Restoring the Memories of Those Who Served

More than 240 military headstones have been cleaned and restored at St John’s Church, Sharow, North Yorkshire, thanks to a community-led project supported by the REA – The Sapper Charity and led by military grave restoration expert Steve Davis, The Military Grave Restorer.

Volunteers from across the region answered a call to action promoted through local social media and BBC television and radio coverage. Over the course of a week in September, veterans and members of the public worked together to learn specialist restoration techniques and help preserve an important piece of military heritage.

The churchyard contains the graves of former residents of the Royal British Legion’s Lister House, which was based in Sharow before relocating to Ripon. Years of weathering had left many inscriptions unreadable, but through the dedication of volunteers and the guidance of Steve Davis, every headstone can now be read once again.

The project also restored the graves of 12 Royal Engineers. Alongside the hard work, there was a strong spirit of camaraderie, with volunteers sharing stories, identifying regimental badges and reflecting on the lives of the veterans whose memories they were helping to preserve. Several veteran Sappers joined the project, making it especially meaningful for the Royal Engineers community.

As faded inscriptions reappeared, conversations often turned to the men whose graves were being restored. Many had served during the First World War and some may have seen service during the Boer War before spending their later years at Lister House.

By the end of the week, the results were remarkable. Every headstone was legible once more, ensuring that the stories of more than 240 veterans can continue to be remembered and shared with future generations.

The REA – The Sapper Charity is proud to have supported this important project and everyone who helped make it a success.