Memorial Green

Memorial Green (click to view)

November 2000 at Memorial Green (click to view)

The war memorial was erected in the year 1924. Approximately fifty men from Roade went off to fight in the 1914-18 war or the “Great War” as it was called, eight men died.

In the 1939-45 or Second World War, nine men from Roade died, eight are listed on the War Memorial, the other, Sid Harris, died when the Ship called the Athenia was torpedoed off Northern Ireland.

Roade & District Branch - The Royal British Legion
The British Legion was formed after the First World War and my earliest recollection of the Legion is attending Remembrance Sunday Services at Courteenhall when my father and all those who survived wore their medals. And, of course, the entire country came to a standstill and kept silence for 2 minutes at 11am remembering the thousands who had lost their lives.

It was not until after the Second World War that I became a Member of the Roade & Courteenhall Branch of the British Legion. My father, General Sir Hereward Wake, Bart., C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., was, I believe, President and presented the Branch with a large wooden hut which was erected near the west end of Roade Church. The Branch was well supported and meetings regularly took place in the hut.

After my father went in 1947 to live in Hampshire, it was then, I think, I was proud to be elected President of the Branch and stepped into his shoes.

During the last 50 years the Branch has been well supported in spite of the inevitable reduction in the numbers of those who had served in the forces. Priority has always been given to help fellow Members of the Legion who were wounded or suffered ill health or were in need; and support is always given to Members' widows.

In recent years ladies who served have also become members of our Branch, which is now called the Roade and District Branch of the Northamptonshire Royal British Legion.

I was hugely disappointed when I was told some years ago that the minutes recording the creation, activities and membership of the early years of our Branch had been lost.

Was it half a century ago that land was acquired and the present British Legion Hall was built with the co-operation of the newly formed British Legion Club? The Club and Branch are mutually supportive.

It is indeed good that our Members continue regularly every Remembrance Sunday to hold a service in Roade Church, followed by Members proudly marching with their Royal British Legion Standard to the Roade War Memorial where they observe a minutes silence and place a wreath and bear in mind the words, "We shall remember them".

Major Sir Hereward Wake, Bart., M.C.
Courteenhall, Sept 2003