A SOLDIER who died more than 85 years ago, after the end of world war one, is to have his name added to the memorial in Tavistock?s Bedford Square, following a request from his family in New Zealand. The town council, which is responsible for the war memorial, received an e-mail from the Dashper family in New Zealand following an international family reunion in Devon in May. Mark Dashper said he visited his ancestors? home town of Tavistock, where several members of his family were buried ? Dashpers from Tavistock fought in both world wars, he told the council. Mr Dashper said: ?While inspecting the war memorial, we noticed that although Herbert Dashper is remembered there for world war two, his father, Frederick, is not on the memorial for world war one.? Mr Dashper said Frederick died on August 19, 1919. He said he had been in contact with Tavistock historian Alex Mettler, who had confirmed that Frederick Dashper was recognised as a war casualty by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and had an official CWGC memorial headstone in the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Tavistock. Mr Dashper said Frederick?s son, Herbert, who served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, died during the second world war on November 27,1943 ? he was remembered with honour in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand, and now the family would like his father recognised in the same way in his home town. ?We, the international Dashper family, would like to have Frederick Dashper?s name put on to the Tavistock War Memorial to honour his supreme sacrificed in world war one,? said Mark Dashper. Mr Mettler told the council that it was ?not uncommon? for servicemen to be recognised as war casualties even if they died after the war, as in Sapper Dashper?s case. Tavistock historian Gerry Woodcock told the council that ?exhaustive? enquiries were made by the council when the list of war casualties from Tavistock was compiled and that it would have been ?highly unlikely? that families at the time would have been unaware of the process. Ultimately, around 80 people who were qualified by birth or residence to appear on the memorial, have not been included. He said: ?I do not know why the Dashpers chose not to have the name recorded. Certainly, cost was not a factor. I just wonder whether the decision, made by those closest at the time, should now be reversed three generations on.? Cllr Jenny Metcalf, at last week?s meeting of the town?s properties committee, said although no-one knew for certain why Frederick?s name was not on the memorial, she felt it might be because there was no-one in the family of the right age at the time to make the necessary request. Cllr Ted Sherrell said: ?I take in what Mr Woodcock says about the number of people whose names are not on the memorial, but this is not the sort of request one gets very often. ?This man fought and died for his country and if it?s now the family?s wish, his name should be put on there at our expense.? The committee agreed Cllr Sherrell?s proposal ? the decision was due to be ratified by the full council on Tuesday.
