26 Purfleet soldier silhouette memorials stand proud by Thames

The remembrance installation, previously hosted outside Purfleet Heritage and Military Museum, was vandalised in May 2020.

The metal statues, named the Tommy Silhouettes, had their heads snapped off and were ripped from their stands.

They have since been replaced thanks to a kind-hearted family-run steel business and were unveiled at their new home on Sunday, November 7, ahead of Remembrance Day on Thursday.

Each silhouette represents a soldier from Purfleet who died during the First World War. They are sited on top of the embankment at the back of the Heritage Centre car park overlooking the river.

“This impressive and moving four-metre display will be a permanent reminder of those soldiers who gave their lives for us,” vice chair and trustee of Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre, Trevor Batchelor said.

“In 2018 Purfleet, as it was then known, took part in the national centenary commemorations for the end of Word War I, Battle’s Over. As part of the event a number of silhouettes were made and exhibited on the communal green.

“They proved popular and the 26 silhouettes that represented our soldiers were put on display outside the Heritage Centre.”

He added: “In May last year most of the silhouettes were vandalised and destroyed resulting in disbelief and disgust from local residents. This despicable act created a lot of media and press interest.

As a result offers of help came in from individuals and companies to replace them.”

One of those offers was from ACS Stainless Steel of Leeds, a family-run business who kindly offered to make and install replacement silhouettes in 8mm carbon steel to replace the old ones.

Following a series of delays in attaining planning permission obtain and due to the pandemic, they were unveiled on Sunday following a procession from the museum to the War Memorial at St Stephen’s Church in London Road.

Thurrock police joined th