• Sun. Nov 24th, 2024

Spotted UK

Local News Reports

Princess Anne visits Southport as roads close for parade

BySpotted UK

Sep 30, 2023

Princess Anne visited Southport for the rededication of the town's War Memorial.

HRH The Princess Royal visited the town on Friday, September 29, in her capacity as President of the Women’s Section of the Royal British Legion to rededicate the town's war memorial. Before the rededication a parade, which was led by the Band of the Royal Air Force College and made up of Armed Forces personnel and veterans from all three services, left Victoria Park and headed to the memorial in London Square on Lord Street.

Combined Cadet Force cadets from Merchant Taylors School and contingents from all 28 schools in the Southport area were also involved in the parade.

READ MORE: Live updates as driver and 14 year-old schoolgirl killed in M53 crash

READ MORE: Alder Hey declare 'major incident' after M53 school bus crash

The rededication was directed by the Archbishop of Liverpool and attended by senior civil dignitaries and senior military figures.

Event organiser, Maj Nick McEntee TD VR REME, Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Southport, said: “It is a huge honour to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to Southport for the rededication of the town’s War Memorial, which honours the fallen from the First World War through to the present day. It means a great deal to the armed forces community and people of the Southport area that she will be here to mark its centenary."


9 pictures of Princess Anne's visit to Southport

View gallery

The Southport War Memoria was previously unveiled on November 18, 1923, by the Earl of Derby along with local children of the fallen from WW1. One of the largest outside of London, the memorial was designed by the local architects Grayson and Barnish, with the carving executed by Herbert Tyson Smith.

The impressive structure comprises of an obelisk flanked by two colonnades in the form of Greek temples. Outside the colonnades are public memorial gardens, each containing a Pool of Remembrance and fountains.

Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here