University staff pictured with the families of alumni killed in conflict Gareth Evans and Daniel Clack

University alumni who died in war remembered

A new memorial to University of Exeter alumni who died in war since 1945 was dedicated in the University’s Chapel at Streatham Campus on Remembrance Sunday.

Friends and family of the four service personnel who are remembered joined University staff, students and alumni as well as members of the local community on Sunday 8 November for the special service of remembrance.

The University of Exeter’s Lazenby Chaplain, Reverend Chantal Mason, led the service. She said: “Remembrance Sunday is always a very moving occasion and this year our service was particularly poignant as we dedicated our new memorial plaque; remembering and honouring those alumni who have lost their lives in recent conflicts”.

Deputy Head of Partnerships Richard Foord worked with the families of the alumni to help design the memorial. He said, “When we appealed for information we heard from friends of two further Exeter alumni – Gareth Evans and John Sanderson - who died in recent conflicts, but there may be others so I would urge anyone with information to get in touch so that we can honour them in the same way. The dedication of the memorial is the culmination of a great deal of hard work from many people including the families of the alumni and I would like to thank particularly Andy and Martin Boyce, the parents of David Boyce, and Sue Clack, the mother of Dan Clack, for their help.”

Andy and Martin Boyce’s son David served and died in Afghanistan in 2011. They said: “It means so much to us that David will be remembered in a place that was so very special to him. To his friends, David was warm, loyal, fun loving with an exuberant zest for life and new challenges. Knowing him enriched us all.”

Professor Janice Kay, Provost of the University said: “The University of Exeter is extremely proud to recognise alumni who have died while undertaking selfless service during recent conflicts in Kosovo and Afghanistan. We welcomed their families, as well as friends and colleagues, staff and students to the special Remembrance Day service to honour alumni who have died in recent armed conflicts”.

The memorial plaque has been funded with the support of The St Luke’s College Foundation and – like memorials of previous wars – is being funded in part by ‘public subscription’.

Those wishing to make a donation towards the cost of the memorial should contact r.j.foord@exeter.ac.uk

Date: 9 November 2015