It was a difficult task finding anyone to construct the proposed memorial on the shoe-string budget available. Using available all contacts, the work was finally entrusted to that old established firm of Wm.Thomkinson & Sons Ltd , who despite being fully committed to in re-building war damage and redevelopment, agreed to carry out the work. It was agreed that the names should be written in gold as anything less at that time would have seemed tawdry. Gold was in very short supply and eventually the main supply of the metal was donated from the wedding ring of one of Wm.Tomkinson's employees. Unfortunately, the name of the employee, whose selfless act of kindness enabled the board to be completed, was not recorded. ("In Passing" Jan 1971 M.R.Evans )

An address by Judge Harold Brown:

"The essence of a club such as this is that it is a body of friends bound together by a common interest: and we are meeting today to make a simple but sincere act of remembrance of those of our friends - members of this club - who took arms in their country's cause and did not return.

We have thought it proper to make this a purely domestic ceremony in the belief that those that we commemorate today would have prefered it to be so - and we have thought it right that immediately afterwards the ordinary routine of the club should continue. We are fortunate in having with us to direct our thoughts and our prayers today, Rev R.E.S. Hodgson, the vicar of St Pauls, Wigan, who is himself one of our playing members.

A club is very like a service unit in that although the personnel are constantly changing, the spirit remains and impresses itself on those that come after. To some the nineteen names, which will shortly be read, must of necessity be mere names but most of us knew some of them and some of us knew and remember them all. To those of you who did not know them I would say this - that they were people very much like yourselves - they were young, they loved life and all it had to offer, they loved companionship and laughter but they were prepared to do their duty and were of the type which chose the path of adventure.

It is not primarily in a spirit of mourning that we are met today, although sorrow must necessarily take a place in our thoughts - sorrow that we no longer enjoy their cheerful presence, regret that they no longer actively share our exploits and deep sympathy with those who have been bereaved. There is all this, but primarily we have come here in a spirit of proud remembrance - in pride that these men were our friends and knowledge that so long as this club exists their names will be known to and honoured by every member old and young. There is this also, the hope, of which one may not be ashamed, that the flower of the young of the country may not again be called upon to suffer such grievous losses, and perhaps most important a great resolve that so far as lies in our power, we will not permit that their sacrifice should have been in vain.

I do not suppose that in this room anybody has had the temerity to quote verse before but some lines of Rupert Brooke do strike me as fitting. Lord Wavell relates that they were repeated to heart by Lord Allenby on hearing of the death of his own son.

'These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,
Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.
The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,
And sunset, and the colours of the earth.
These had seen movement, and heard music; known
Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;
Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;
Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.

There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter
And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after,
Frost, with a gesture, stays the waves that dance
And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white
Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance,
A width, a shining peace, under the night.'

(Rupert Brook 'The Dead')

Those whom we commemorate today went and will remain for all time "proudly friended"