AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AND IN THE MORNING, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
Remembrance Day – Thursday 11th November, 2010 

Standing over 12 feet high, a plain Latin Cross made of Sicilian Marble and sculptured by Mr Herman Morley of Alfreton, the Somercotes War Memorial was unveiled in the presence of a very large crowd by Lieutenant Colonel F E Seely in 1927. 81 men were commemorated, and after the 2nd World War 20 more names were added. Amongst them are six sets of brothers, a father from the 1st and a son from the 2nd. At least 8 were brought home to be buried. Several are mentioned on family gravestones. Anomalies found when researching the men were the differing places of birth – J W Gregory - USA, J Hodgkin - Dudley, W H Winch - Spalding etc., also Harry W Barker, died on HMS Saxon but the only one found was Harry Whatton, son of Thomas and Mary Whatton of Quarry Road. The youngest was William Fox at 19, and the oldest was Richard Turton aged 41. Robert Baker was the first soldier killed.

If anyone has information about the men on our memorial or are just interested in what has been researched, please contact Margaret Brooksbank on 01773 604916.

World War 1
Robert Halford Baker, Private 61 1st/4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, killed in action Friday, 30th October 1914, age 30. Born in Skegby in 1884, the son of Robert Halford and Emma Baker, baptised in Somercotes in 1892. He enlisted at Nottingham and died of wounds in France, and is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais. His brother Sidney also died.

World War II
Denis Millington, Sergeant 4979973 2^nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), killed in action Sunday, 2^nd May 1943, age 27. Baptised 2^nd July 1916, the son of Charlie and Lucy Millington, and in 1940 he married Vera Riley. He is buried in Oued Zarga War Cemetery, Tunisia.

Northern Ireland
Kevin Arthur Froggett, 24195666 Staff Sergeant Royal Corps of Signals, killed by the IRA. 16^th September 1989, age 35.  Buried in Birchwood Churchyard with full Military Honours. Kevin was the son of Arthur and Lily Froggett of Somercotes, and was married with four children.

Our thanks to Margaret Brooksbank of the Derbyshire Ancestral Research Group, for providing all the information for this article.