Share this article

Home » Newsroom » Silent Soldier Project

'Silent Soldiers' appear on The Ridge

17/04/24
Silent Soldier 1

The 'Silent Soldier' project has captured the imagination of the nation, not least here on The Sandstone Ridge.

Near life-size silhouettes of Great War 'Tommies' are being installed in buildings, in gardens, in fields, in churchyards and elsewhere on The Ridge.

These silhouettes are in remembrance of those in the armed forces who came home 'silently' from The Great War, as well as those who never made it home at all.

'Tommies' can already be seen in Tarporley and Tattenhall.

Our image shows one such 'Silent Soldier' located within the Churchyard of St Alban's Church, Tattenhall — his head bowed in contemplation.

('Tommies' is a reference to a regular soldier and the term also appears in the works of Rudyard Kipling -- whilst the term was used in The Great War, it is recognised that it predates the period 1914-1918)

As we approach the Armistice Centenary on 11 November, look out for more Silent Soldiers as well as Commonwealth War Graves Signage indicating that there are Commonwealth Graves within our Sandstone Ridge Churchyards.

A series of activities is planned in many of the settlements on The Ridge — we will publish more details as we receive them.