A 74-YEAR-OLD has taken it upon himself to plant flowers at a war memorial that bears the name of his great uncle – after being "incensed" at the city council's decision to leave it bare.
Paul Chadwick, of Empress Road, said he could not believe it when he walked past the Midland Road War Memorial and saw that the planters had been emptied.
Mr Chadwick then spent £18 buying flowers that he planted with the help of neighbour Lynn Lambert.
He said: "When they took the plants away, I was incensed. I told the council, 'if you're not going to do it, I'll do it myself' and they said 'go ahead'.
"We will look after the memorial. Rest assured those planters will have plants in."
The memorial was erected in 1921 to commemorate employees of the Midland Railway killed during the First World War.
Among them was Mr Chadwick's great uncle, Lance Corporal Joe Tatam, of the Royal Irish Rifles.
The city council would not explain why it has stopped planting the memorial but welcomed Mr Chadwick's offer to do the work himself.
However, Mr Chadwick accused the council of disrespecting the fallen soldiers.
He said: "I feel it is disrespectful. When I walked past there and saw planters with bare soil I just couldn't believe it. I just thought it was so insensitive.
"My great uncle was a railway clerk. He lived in Melbourne Street in Derby and joined up with the Royal Irish Rifles in France. He was killed on August 1, 1915, and was just 32 years old. There shouldn't be bare planters where his name is."
It was not just the lack of flowers at the memorial that angered Mr Chadwick.
Most of Derby's flower beds have been grassed over as the gloom of severe austerity measures bites.
Mr Chadwick said it was a great shame. He said: "I wonder if Derby is the only city without any flowers. It's an awful indictment on the council.
"When you go to places like Buxton, York or Bury St Edmunds, they are all teeming with flowers. Those areas have all had cuts but they've managed to do it. A city without flowers is a sad city. There's no hanging baskets or anything in Derby – it's an absolute disgrace.
"Belper's got some wonderful flowers and its war memorial is teeming with them. If they can do it, why can't Derby?
Tim Clegg, director of partnerships and Streetpride at Derby City Council, said: "We are very happy that Mr Chadwick has planted up these containers, and we would like to thank him for this demonstration of public spiritedness, especially at such an important site in the city."
ABOUT THE MEMORIALThe Midland Railway War Memorial was erected in 1921 to commemorate employees of the Midland Railway killed during The Great War.
As the company had its headquarters in Derby at the time, the memorial is located adjacent to Derby railway station. The memorial cost £10,958 in 1920 and was built by Parnell and Son.
During the war, 22,941 employees of the company were enlisted. More than 7,000 were wounded and 2,833 killed.
The memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, is a cenotaph of Portland stone. It is 31 feet in height and has semi-columns supporting the prostrate body of a fighting man, laid to rest, on a catafalque mounted on the heads of four lions.
The inscription is carved at the front and reads "To the brave men of the Midland Railway who gave their lives in the Great War."
