Putting the Project to Bed

Now that our main objective has been completed we find there are still many things to do. There have also been several smaller projects which were spawned by our major project.

Future activities

The Trust continues to undertake outreach in both primary and secondary schools. We also deliver talks to clubs.If you would like to organise an event please contact Richard Bennett. (see the CONTACT US link in the left hand panel

We will continue to participate in the annual Service of Remembrance to ensure that our men are never forgotten.

We partipated in events such as Heritage Open Days and Armed Forces Days until 2018.

On going Maintenance

The memorials were formally adopted by Reading Borough Council in January 2016. They have taken responsibility for managing their maintenance. The Trust will fund the cost of the annual cleaning/ rewaxing of the bronze sculpture and Roll of Honour and the occasional cleaning of the Portland Stone. The funds raised to date provide a base to enable this, but we continue to seek support and donations may be made: by clicking HERE

Trooper Potts Way

L-R Richard Bennett, Stacy Williams (Student at Reading College), Brenda Tait (Finance) , Tim Jones (Student at Reading College), Anne Ames, Richard Duckett (lecturer Reading College) Fred Pugh (former Mayor of Reading) John Chapman, Michael Naxton (Patron and Curator of Lord Ashcroft's VC Collection), Chris Andrews, David Card.

On 1st May 2014 the new bus interchange to the north of Reading Station was named Trooper Potts Way. The proposal for this name for the new road was made by a member of the public and endorsed by the council. It was agreed it was very appropriate as Arthur Andrews, the man Fred Potts rescued at Gallipoli, worked for Great Western Railways after he recovered from his injuries and spent the rest of his working life in their Great Western clock workshop on Caversham Road, almost next to the new Trooper Potts Way.

The Trooper Potts VC Pavement Slab

The Potts VC Paving Slab

The government set up a scheme whereby each of the 628 men awarded the VC during the First World War would have a Paving Stone installed in their home town to provide an enduring legacy to the local heroes and a fitting tribute to mark the centenary of their extraordinary bravery fighting for their country. The Government website may be seen by clicking HERE

The Trooper Potts Paving stone was installed to the right edge of the of the Reading and Berkshire War Memorial at the corner of Forbury Gardens. It was unveiled by Potts Granddaughter, and members of the Trust, at 5pm on 21st August 2015, exactly 100 years on from the attack on Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli, during which both Fred Potts and Arthur Andrews were wounded. During the short service the story of the attack was read as was the VC Citation.

The Thatcham VC Paving Stones

Three VC paving slabs in Thatcham

Alexander Buller Turner was born in Reading but left with his military family shortly afterwards. He was killed at Loos with the Royal Berkshire Regiment and awarded the VC on the 28th September 1915. The family moved to Thatcham where Alexander spent most of his early life. His uncle had won the VC in the Boer war, his brother Victor Buller won it in the 2nd World War and another Thatcham man William John House also won it in the Boer War.

Although technically the VC pavement should have gone to Reading as they were awarded by birthplace, it was felt more appropriate to site it in Thatcham and agreement between Reading Borough Council and Thatcham Town Council allowed all three slabs to be unveiled in 2015.

Reading Crematorium

The plaque unveiling

Fred died on 2nd November 1943 at the age of 50, his funeral was held at Reading Borough Council's Henley Road Cemetery. There is a bronze VC memorial to him in the South Chapel, of necessity somewhat inaccessible. At the suggestion of Graham Gould, Crematorium Manager, an Information Panel, designed by Anne-Marie Carroll and sponsored by A B Walker Funeral Directors, was unveiled in the Chapel waiting room at Reading Crematorium by the Mayor, Cllr Ayub Khan, on the 2nd November 2016.

The event was reported by The Reading Chronicle, click HERE> , by Get Reading and featured on Radio Berkshire.

And Finally!! - Some other websites which have joined our commemorations

Local sites

The memorials have their own site on Trip Advisor

Berkshire War Memorials include the memorials.

The WIKI site.

Chris Tarrant OBE ( Patron) recorded his thoughts after the unveiling.

We are very appreciative that a number of other sites have recorded the work we have done to establish the memorials or have used our videos. These include:

Memorial sites

War Memorials On Line have included images of the Berkshire Yeomanry Roll of Honour and Trooper Potts VC Memorial

Victoria Cross On Line have included images

Memorials to Valour

History Learning have, with our full support, included our film about the history of The Victoria Cross in their site

1914 Centenary

The Imperial War Museum has now included the memorial on its register along with several other Potts VC items.:-

The Forbury Potts Memorial (18733)

Potts Way Street Sign (66306)

Plaque at Brock Barracks (55197)

Pulsometer Pumps Memorial (9120)

Katesgrove School Memorial (66305)

Painting of Potts (66333)

Media sites

Local Media have been supportive from the start including;

Get Reading

Reading Chronicle

BBC Radio Berkshire

BBC South Today

Meridian TV

AltReading

The Great War Forum also records some thoughts about the unveiling

Supporters

Reading College lecturers and students were terrific supporters of the Trust, fundraising and taking part in educational outreach.

The Abbey School helped us at the unveiling

The Gallipoli and Dardanelles International were strong supporters of the project

The Gallipoli Association supported us from the start. and reported The service of dedication

Our Sponsor, Haslams Estate Agents included details on their website

Berkshire Masonry

Country Estates

Bewley Homes

David Wilson Homes

Darcliffe Homes

The Constructors of the memorial have set up information about their part in the project;

The Sculptor Tom Murphy

The Foundry Morris--Singer

The Stonemason A F Jones

and filmmaker Dan Corns

3D Images of the site may be seen:

The Palmyra 3D project took a very careful set of images for us and built a 3D image which is to scale should there be any problems with the memorial in the future

Public Art UK independently made a 3 D impression of the memorials.

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