remembers...

Pictured are service participants David Needham (event organiser), Cllr Pam Byrne, Paul Sykes, Mrs Susan Smith, Roger Fielding and Vicky Prescott. Image courtesy of Robert Cragg

Almost 200 people were at Saddleworth’s oldest Great War Memorial, in Austerlands, where residents answered the appeal to join together and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice amid the tragedy of war.

Proceedings were conducted by Mr Roger Fielding, The Last Post was sounded by locally raised Vicky Prescott and Mrs Susan Smith read extracts from the poem the Lads of Austerlands and Scouthead written by Ammon Wrigley, in 1918, when he lived in the village.

A report on the unveiling of the monument on 7th August 1920 was printed in the Order of Service and research by Mrs Smith ensured that the names and regiments of the men who fought and fell in the Great War were also published.

Residents were proud to receive a wreath from the Mayor of Oldham which was placed by Cllr Pam Byrne in her capacity as the Ward councillor for the area. 

Wreaths were also placed by Mr Paul Sykes in his capacity as the Mayor of Austerlands; by Higher Springhead Parish Cllrs Michael Powell and Philip Gaul, on behalf of Saddleworth Parish Council; by Mr Robert Cragg, Chairman of the Scouthead and Austerlands Community Group; by Cllr Garth Harkness and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats and, linking the generations by Louie Wild a member of Oldham’s Youth Council.

Recorded music by The Band of the Coldstream Guards was played before proceedings (Nimrod) and ended by the same band playing the National Anthem. 

Event organiser Mr Needham said: “From an informal gathering of a handful of people, started in 1979, popularity of the event has grown significantly over the last few years.

"We are more than pleased with the large turnout which justified the Heywood Lane road closure. 

“We are grateful to all participants in the day’s service and very much appreciate the involvement of the Scouthead and Austerlands Community Group who provided the marshals for crowd control & traffic management.”

Members of the group also decorated the area with Poppies and Remembrance Tommy lamp post signs, at the memorial and along the adjacent roads.

They also provided and installed the Public Address system, plus other support.

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