Soldier’s name to be corrected on memorial

A RETIRED doctor has won a fight to have her great uncle’s name spelled correctly on a village memorial 97 years after he died in the First World War.

Alison Corfield said the mis-spelling of Private George Samuel’s name as “Samuels” on the memorial at Shepreth, Cambridgeshire, caused “great distress” to his parents after the 1914-18 conflict ended.

Parish councillors in Shepreth have decided to have the final “s” removed after a plea from Mrs Corfield, 67, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Shepreth Parish Council chairwoman Donna Thomas said a stonemason had given advice and changes would be made.

“We will be making the amendment to the war memorial and covering the cost,” she said. We have also spoken to the local vicar and she has said that once the correction has been made there will be a re-
dedication and we will be inviting the family to attend.”

Susan van de Ven, a Liberal Democrat member of Cambridgeshire County Council said she was delighted by the parish council’s decision – and very grateful.

She said authorities had refused to correct the mistake after the memorial was erected and Private Samuel’s family had tried to hide the extra “s” by covering it with mud.

She said Pte Samuel may have fought at the Somme.