Anger as Buckley War Memorial desecrated with a Nazi graffiti

Update: North Wales Police has issued a statement, it says:

“Shortly after 11.30pm yesterday, Sunday, November 13^th, we received a report of a hate related incident at Hawkesbury Memorial Garden on Mill Lane, Buckley.

“Officers attended the scene where it was reported a neo-Nazi flag has been placed at the foot of the cenotaph, which had also been vandalised with black spray paint in the shape of a swastika.

Inspector Iwan Jones said: “This was a distressing and distasteful hate crime on such an emotive weekend and we will do all we can to identify those responsible.

“Our enquiries into this incident are being prioritised and I would ask anyone with information that could assist with our investigation to get in touch via the website, or by calling 101, using reference 22000834075.”

Earlier report: A Nazi graffiti has been scrawled on the memorial that honours Buckley’s war dead.

A Swastika was daubed on Buckley War Memorial in the Hawkesbury Memorial Garden just hours after Sunday’s Remembrance services across the country.

The memorial bears the names of nearly 150 soldiers from the Buckley area killed in both World Wars.

The graffiti has quickly been removed according to Buckley Town Councillor David Ellis.

Cllr Ellis said: “Last night the memorial was desecrated with a nazi slogan this is the ultimate mark of disrespect to those who gave everything.”

“There is CCTV around the area and it will be checked by the Police.”

“A big thank you to Steve Blackwell of Blackwell Memorials for his help and assistance in removing the nazi slogan and Mark Edwards of Streetscene for his quick action.”

This is how the Buckley Hawksbury cenotaph was found this morning @DeesideDotCom @FlintshireChron @PoppyLegion pic.twitter.com/W6YlNUzkBR

— Matt H 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@MattHellen) November 14, 2022

Buckley resident Matt Hellen, said: “As a veteran that marched on yesterday’s parade it is heartbreaking to see mindless vandalism. This is now just a regular occurrence in lawless Buckley.”

Alyn and Deeside MS Jack Sargeant said he was “absolutely disgusted to see this senseless act of vandalism.”

When it was dedicated in 1951, the Memorial commemorated 114 Buckley men who fell in WW1.

Most of the names corresponded to names placed on memorial plaques in St. Matthews and Bistre churches in the early 1920s.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of V.E. Day in 2020 the Royal British Legion and Buckley Society cooperated to renovate the Memorial.

The names of further 25 men from WW1 and 9 from WW2 as well as two from other conflicts were added.

Information can be passed to North Wales Police via 101 or the web live chat http://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/chat-support.aspx

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111