THE sacrifice of 44 men in two world wars was marked in a village today as its restored war memorial was re-dedicated and blessed.

A ceremony was led by the Reverend Carl Carter at 11am in the grounds of St Luke’s Church, Haverigg.

He said: "We dedicate ourselves to work for peace and freedom so that in the future more memorials like this will not be needed."

Pearl Milligan and Gail Crossman laid a wreath in honour of brothers Albert and John Catterall, who drowned together as prisoners of war in the sinking of a Japanese transport ship in 1945. 

Mrs Milligan could recall meeting her great uncles as a young child before they moved to Bedfordshire in search of work. 

A large group of pupils from the nearby Haverigg Primary School took an important part in the ceremony. 

Each represented one of the 44 men named on the memorial – 35 from the First World War and nine from the second. 

They read out their man’s name and placed a special card at the foot of the memorial. 

Also there was Phil Atkinson, the Ulverston-based stone mason who completed the work. 

He said: "It is a very nice thing to be involved in." The old concrete base was replaced by chippings and a limestone border, new stone vases and a plaque were provided, the memorial cleaned and a couple of worn lead letters replaced. 

Tony Cummings, of Newton Street, Millom, a veteran of the Merchant Navy in the Second World War, said: "I think they have done very well." 

The idea for the work came from Lynne Wilkinson, of Richmond Gardens, Haverigg and her late mother Marjorie Woodburn, of Main Street, Haverigg. 

Work on the restoration project was funded by Lynne and her husband Ken. Mrs Wilkinson said: "I am so proud. It is unbelievable." 

BLOB - You can read more about the names on the Haverigg memorial on the Memories Pages next Tuesday.