Tarmac remember workers who served at the Somme

Apprentices unveil metal poppy in memory of employees who died during Battle of the Somme

LAST Friday (1 July), to mark the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, apprentices at Tarmac’s Tunstead site, near Buxton, proudly unveiled a poppy made in memory of 15 workers from Buxton Lime Firms who served and died during the battle.  

The metal poppy, which stands a metre tall, will be kept in the reception office at Tunstead House as a permanent memorial to the fallen men. Engraved on each of the petals are the names of the 15 who lost their lives.

Viv Russell, lime and powders director at Tunstead, said: ‘We are really proud of our heritage here at Tunstead and were keen for our apprentices to use their skills to create a fitting memorial as a permanent reminder of those who died during the battle.’

The serving Tunstead employees were part of the 1/6th Battalion, the territorial force for North and North East Derbyshire.

Lance Corporal James Alfred Stanley Spencer was working as a quarry labourer at Tunstead before serving in the battle. Other Tunstead employees involved included Private Sydney Norton, a blacksmith’s striker, and Tommy Sidebotham, the youngest serving employee at just 18 years old.