By Steve Williams on Tuesday 11th June 2013 
My first visit to the battlefields in France and Belgium was in 1992 when I took my father back to the beaches of Dunkirk he escaped from in early June 1940.
It would be another ten years, in 2002, before I returned – I have been going ever since, and lost count of the times I been to the Somme, Ypres, Dunkirk, Dieppe, Normandy, Arnhem, Bastogne…. the list goes on.
Last week I was on the Somme laying a wreath at the Chorley Pals plaque in the front line trenches at Serre where the Pals attacked on the morning of the 1st July 1916.
I was pleased to see that pupils from Parklands High School had been there recently. A school party from Hampshire were there as well and a few stopped to chat. “Yes”, they said, “we know all about the Chorley Pals, they were part of the Accrington Pals; we’ve been on your website”.
 That last comment about the Internet brought things home to me.
There was I taking a picture of the wreath with my iPhone, ready to put it on Facebook and Twitter for the whole world to see.
On the same device (with far greater computer power than the one in Apollo 11 that landed men on the moon), I can photograph, communicate, find out the weather, see maps, access my bank account, listen to music and even use it as a torch.
I began to wonder what the Pals would have made of such a small device? Communication on the battlefield was down more to men acting as “Runners” than telephone or morse lamp – what would they have done with texts, I thought?
Also, it took over a week for details of the casualties to come from the Somme in July 1916 – they began to be published on a noticeboard in Chorley Town Hall and a week later in the Chorley Guardian; would the families wished to have received information from the battlefield almost in real-time?
After the Pals trenches, my wife and I had a trip around the Somme and Cambrai battlefields, before heading off to ‘Le P’tit train de la Haute Somme’ - a preserved, narrow-gauge railway that transported men and materiel back in 1916. A visit to Claude Monet’s garden at Giverney was well worth the trip, before we headed for a few days in Rouen where, ironically, the British burnt Joan of Arc at the stake in May 1431.
A day was spent on the Channel coast at Fecamp and Etretat. At the former, I wandered around the remnants of Hitler’s “Atlantic Wall” from 1944, before heading to Etretat to lay a poppy cross on the grave of Chorley Pal, Private James Makinson. He was wounded on the Somme on the 1st July 1916 and died of his wounds eight days later at a hospital at Etretat.
In the parish church can be found a large plaque to the men from the town who fell in service of their country - underneath it included the phrase “et des soldats de l’Armee Britannique inhumes dans le cimetiere”, remembering also the men from the British Army buried in the cemetery.
Made me think a bit about the debate on Europe – as did a pleasant chat to a German gentleman at breakfast the following morning who was born in 1946 (I didn’t ask, but his father probably fought mine in the War).
Is it worth going to the Somme or Normandy when we have Facebook, Google Earth and YouTube?
Well, for me, there is no substitute for standing where Chorley men fought and died, and paying my own respects – their sacrifice enabled me the freedom to be there, as well as share it via Facebook (thanks to them and all those who “followed me”).
By Steve Williams on Tuesday 28th May 2013 Is a Degree essential? Apparently you have got to have the right qualifications and experience these days to get on. Really?
Now call me old fashioned (even at my tender age of 60) but the only ‘degree’ that has helped me over the last three years build two war memorials and deliver a new exhibition is a degree of common sense.
 Part of the one of the exhibits at the new Chorley Remembers Experience Asked recently what my secret is, I said “passion”, “common sense” and “energy”. You can’t run or work on a project if you don’t have all three. If you don’t believe passionately in the job you are doing, then get out and find a new one.
What’s the secret of presenting things? - visually it is BCL - “balance”, “colour” and “light” (see how Department Stores present products and ‘dress’ their counters). As for presenting things in written form, it is KISS - “keep it short [and] simple” (see Ronseal – “it does exactly what it says on the tin”).
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I must admit that I have learnt quite a few things over the last year or so from Politicians and Staff at Chorley Council, as well as from exhibition contractors Heckford’s from Preston; hopefully they will have learnt something from me.
Working in some industries, trades or buildings can lead to people being very insular and not very tolerant of “outsiders”. I come from a commercial world and a marketing background – communication, passion for my ‘product’ and energy to get the job done: are my skills “transferrable”?
I have enjoyed researching and ‘dressing’ the exhibition, finding out about the history of people and artefacts. When you see a photograph or learn about a person who gave his life for his country, it puts things into perspective.
You don’t need “the right qualification” to pay the ultimate sacrifice, do you?
By Steve Williams on Friday 2nd November 2012 They say that a week is a long time in politics, well not being a politician I can’t really comment. However, a day at the Chorley Remembers project is never dull.
Take today (Friday, 2nd November). It started early with a combined Chorley Pals Memorial Trustees and Chorley Remembers project team meeting. Discussed everything from progress with the new War Memorial in Astley Park through to who is to manage the project on a day-to-day basis after our Project Manager left earlier in the week, with two month’s to go on her contract. Guess who got the job? No problem, it is a labour of love for me – just like “old times” doing the Pals Memorial in 2010.
 Just some of the damage caused to the plinth and benches, believed to have been caused by skateboards or scooters Came out of the meeting to be told by Chorley Council Officers that there was some damage to the newly refurbished Chorley Pals Memorial site, including the plinth to the memorial itself – apparently it has been caused by skateboarders. I hope people don’t think that every skateboarder is as irresponsible or disrespectful as those who chose to use a war memorial as a playground or to show off their ‘skills’; I thought there were skate parks around the Borough?
Headed home for a brisk walk, then off to a meeting regarding interpretation boards about the Royal Ordnance Factory at Euxton, now the Buckshaw Village. Called in at the War Memorial site in Astley Park just as the contractors were leaving for the weekend; pleased with the progress. Chorley Council staff were taking down our banner at the park entrance, erecting their own to promote the town’s Christmas Lights switch-on (Christmas? not thinking about that, yet). Went to Chorley Library to collect items displayed in the cabinet there during October. Early evening, had a Skype call with our webmaster to Facebook and Tweet the damage story. Ordered a new 0845 telephone number for the charity and project (0845 467 1916), and called it a day – not forgetting to fill in my “Activity Sheet” so that Trustees and the Heritage Lottery Fund can see what I’ve been up to.
Next week beckons, ending with Remembrance Sunday – but that, as they say, is another week; thank goodness I don’t do politics, it could be a long one.
Steve Williams
By Nikki Davidson-Kerr on Wednesday 11th July 2012 I was watching on TV with great interest the unveiling of the Bomber Command statue in London.
 My Great Uncle flew with Bomber Command
during World War 2
Image ©IWM (CH 8648) It was of particular interest to me as my great uncle Alexander Davidson was one of those who flew with Bomber Command and never returned from his mission – his remains were not recovered and it was presumed the Lancaster he and his crew were flying in was lost at sea following a raid over Germany.
Alexander’s name is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, but that is still some way from the majority of his relatives who live in Scotland.
This fact is even truer for those families whose relatives are buried or remembered abroad.
Certainly, many people can hop over to Europe but there are still issues of cost and accessibility and then there are the servicemen who are buried even further away in places such as Africa and Asia where sites can be impossible to visit due to unfavourable local conditions.
Having spoken to people who have been able to visit their loved one’s grave or memorial, they are pleased that they have had the opportunity to see for themselves that somewhere, the sacrifice of their relative is recorded in perpetuity.
That is why it is so important that we build the engraved panel wall around the cross of remembrance in Astley Park.
Local people who have lost loved ones can see that the sacrifice of their relatives has not been forgotten and they are all deserving of a prominent position in our town’s remembrance.
As with the Bomber Command Memorial, it’s sad that it has taken so many years to happen but the important thing is that it now it will and people continue their support for the Chorley Remembers project so everybody can see those names around the cenotaph at last.
By Steve Williams on Monday 19th March 2012 One of my many jobs on the project is to confirm the names to be added to the new panels to go behind the current War Memorial cross in Astley Park. Since the New Year, research has confirmed eight names to be added to the list – it is now approaching the 700 mark.
A bit disappointed that a couple of people think we can add all the names from Chorley Borough (villages and all) onto the proposed 16 panels; that would mean over 4,000 names on something like 72 panels and virtually quadruple the cost (besides duplicating names already on village / parish memorials). I was pleased to confirm to one Chorley lady this week that her relative, Private William Farnworth killed in 1916 is on the list; further research showed he worked on Chorley Railway Station (as did Chorley Pal casualty, Joseph A. Thompson).
 Brinscall War Memorial I was delighted to see the name of Private James Sykes MM, who was killed in WW1, added to Brinscall village War Memorial recently. Back in 2010, Barbara Pearson from Wheelton, a relative of James Sykes, got in touch with me.
Contrary to what was in a local press article, I did all the research for her and she joined me on my coach trip to northern France in May 2011 to pay respects to the brave soldier from Brinscall; he has no known grave but is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial on the Somme battlefield.
Early this year Barbara contacted me again to see if his name was to go on the new memorial panels in Astley Park, but coming from one of the outlying villages he did not qualify. Instead, I put Barbara in touch with Brinscall Parish Council. I was happy to help Barbara and she has sent me a very nice thank you e-mail.
I had started doing the book about the project but other elements have meant it has been put down my list of priorities; probably not get published now until 2013. Researched and designed an illustrated talk about the Royal Ordnance Factory down at Euxton; not much left to see now that it is under the new houses and commercial units Buckshaw Village.
Lots going on behind the scenes; won’t leave it so long before I do another blog.
Steve Williams
See also:
- Chorley Council: Name of war hero added to Brinscall cenotaph
By Nikki Davidson-Kerr on Friday 23rd December 2011 In the New Year we have lots of exciting things happening with the project and there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved with the project and find out more about what is happening.
 We're currently compiling the list of names to go on the cenotaph in Chorley next year We are currently putting together a list of the people who we have identified as eligible for inclusion on the new panels around the Cenotaph. The list has been compiled by using several methods, including many volunteer hours reading through archived material and researching local memorials.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers and the Chorley branch of the Lancashire Family History Society for the work that they have put in on the project.
Our research has also uncovered many stories about what happened to people whilst serving and what was happening in Chorley during those times. We will be using some of this information in the upcoming “Chorley Remembers” book and also in the Remembrance Experience in Astley Hall.
However, we are keen to hear from anyone who has had a relative with a Chorley connection serve in the forces in times of conflict and has a story, information or photo that they would like to share. Remember, we are interested to hear about all conflicts from the Boer War until the present, not just the World Wars.
In January we will publish our initial list of the names that have been identified for inclusion on the new panels along with the eligibility criteria.
If you think that you have an eligible relative, please check the list. It will be available in local libraries and our website. If your relative is not listed please get in touch so that we can check their eligibility. Indeed, even if your relative is on the list we’d still appreciate hearing from you as it may help us confirm our information.
Many thanks to the families that have already been in touch.
A happy Chritmas and New Year to all and a reminder to keep checking our website as we have a very busy year planned!
By Nikki Davidson-Kerr on Wednesday 18th May 2011 It has been a busy month here on the Chorley Remembers project. We have been getting together the paperwork that goes towards our Heritage Lottery Fund application in June.
We need as much support as we can get. If you too support our goals to get recognition for those who lost their lives serving in the armed forces you can help by writing or emailing to us stating why you think Chorley people should be named around the cenotaph.
We are awaiting designs for the stonework to be placed around the cenotaph. Coming up with ideas as how to do this has proved a tricky undertaking as we need to be confident that we can fit in all the names in the space available.
I know it looks like there is a lot of room but don’t forget we have around 850 names to be inscribed and this takes up more space than you may think.
As ever, we are working with the Family History Society to trace the local men who died during conflicts right through from the Boer War until the present but it is an enormous task and if you would like to help then please get in touch.
We are also keen to hear from relatives of those who lost lives to make sure we have them on our system – we don’t want to miss anyone off!
 Our tent at the Chorley Picnic in the Park in Astley Park recently Chorley Remembers had a stand on Sunday at the Picnic in the Park and despite the weather being less than perfect it was a great opportunity to meet people to tell them about our project.
I lost count of the number of people who were surprised that there are no names around our cenotaph here in Chorley and it was good to hear that so many people wanted this to be put right.
On Saturday we will also have a stand at the Cuerden Valley Fair so if you have any questions for us or information to share then look out for us there.
I’ll end with a big thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help on the project or give us information and also to those who have donated towards our appeal.
By Steve Williams on Wednesday 20th April 2011 Marketing & PR – How important is it today?
I have been involved in sales and marketing for 40 years, learning ‘on the job’ and from experience, rather than from a text book. It was not until a few years ago that I obtained my Institute of Marketing qualification and found it ‘interesting’ to be the “senior” student on the course – even old enough to be the father of the course tutor! However, the way to market a product, service or brand remains the same – the terminology has changed since I started back in the early 1970s!
When I eventually reached the heady heights of Sales & Marketing Manager for a leading Japanese brand, I said to my staff “If you have nothing good to say, don’t say nothing at all”. It is the same with the project, currently - we (in particular our Project Manager, Nikki) are busy beavering away ‘behind the scenes’ getting all the necessary information, quotes and plans ready before we ‘go public’, so to speak.
Despite what may be reported in the local press , we have not finalised plans for any element of our project (be it the Cenotaph, Astley Hall, etc.) – nor are we ‘leaking’ details or “stories” for some quick and easy publicity. When we are ready, we will consult with all interested parties and the good people of Chorley (as we did with the Pals Memorial, back in 2009). We obviously have to consult with Chorley Council and I have been encouraged with the level of co-operation we are receiving from the Town Hall and down at Astley Hall.
On the project marketing and publicity front, we are set for a busy May. We will be at the ‘Picnic in the Park’ in Astley Park on Sunday, 15th May – it is in conjunction with the 90th anniversary celebrations of the Royal British Legion, nationally. Less than a week later, on Friday 20th May, we are having a fundraising event at the Cunliffe Hall in Chorley by way of a dinner and talk – more details soon. Finally in May, we will be at the Cuerden Valley Fair at Cuerden Valley Park near Bamber Bridge on Saturday, 21st May. Our aim is to publicise our project and “engage” with people - that’s the modern idiom for talking to people….. but sometimes it’s more important to listen!
Back to marketing, etc. Every business or organisation has “customers” - they may have different names (members, audience, shoppers, visitors, taxpayers, voters) but they are still people who are important to those bodies – without them you don’t have a business (or a project). Marketing and PR is how to interact with your customers, old or new. You have to work on your image and message – PR is not just about press releases and having your picture in the paper.
Repeating things over and over again is fine but after a while people treat it as “background noise” or dismiss it altogether. Fortunately, the message of remembrance is still valid today….. “Lest we forget”. Whilst our project uses the phrase “We will remember them, will you?”, it is not about us constantly banging on with the same ‘old’ message but aimed at getting everyone, young and old, to think and then act. I am biased, but effective and well delivered marketing and PR is how to achieve that aim.
The ‘old’ phrase “You can’t sell if you don’t tell” is as valid today as it was when I started in marketing (only the terminology is different).
By Nikki Davidson-Kerr on Monday 7th March 2011 It’s been a busy few months since my last blog so I thought I’d take this opportunity to tell you what we have been up to.
One of the important elements of the project is the research to confirm who is eligible to have their name inscribed on the cenotaph. Volunteers from the Chorley Branch of the Family History & Heraldry Society have been doing a fantastic job retrieving and cataloguing information from the Chorley Guardian archives and we have been fortunate to also have a list of men who gave a Chorley address as next of kin from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
However we don’t want to miss anyone so if you know of a Chorley person who lost their life during any conflict, then please get in touch with us to ensure they are remembered on the Cenotaph Memorial.
There has been a fair amount of activity during the past month in Astley Park. Chorley Borough Council has done a great job in clearing the shrubs behind the cenotaph and this has opened up the area, making it lighter and more welcoming. I’m sure these improvements will enhance the new memorial around the Cenotaph immeasurably.
We are currently working towards getting some initial designs drawn up for the work around the Cenotaph and once we have these we will be asking for people to give us comments. So far we have approximately 850 names to inscribe and having talked to several people about the site, I know that we have plenty of challenges ahead in order to ensure we get it right.
 The survey being carried out on the Memorial Arch at Astley Park On the 14th of February, we had a structural survey carried out on the Memorial Arch in Astley Park and we are awaiting the results of this.
The archway has been standing at the entrance to Astley Park since 1924 but is actually older having been moved there from the Gillibrand Estate.
Once we have the surveyors report, we can then decide what we need to do to ensure the Memorial Arch remains a Chorley landmark into the future.
Hitting the headlines in last few days has been the political unrest across northern Africa and the Middle East. Once again the skills and bravery of British service personnel has been called upon and just goes to show that today’s generation of service men and women are still providing us with an essential role that is both essential and fraught with danger.
Finally, you may have noticed in the local newspapers that we have launched an appeal for donations to help fund the Cenotaph improvements and whilst we are applying for funds from the Heritage Lottery, we do still need to find a proportion of the costs locally.
You can donate at any branch of the Chorley Building Society into our dedicated account “Chorley Remembers Memorial Appeal”.
We are also still keen to hear from anyone who has photos or information about any relatives who lost their lives in conflict or have an interesting story to tell.
By Nikki Davidson-Kerr on Monday 29th November 2010 Over the past few weeks I have been busy arranging events and talks to raise the profile of the Chorley Remembers project.
On the 11th of November I was at Astley Hall where I met several people who had come to search through the remembrance books for details of relatives lost during World War One. On Remembrance Sunday I felt very privileged to lay a wreath at the cenotaph and also take part in the march and service at St Laurence’s church.
I am currently doing some background research on some local men who died during World War One. Many of them had served with the Lancashire Fusiliers and as I was looking for more information about the regiment and where they served, I decided to pay a visit to the Fusiliers Museum in Bury last Sunday. It was very interesting and informative and I would recommend a visit!
Looking into the backgrounds of so many service people and finding out about where they served has inspired me to find out some more about my relatives who served in both world wars and record what I have found. I’ll keep you posted on my progress via this blog and I hope it will encourage others to find out about their relatives too.
Now that we have this website up and running, a large part is going to be dedicated to our local people who died whilst serving this country. If you have got any information you would like to share about relatives who lived or were born in Chorley and died during a conflict (it doesn’t have to be the world wars) then please get in touch with us.
Finally, I’ll be at Adlington Library on the 30th November where I’ll be giving a short talk on what we hope to achieve through the project and some information about men from the Adlington area who served during the First World War.
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That last comment about the Internet brought things home to me.
