Local Portrait Bench remembers Cpl Liam Riley

Mar 142012
 

Cpl Liam Riley of the 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment is one of three local heroes who were honoured this morning (Monday 14 March 2011) with the unveiling of their statues at “The Portrait Bench in Killamarsh.

The centre figure is Cpl Riley who was Killed in Helmand Province Afghanistan on 1 February 2010. He was famously described by Prince Harry as “a legend”, the two had met during military training in Canada. Liams mum Cheryl and Sister Olivia were at this mornings event and paid tribute to Liam his mum saying
“it will be nice to be able to drive home and be welcomed by my son”

The second figure is the celebrated Sheffield boxer IBF, European & British light heavyweight champion and former Commonwealth champion at light heavyweight and super middleweight Clinton Woods.

The third statue is former Steelworker Colin Savage. Colin who has a love of walking has campaigned successfully for improved local paths giving improvised access to the countryside through lobbying fundraising and gerneral support.

The Portrait Bench is located at the Junction of Forge Lane and Sheffield Rd Killamarsh and is part of a new National collection of portraits in local communities of local figures chosen by the local community. Together the portrait bench collection will represent around 230 characters, some known out side their communities some not, which will have been chosen by thousands of people across the UK.

Private Matthew Thornton – Military Funeral for a Yorkshire Warrior

Nov 292011
 

The Funeral of Private Matthew Thornton, A Territorial Army Soldier from 4 Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (4 YORKS) was held at All Saints Church Darton in Barnsley on Tuesday Morning 29 October 2011.

Private Thornton was deployed to Afghanistan in October of 2011. As a member of the support Company for 1 Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (1 YORKS),  which is part of the The Queen’s Royal Hussars Battle Group, Matthew was based at the northern end of Lashkar Gah district  in the Babaji area, at Checkpoint Koorashan. On the 9 November 2011 Private Thornton was taking part in a patrol to the north of Checkpoint Loy Mandeh, the aim was to develop a better understanding of the local area and people.  During this Patrol his unit was attacked by an enemy using small arms fire and grenades, as Private Thornton was manoeuvring and returning fire an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated and the blast killed him.  Poignantly Matthew Thornton’s tragic death came less than a week after his 28th birthday and only 2 days before Remembrance Day (11 November).