A memorial plaque to a Northallerton war hero has been unveiled at a new housing estate on Remembrance Day.
The memorial was created in memory of Lance Corporal Ben Hyde at the Castlegate development by housebuilder David Wilson Homes, which is part of the Barratt Developments.
The soldier’s family and friends met with representatives from Barratt to officially unveil the memorial plaque, share stories, and remember Northallerton’s dedicated veterans.
Lance Corporal Ben Hyde was one of six Royal Military Policemen killed on June 23 2003 in Southern Iraq, at the age of 23.
Following his death, his parents John and Sandra, set up a memorial trust in their son’s name, supporting the Royal Military Police Central Benevolent Fund as well as many community services, particularly helping young people and raising over £200,000 for various charitable causes in Ben’s name.
Hyde’s parents, visited the Castlegate development on Remembrance Day to unveil the memorial stone, erected as a permanent tribute in their sons honour.
Local All Saints Church Reverend, Carol Backhouse, who was honoured to attend the occasion, said a few words in tribute alongside Hyde’s former colleagues from B&Q who funded the memorial plaque, as well as representatives from the local Air Cadets, the Yorkshire Army Cadets, and members of the 150 Provost Company.
The memorial stone follows the housebuilder naming the entrance to the Castlegate development Ben Hyde Way in 2014 when the development first launched.
Both tributes hope to keep Hyde’s name alive on for generations as a local hero for both the Armed Forces and the community of Northallerton.
John Hyde said: “I can’t thank David Wilson Homes enough for their generosity and support over the years.
“In addition to the street named after Ben, the memorial is a perfect tribute and will mean that his name lives on forever in our community.
“Ben was born around 100 yards away from the Castlegate development, so it seems very fitting that a permanent memorial should be here, and we will always be grateful.”
Paul Stones, technical coordinator at Barratt Developments, said: “It is a great pleasure to be able to honour local community heroes in the areas in which we build.
“As we already had a strong connection with Ben Hyde’s family, it was important for us to mark this year’s Remembrance Day with a permanent tribute in Ben’s memory.
“We’d like to thank all of the local veterans, and of course Ben’s friends and family, for coming to officially unveil the memorial – it was a truly touching occasion.”
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