Littlehampton Railway Station: Silent Soldier donated by East Preston Parish Council following request from station staff

A Silent Soldier has been gifted to Littlehampton Railway Station as a tribute to those who served in the First World War.
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The silhouette stands by the trackside floral beds, which are maintained by the station staff, and can be seen by passengers as they pass through.

The station has been recently renovated and the station team requested a Silent Soldier as a fitting tribute to veterans who served from 1914 to 1918, as similar tributes have been placed at Ford and Angmering railway stations.

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The silhouette was donated by East Preston Parish Council, which was more than happy to help after station staff put out a request and members of the Sussex Coast Line Group, part of the Southeastern Communities Rail Partnership (SCRP), were enlisted to help.

Littlehampton Railway Station platform supervisor Sean Morris with Rowena Tyler, community development officer for Southeast Communities Rail Partnership, East Preston Parish Council chairman Steve Toney and clerk Simon Cross, far rightLittlehampton Railway Station platform supervisor Sean Morris with Rowena Tyler, community development officer for Southeast Communities Rail Partnership, East Preston Parish Council chairman Steve Toney and clerk Simon Cross, far right
Littlehampton Railway Station platform supervisor Sean Morris with Rowena Tyler, community development officer for Southeast Communities Rail Partnership, East Preston Parish Council chairman Steve Toney and clerk Simon Cross, far right

Rowena Tyler, community development officer at SCRP, explained: “The Sussex Coast Line Group is a forum for members to share information and help each other with Community Rail matters.

“This was a prime example of bringing communities together and we were pleased to help with this request from the staff at Littlehampton, who work hard to make the station a welcoming place for customers and passengers.”

Within a couple of weeks of the request being made, East Preston Parish Council came back to confirm it had a silhouette in storage and councillors were happy to donate it to display at the station.

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Simon Cross, council clerk, said: “East Preston Parish Council was very happy to work with the SCRP and staff at Littlehampton Railway Station to give this Silent Soldier a new home.

“We still have some in the village for our own purposes and this was spare and in need of some additional love.

“When we saw the plea from Littlehampton for a spare Silent Soldier, we were happy to oblige.

“East Preston residents will sometimes travel to, through or from Littlehampton station and they will be able to see a former East Preston Silent Soldier watching over them.”

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The GTR Southern facilities team installed the silhouette in a safe area at the station.

Howard Clear, station manager, said: “We are very thankful to the East Preston Parish Council and our friends at the SCRP for organising the donation of a Silent Soldier silhouette to Littlehampton station. We can now join neighbouring Ford and Angmering stations in honouring our fallen World War I heroes.”

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