A memorial to the fallen men and women of 2 World Wars was unveiled in Dewsbury Cemetery on Saturday 27 May 2017 by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire in presence of local Mayors, Members of Parliament, the organisers and fund raisers the New Friends of Dewsbury Cemetery, the family of Sjt John William Ormsby VC MM, who is also buried in the Cemetery, and members of the public. A 15 minute torrential down pour, which saw dignitaries and guests sheltering under umbrellas in the middle of the Cemetery, didn’t stop the ceremony taking place as planned with the exception of the fly pass by the Battle of Britain flight.
Association members and Standard Bearers from; Wakefield, Pontefract, Leeds and West Leeds Branches, along with the Col Gerry Delany, Chairman of the Branches, and Capt Bob Roberts, the Rifles County Secretary Yorkshire. Joined other Service Associations, the Air and Sea Cadets to honour the bravery of those name on the memorial. Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Peter Bates of the Veteran Buglers Association. Also attending, from Doncaster, was former KOYLI serviceman 97 year old Fred Adamson and his grandson Philip Knight the newest honorary member of the Association.
The New Friends of Dewsbury Cemetery raised the £10,000 for the memorial which is inscribed with the names of men and women from all branches of the armed services killed during the 2 World Wars. The names include 1 KSLI and 16 KOYLI soldiers the youngest just 16 years old. The memorial also has the name of Sjt John Ormsby who was awarded the VC for his actions during WWI and his buried in the cemetery.
Afterwards a reception was held in the local parochial hall with 1940s style entertainment.
