Rushden Research Group: War Northern Ireland

War Memorial - Northern Ireland

Private 24187221 Royal Anglian Regiment


Private Anthony Goodfellow was killed by a sniper's bullet in Northern Ireland in 1973 aged 26. He was given a full military funeral and was buried in Rushden Cemetery grave M.9, and his name is inscribed on Rushden's War Memorial.
A new National Memorial Arboretum opened in 2000 at Alrewas, Staffordshire to commemorate those who have fallen in conflicts since 1945. On Saturday 16th August 2008, Rushden & District History Society members took a bus trip to visit the Memorial Gardens and Arboretum. It is in reclaimed gravel pits, beautifully laid out, with thousands of trees as part of a National Forest.
The photograph (above right) shows Anthony's name inscribed at the National Memorial Arboretum. This is only part of the list for that year. There are already 16,000 names recorded there. (2008)

Gravestone - Rushden Cemetery

New Memorial - On Sunday September 12th 2010, a new Royal Anglian Regiment Memorial was dedicated at Duxford Imperial War Museum. The memorial pays tribute to the 78 Royal Anglians who have lost their lives during the past 50 years.

Three East Anglian Regiments were formed between 1958 and 1960 by amalgamations of nine county regiments, as part of the reduction of the Army following the ending of National Service. In 1964 those three East Anglian Regiments were joined by The Royal Leicestershire Regiment to form The Royal Anglian Regiment, and these four Regular Battalions were later joined by three TA Battalions; the 5th Battalion in 1967 and the 6th and 7th in 1971. Following more changes the Regiment now comprises two Regular Battalions (1st and 2nd) and one Territorial Battalion (3rd).

His Life

Tribute to Tony