World War One Event to be Rescheduled

August 31, 2014 by Joanna Harrison

A World War One event due to take place next weekend is to be rescheduled.

The Stow Maries event was due to take place on Southend Pier on 6th and 7th September, but will have to take place later in the Autumn as one of the replica planes involved needs more restoration work.

The free event will be a commemoration of the Essex home front and defence and the bombing that Essex, and in particular Southend, faced from 1915 - 1918, and the valiant work of the home defence Royal Flying Corp squadrons who were based at Rochford (Southend), Goldhanger and Stow Maries aerodromes.

The event will feature a replica Sopwith Pup aeroplane, but specialist restorers need to undertake work to ensure that the plane is ready for outdoor display. That work will not be completed until the end of September, after which a new date for the weekend event will be organised.

The Trustees of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council would like to apologise for any inconvenience.

The Trustees said: “We recognise the importance of commemorating the impact and involvement of Southend during World War 1 and will be working with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to ensure that the aeroplane and re-enactors from Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome will be on display in Southend before the end of the year, with the dates to be confirmed.”

To find out more about Southend’s World War One commemoration programme, visit www.southend.gov.uk/greatwar