A CAMPAIGN has been launched to establish a war memorial for Linwood’s ‘forgotten heroes.’ Despite various efforts over the last century, the town does not have a monument to its war dead.

Now a group of local volunteers are trying to raise £50,000 to have a memorial erected on a patch of land in Bridge Street, next to the A761.

The spot has been picked as it would have been the last part of town seen by soldiers as they left to fight.

A total of 73 people from Linwood are known to have died in combat, including both world wars and the Falklands conflict.

One was awarded the Victoria Cross, while five received the Military Medal.

To publicise the campaign, more than 1,500 hand-made poppies were displayed on a fence at the site on Sunday in the form of 73 wreaths.

Joan Melville, of the Linwood War Memorial Association, told The Gazette: “We wanted to mark where the memorial will be, so we asked the community if they could make some poppies.

“We were looking for 500 but ended up with 1,507.”

The association will also host an Armistice Day event at the site on Friday.

It will be the first time a memorial service has been held in the town for the 73 fallen.

Joan added: “The site is currently a derelict piece of land, so our aim is to get that transferred to the Linwood War Memorial Association – and the council are agreeable to that, provided we have planning permission.”

The memorial will be in the shape of a four-metre-high Cleopatra’s needle.

There will also be a memorial garden with benches and a wheelchair space.

Joan, who has relatives who fought for their country, said: “The first memorial was promised in 1920 at the end of the First World War.

“I have always thought it wrong that there is nowhere in the town to lay a wreath.

“The association has applied to be registered as a charity so we can receive donations towards the cost of the memorial.

“Previous attempts to get a memorial have failed because the organisers haven’t appreciated all the red tape that is involved.

“We are a bit better prepared because we are aware what we are facing to get it approved.”

Linwood schoolkids will also be involved with the campaign.

Joan added: “They are the future of the town but they cannot be our future unless they understand their heritage and past.”

For more details, visit www.facebook.com/LinwoodWarMemorial.