Thieves steal roll of honour

PEOPLE in River have been horrified this week by the theft of a plaque from the village war memorial.

The plaque, installed for the Millennium, is engraved with the names of those from River who died during the Second World War, including one who was a pilot in the Battle of Britain.

Parish council chairman Cllr Derek Leach said: “River Parish Council and the residents of Dover are angry and appalled at the theft.

“The war memorial is in the churchyard of River Parish Church, and the bronze plaque records the names of 15 men from the village who lost their lives during the Second World War. This plaque was installed in 2000 at a cost of £1,200.

“How low can some people stoop?”

The Rev Andy Bawtree, vicar of the parish, said the memorial was to the fallen from both world wars, and one of the names recorded on the plaque was that of Pilot Officer Keith Gillman, who was one of The Few.

A former pupil at Dover Boys’ Grammar School, Mr Gillman became well known as the face of The Few throughout the world when he was featured on the front cover of the Picture Post magazine in August 1940.

Sadly, he had been killed a week earlier during combat over the English Channel, six miles off the coast of Dover. He was 19.

Mr Bawtree described the theft of the plaque as “a crass, thoughtless act” and said he would be happy to reward anyone who helped bring about the conviction of the person responsible.

Photo Left: MISSING PLAQUE: The war memorial at River with the space where the plaque should be