I WAS pleased to see that the Advertiser recently printed a couple of letters from people stating their wish to keep the cenotaph where it is, in the graveyard.

It is important that everyone has a chance to air their views on the subject. After all, we live in a democracy, built on the sacrifices of the men the memorial commemorates.

However, a quick look through the archives of the letters pages of this newspaper shows that such views are, thankfully, in a minority.

Irrespective of that, the only view that really matters in relation to where the war memorial should stand, is that of the widows, mothers and children of the men whose names are recorded; the relatives of the dead.

Those closest to the fallen, but also the people that paid for the memorial to be erected in the first place.

But, I hear you say, how can we ask them where they think the memorial should be, they are long dead and buried? Ah, but we don’t have to ask them — we know!

Because it was they that decided to erect the memorial in the High Street in the first place, in full view of all those that came into the town.

They had the opportunity to put it in the churchyard or in a memorial park somewhere, but chose the town centre.

Now, had it been moved due to concerns for its safety, if it would be in danger or at risk back outside the Guildhall, then I’d be the first one to say leave it alone. But the fact is it was only moved to allow for a local authority vanity project, which in the end never happened. It was never in danger and there was no wisdom in that decision.

The move was perpetrated by those same bureaucrats that systematically destroyed much of the beautiful old fabric of the town around the same time.

Ms Williams stated that if it was returned to the High Street, it would very likely be vandalised. Unfortunately, the only vandalism that has ever occurred to a war memorial in Andover happened in the graveyard a few years back, when low-life spray painted the words ‘gay men’ on the Second World War plaques. Desecration and homophobia in one go!

If you think the memorial is better off where it is, ask yourself this. Where would you feel most comfortable spending a dark evening?

Outside the guildhall with street lighting, CCTV, lots of people walking by and others enjoying a meal in the nearby restaurant, or alone (if you are lucky) and out of sight in the unlit churchyard? I know which I’d choose!

BOB ROBERTS, Millway Road, Andover