Veterans' Walk creates lasting tribute to armed forces in Sunderland

L/Cpl Gary Lowthian looks at his and his grandfather's stone on the new Veteran's Walk pathway in Mowbray Park, Sunderland. Picture: TOM BANKS

The first names have been laid down in the Veterans’ Walk, recognising not just those who have fallen in service or passed away, but all those who dedicated part or all of their working career in the forces and took the Oath of Allegiance.

So far 104 names have been listed on the granite panels, which have been laid in Mowbray Park in Sunderland city centre, a fitting location as it is already home to a series of war memorials.

The new Veteran's Walk pathway in Mowbray Park, Sunderland. Picture: TOM BANKS

It is believed to be the only one of its kind in the UK, with the piece unveiled at a ceremony held this morning.

The project is the brainchild of Ashbrooke man Tom Cuthbertson, who was a private in 2 Para for four years from 1988, and was followed into the same regiment by his sons, Connan and Nathan.

Nathan, also a private, was just 19 when he was one of three paratroopers killed in June 8, 2008, when a lone insurgent detonated an explosive in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Connan, 21, has recently moved to the Territorial Army base in Seaburn.

Tom, 47, who now works as an ambulance technician, said: “This is to recognise people who have served, not just those who have given their lives.

“When you’ve served, there’s no lasting reminder, and this is for anyone who has signed on that dotted line.

“It’s fantastic to see it now and to see our names, but you really have to come down and see it to believe it.

“We hope people will come along and take a look at it, we hope it will be popular and the more names that goes down, the better it will be.

“We’ve got people listed from all over, someone from Canada who emigrated years ago, people from Coventry who have family connections in Sunderland.

“They don’t have to be from here, but we find people tend to have a connection with the area.”

The next section of the walkway, which has been backed by the Friends of Mowbray Park, will be laid once more than 80 further names have been collected, with each name costing £250 to include in the display.

Some of those still in service have asked for the closing year of their expected service to be engraved.

Tom Cuthbertson, father of the late Nathan Cuthbertson, a Paratrooper who was killed on active duty in Afghanistan.

Tom, who worked with Rob Deverson on the path to agree plans with Sunderland City Council and with contractor SCS on the scheme, has also had a warm reaction to a suggestion that another part could be created for those who have worked for the emergency services.

He was also part a team of friends and family who gathered together to set up the Brothers in Arms wall in 2011, with the walkway proposed as that remembered those lost.

Sunderland is the largest provider of armed forces recruits and is home to more than 26,000 surviving personnel.

Anyone interested in adding a name to the pathway can find out more via www.veteranswalk.co.uk for further information or contact Rob on 07771 864 690 or Tom on 07951 853 128.

The fill list of service men and women:

David Anthony Knox Sergeant 1989-2012 12 Regiment Royal Artillery

John Robert Kelly Trooper 1991-1996 Light Dragoons

Richard Fothergill A LMEM (M) 1980-1989 Royal Navy

Paul Brocki WO2 1979-2002 Royal Logistic Corps

Thomas Capeling Marine Engineer 1979-1986 Royal Navy

Thomas Arkley Gunner 1940-1945 Royal Artillery

Colin Charlton WO2 1972-2002 3 Para

Keith Cochrane Lance Corporal 1984-1995 4 Para

Gerald Cochrane Guardsman 1952-1955 Coldstream Guards

Ian W Davies Petty Officer 1987-2011 Royal Navy

Craig Meik Lcpl 2005-2010 Royal Signals

Alfred George Langley JX 139885 Petty Officer 1933-1944 Royal Navy

Phil Harris Cpl 1992-2005 FPG Royal Marines

L.A. Parker SACW 1962-1966 WRAF

G.H. Parker Chf Tech 1954-1978 RAF

Ernest Jones FUS 1940-1946 Royal Welch Fusiliers

Bernard Bussey Cpl 1954-1974 Royal Corp of Transport

Michael Donkin SPR 2007-20139 Parachute Sqn R.E

Brian Lormor Private 1999-2004 Paras

Denise Cox Captain 2000-2013 QARANC

W S Carr Corporal 1998-present 3 Para

Steven West Lt/Cpl 1978-1986 3 Para

John George Hammond Private 1915-1916 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment

Paul Moore Major 1976-2010 REME

Martin Parker Corporal 1987-1991 RAF police

Joseph Gill Parker Colour Sergant Major 1939-1946 Royal Armoured Corps

William Parker Lance Corporal 1939-1944 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders

Brian Morgan WO2 1976-2000 7 Para Royal Horse Artillery

Paul Barker Sergeant 1978-2001 REME

H A Carr 1923-2005 RAF

Nathan Cuthbertson Private 2005-2008 2 Para

Tom Cuthbertson Private 1988-1992 2 Para

Connan Cuthbertson Lance Corporal 2010-2014 2 Para

Paul Bachurzewski Private 1979-1984 3 Para

Michael Boyle 2L/Cpl 1989-1996 2 Para

D G Royal Private 1980-1981 Parachute Regiment IV Bn (TAVR)

Colin Carr Sergeant 1980-1992 REME

I G Crammond Private 1988-1992 2 Para

Kevin Lapping SAC 1985-1996 RAF

John Bell Signalman 1957-1959 Royal Corp of Signals

Ian Bell Sergeant 1997 - 2022 REME

Keith Bell WO2 1998-2020 The Light Dragoons

Dean Adam Hutchinson Private 2004-2011 9th Regiment, RLC (Logistics)

William J Burgess Private 1961-1967 Royal Army Ordnance Corp

David Snell Lance Bombadier 1959-1965 6th Field Reg Royal Artillery

Raymond Baker Lance Bombadier 1958-1962 463 Royal Artillery TA

Aubrey Davis Commando 1959-1968 Royal Marines

Karl Craigs Fusilier 1982-1989 Royal Fusiliers

RL Ball-Foster Petty Officer 1939-1961 Royal Navy

Jacob Watson Private 1914-1918 Royal Army Medical Corps

John Watson Sergeant 1941-1945 75th Shropshire Yeomanry

Richard R Walker Sapper 2008 - 2013 REME

Richard Chalk Senior Ordinary Seaman 1941-1944 Merchant Navy

David Gibbins Cfn 1970-1976 REME

Mathew Edmundson Private 1942-1947 Royal Scots

James Bell Hindson Gunner 1950-1952 Royal Artillery

Chris Gee Sergeant 2002-present Royal Regiment of Artillery

Daniel James Price Aircraft Handler 2004-2008 Royal Navy

John Usher Lance Corporal l1965-1974 RAOC

George Lee Waller LAC 1941-1947 241 Squadron RAF

Graham Hodgson Private 1984-1987 Light Infantry - 2nd Battalion

Stan Fowler Private 1953-1962 Para

Frank Golden Corporal 1939-1945 RAF

Jake Cheetham RSM 1967-1992 Royal Green Jackets

Michael James Breeze Private 1914-1916 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment

Stan Foste WO2 1984-2013 3 Para

Doreen Nash 1939-1945 Women’s Royal Air Force

James Guyan 1922-1934 Scottish Rifles

Gary John Lowthian L/CPL 1997-2020 Royal Logistic Corps

James Millar STO/MECH C/KX 1944-1950 Royal Navy

William R Dunn DVR 1941-1945 REME

P Coates CPOMA 1993-2016 Royal Navy

Martin K Gray WO2 1978-2006 Light Infantry

Neil Stothard Private 1987-1990 Light Infantry

John William McLachlan Corporal 1952-1956 9th Para Royal Engineers

Owen Allan Sapper 2009-2015 REME

Leslie Sopp Lance Corporal 1964-1970 Durham Light Infantry

Ronald Francis Private 1955-1959 Royal Engineers

Karen Crammond Captain 1984-2006 QARANC

Graham Vincent Vallely Corporal 1979-1993 1 Para

Vincent Vallely Private 1949-1951 Durham Light Infantry

Herbert Henry Reed Bombadier 1941 Royal Artillery - George Cross

John W Bell Private 1968-1972 Para

Jamie Anderson Private 1989-1992 2 Para

Ian Miller WO2 1968-1992 REME

Martin Gibson Sergeant 1980-2002 REME

Anthony McDermott Corporal 2002-2010 Royal Army Medical Corps

Keith Oliver CPO Wtr 1963-1985 Royal Navy

John Harnett Private 1939-1946 DLI

Frederick Albert Scully Company Sergeant Major 1940 DLI

James Brocki Lmem 1975-1990 Royal Navy

C H Lavender Bombadier 1962-1978 29 Commando R A

Gav Gavaghan WO 1980-2013 Light Infantry

Billy Redmayne Lance Corporal 2008-2016 1 Para

Jeff Doherty Private 2004-2008 2 Para

Lyndsey Lancaster-Park WO2 1994-2016 REME

Gordon Crinson Private 1980-1986 11th Royal Signals

Doug Mcready Drum Major 1971-1993 2 Para

Adam Startup L Cpl 2000-2013 1 Para

Pete Callaghan Private 1 Para

Terence Gibson P/J RO2 (G) 1954-1965Royal Navy

David Anthony Abbott WO1 1993-2015 Royal Navy.