THE name of a Nelson soldier killed in Afghanistan is to be added to the town’s war memorial.

Lance Corporal Michael Foley died in March 2012 after he was shot by a rogue Afghan soldier at a British base in Helmand Province.

The name of the 25-year-old, as well as 11 others from Nelson who gave their lives serving their country, will be added to the town’s war memorial in Market Square this year.

Military historian Fred Stringer had researched 1,368 people from the town whose names were engraved on to the new memorial in 2009.

He said: “Some people weren’t easy to find, which is why their names are being added to the memorial now. Of course we also have the name of Michael Foley, something we could never have anticipated and we hoped we would never have to do.

“These names have taken a lot of research. Two of them were serving under an alias and I only noticed their names on family headstones while showing people around cemeteries.”

Among the new names (listed in the panel, right), Clementine Addison served in the French Flag Nursing Corps, and was the only one of 250 members to die after picking up a disease. She returned home and died shortly after, near Lancaster.

Mr Stringer said: “The French sent a Tricolour to her funeral and she was awarded two prestigious French medals.”

Councillors on the Nelson Area Committee agreed to provide £4,000 in funding for the 12 names to be added to seven new panels. Some of the money could be recouped through grants from organisations.

Mr Stringer said the work should be completed in time for a re-dedication ceremony on August 3, the day before the 100th anniversary of the First World War breaking out.

 

Names to be added to Nelson War Memorial (left) are:
First World War:

  •  W H Robinson
  •  Clementine Addison
  •  A C Hudson
  •  H Farrow
  •  H Kirkbright

Second World War:

  •  W H Barton
  •  G B Roberts
  •  S Brown
  •  B Nutter

National Service:

  •  C S Greenwood, died in Trieste, 1949
  •  H Smith, died in Hong Kong, 1953.

Afghanistan campaign:

  • Lance Corporal Michael Foley, 2012