There have been so many moving tributes to the fallen heroes of the Battle of the Somme in its 100th anniversary year. In Seaham yesterday I witnessed another. Hundreds of pebbles have been collected from the local beach, hand painted red, and arranged in a poppy around ‘Tommy’. This emotive metal sculpture was designed by Ray Lonsdale and unveiled in 2014.
‘Paint it Red’ was the idea of David McKenna, a former soldier who has served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Six years ago he founded a local community group, Seaham Remembers Them. Cadets and veterans alike were involved in this project, which took 2 months to complete.
Afterwards I strolled on the beach, crunching through the pebbles with their weird and wonderful shapes, and feeling very lucky to be alive.
This article in the local press covers the event. You might remember a Monday walk I did when Tommy first arrived in Seaham.
restlessjo 
Seamless post Jo – from the opening photo – the flow of your words and the last stone with remember….
Beautiful
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Thanks, hon. It’s an incredible tribute, Yvette. So many lads escaped the pits around Seaham, just to squander their lives on the battlefield.
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😉
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Thanks for this Jo. I have only just picked up on blog reading. The painted pebbles are wonderful, what a small, simple but expressive way to commemorate.
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A stroke of genius, yet as you say, so simple, Ruth. I found it very moving.
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Beautiful post.
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Thank you 🙂 🙂
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Touching post Jo – beautiful tribute xx
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It’s a wonderful sculpture and it’s great that the people of Seaham appreciate it. Such sadness, hon!
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Very interesting and lovely photos, Jo! Love the close-up shots. Love the red. I just noticed my pingback on this post comments, should I use another url instead of your latest post for the walk thingy?
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Usually link to the last walk, which would have been Masmorra in the Algarve in this instance, BF. But I know you have difficulty with this sometimes. At the bottom of the Tommy post an arrow will take you back to Masmorra, but it’s already included for next Monday so no worries. Happy weekend! 🙂 🙂
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Got it. I get so confusaled. I think I now can reach your page as I should. Now all I have to do is remember!!!!
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Left hand doesn’t know what the right’s doing sometimes, hon! Just link where you like. I’ll always be happy to find you there 🙂
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That’s so lovely. What a fitting tribute
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I love the use of local pebbles, Ting. I only wish I’d been involved. 🙂
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Absolutely beautiful and moving, Jo xxxx
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You want to put your arms around him, don’t you?
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Absolutely xxxx
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