Scarecrow soldier is back in Sandal

A scarecrow depicting an anonymous, mud-spattered, bandaged soldier throwing down his weapons to mark the end of the First World War in November 1918 is returning to Sandal for Remembrance Day.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Nov 2018, 07:24 BST

The soldier, which was created for this year’s Sandal Scarecrow Festival by Sandal Community Association committee member Richard Taylor, will be at St Helen’s Church. It is placed under a plaque that was unveiled in June to record the arrival in Sandal of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, soon after their evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940. The survivors, who were billeted at homes in Sandal, Walton and Portobello, mustered behind the church to count those killed or missing during the withdrawal.

St Helen’s vicar, the Rev Rupert Martin, said: “We are delighted he is here with us again because he stands for those who died in the war and for the achievement of peace, even though it was not to last for very long.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sandal’s Remembrance Day service will take place at 9.15am at St Helen’s War Memorial. The church bells will ring out to commemorate the peace at 12.15pm. Visit sandal.org.uk to read stories of those who appear on local war memorials.