After spending years gathering dust in a store room, a memorial which celebrates the lives of Liverpudlian gas industry employees has been give a new home at National Grid’s flagship training centre in Manchester.
The memorial bears the names of scores of young men employed by the Liverpool Gas Company before they went to fight for King and country during the Second World War and gave their lives in service.
The memorial, in the form of three plaques, was removed from the former Transco offices in Litherland Road, Bootle, when the company moved from the site over 10 years ago. The plaques were placed in storage and forgotten about until recent renovation works.
Now the cleaned and restored plaques have been unveiled in their new home – at National Grid’s new training centre at Hollinwood on the outskirts of Manchester – at a ceremony attended by 16 veterans.
Jon Butterworth, National Grid Director, Operations said: “The memorial commemorates the fact that many young men who were just starting out on their careers with the Liverpool Gas Company ended up losing their lives in the wars.
“Now the memorials have pride of place at one of our two national training centres where many more young people will come to start their own careers - hopefully with the prospect of many years of service in the gas industry.”
The veterans present at the unveiling saw action in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force during the war, fighting in the European campaign and also in Burma and India.
They are all members of the Liverpool Ex-Servicemen’s Association which was formed by gas industry employees returning from the First World War.
Veteran, Keith Burns, who began his career at the Liverpool Gas Company said: “We have all the services represented here today to see the memorials unveiled in their new location. We are delighted that they have been found and so beautifully restored.”
Jon Butterworth added: “The restoration of the plaques means that the sacrifices made by employees from our industry during the war will never be forgotten.”
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For further media information, contact Jeanette Unsworth, National Grid Media Relations on 01926 655372