"THEY MADE THEIR MARK"
 
DEDICATION WW2 MEMORIAL 24™ JUNE 2013
 
On Monday the 24th June I was privileged to be invited to Hope Street to witness W.Bro. Rev'd. Graham Halsall's dedication of a Memorial to those brothers who fell during The Second World War.
 
To dedicate a new memorial some 68 years after the end of that war, might at first appear a little late in the day, but all is explained in the wonderfully descriptive address delivered by Bro. Peter Connolly, the Provincial Grand Master in the Mark degree which is shown below in full.
 
The PGM was pleased to be accompanied by Lynne and about 50 masons and their wives.
 
It was particularly pleasing that The Provincial Grand Master of the Craft Province, who was accompanied by Julie and other senior officers from the Craft and Royal Arch, took part in the ceremony as did niece of W.Bro. Rev'd Kenneth Cox, Lynne Georgeson and her address is below the PGM's.
 
    
 
Address by Peter Connolly,
 
Ladies, Gentlemen and Brethren,
Many years ago R.W.Bro. Ken Moxley and W.Bro. Rev. Kenneth Cox had a discussion at this beautiful First World War Memorial before us now. Bro. Moxley pointed out that unlike other war memorials there was no addition here for the Second World War in which he also had served.
 
Thirteen months ago I visited Bro Ken Cox, after the diagnosis of his illness - at the Marie Curie Centre: and for the first time heard of his ambition to fulfil this want. The day after my visit Bro Ken sent me his plan for this memorial, drawn up with the assistance of W.Bro. John Smith from Crosby Memorials, who subsequently carved it. Knowing there were some queries about its funding and Ken's keenness [not to say urgency] to resolve the matter, the Charity Committee of the Mark Province of West Lancashire agreed to fund it. Bro. Ken was ecstatic and as he wrote in his second letter to me "the Second World War memorial allows me - and I think all Liverpool masons, at last to fulfil my obligations to KEM and his generation".
 
I think that love is a difficult word in the English language - more clearly defined in some other languages. The Reverend Ken Cox exhibited & expressed his love in different ways:-
 
Firstly he loved his God and how appropriate that this dedication is taking place on the feast day of St John the Baptist.
 
Secondly, he loved people - ALL people and every sort of person, parishioners, worshippers, shoppers, passers-by, people of high rank and people of low rank - masonic brethren and companions.
 
Thirdly, he loved the masonic orders for themselves - the Solomon allegories, the Hiram Legend and so on. In his last letter to me he said that he called this the 'Mark Memorial'. It struck me that it should be called the 'Cox Memorial' for he had worked so hard for it.
 
We were both wrong - it is as originally envisaged a truly generic and Masonic memorial. This is clearly demonstrated today by the presence of our R.W.P.G.M. from Craft Bro. Peter Hosker and the W.M. of Allan Pooley Mark Lodge W.Bro. Mark Dimelow, thinly disguised as our A.Pr.G.M. Craft. From the Royal Arch, E.Comp Stanley Oldfield is our third Provincial Grand Principal & E.Comp Paul Shepherd our Assistant. Orders of which the Mark Brethren are very proud to be members.
 
The memorial itself [and I use Bro. Ken's words] is a "Balmoral" granite panel, to match the existing columns. On each side are stylised fronds of acacia to suggest palm leaves representing victory out of sacrifice.
Five of the true Lancastrian or Plantagenet roses denote the five major conflicts since 1945 - namely Korea, Falklands, Iraq I [including Kuwait], Iraq II and Afghanistan.
The centre rose is bigger than the others to denote terrorism action generally, such as Palestine, Kenya, Malaya, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, etc.
 
At the foot are the Masonic marks of R.W.Bro. Ken Moxley and W.Bro.Rev. Kenneth Cox.

 
Bro. Peter Connolly. R.W. Provincial Grand Master, Mark Province of West Lancashire
 
E.Comp. Stanley Oldfield, Asst.Pr.G.Principals, 
Peter Connolly with Mrs. Lynne Georgeson other
W.Bro. Mark Dimelow, Assistant PGM in the Craft,
members of Rev'd Kenneth Cox's family and
RW. Bro. Peter Hosker, PGM in the Craft
W.Bro. John Smith who crafted the memorial
RW. Bro. Peter Connolly, Mark PGM,
  
W.Bro. Rev'd Graham Halsall and Walter Balmer.
  
 
Address by Lynne Georgeson
 
I would, on what is a very special day for myself and the other members of the family here with me, like to convey our warmest thanks in inviting us to share in your dedication service for the recently completed extension to the War Memorial.
 
It was a dream of the two Kens - Kenneth Moxley, a Past Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire, and his friend, my uncle, the Reverend Kenneth Cox - to one day have a memorial to their contemporaries who lost their lives in the service of their country since the Great War. Both had interesting lives within the mercantile and armed forces. Ken Moxley served at sea during the war of 1939-1945, being one of the brave elite who sailed on the Arctic convoys keeping Russia supplied and helping her stave off the attacks from Hitler's forces.
 
Uncle Ken's service started just after the war's end, and was equally as fascinating. He was part of an army team engaged in mapping out the Suez and other parts of the Middle East, and later holding an advisory role with an important ally, King Idris 1 of Libya. Typically, Ken kept most of it to himself. However, he did like to joke how he always knew when it was time to go. He finished in Suez before the crisis of 1956, and he was out of Libya before the overthrow of King Idris, which was led by a young army Colonel with the name of Gadaffi.
 
However I do know that if he could have chosen he would have stayed with us for this important event. But knowing Uncle Ken he is watching over this ceremony right now, and has just turned his head to speak with Ken Moxley. I can even imagine hearing his voice once again, quietly saying, "Oh no, I hope they haven't asked John Doig to play them pipes of his".
 
We have today witnessed the fulfilment of their dream, and the family stand here before you very proud, but humbled, by your generosity and your friendship towards us.
So I say to the two Ken's, we all achieved your hope, we did not let you down, and may we the family thank you all again for your kindness.
 

                                

The Mark Inscription
The PGM with John Smith and the War Memorials
 
Following the dedication the brethren and their guests retired to a light buffet before making their way home.
 
My thanks to all who took part for their assistance Mike Beesley, 'webmaster'