A GARDEN of Remembrance has been officially unveiled at St George’s Barracks.

The garden, which is at the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search (DEMS) Training Regiment Headquarters, was designed by officers to give those who pass through a chance to reflect.

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A memorial stone was unveiled to officially open the garden, followed by a short service led by the Rev Joseph Moesel, the Assistant Chaplain General.

Oxford Mail:

Invited guests including Explosive Ordnance (EOD) and Search representatives, families and local councillors and dignitaries, attended the event.

The ceremony also included a dedication to commemorate personnel from all three services who have lost their lives in their duty of searching for and making safe unexploded ordnance.

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Lieutenant Colonel Andy Lewis, who had previously held the post of Regimental Second in Command at DEMS headquarters and who had witnessed the planning and immense effort that went into bringing the project together, had the honour of opening the garden.

The remembrance space, which was mostly funded by the Ministry of Defence, is the first memorial in the UK dedicated to both EOD and Search, two distinct services that have been allied in their efforts to locate explosives and save life for more than 70 years.

Retired Major Carl Tomlinson, who served for 35 years as a major EOD and search officer, helped to design the garden, which features a cherry tree.

Oxford Mail:

He said: “Five years ago, I drew sketches of what we wanted the garden to look like and, although it’s taken time to come to fruition, we have bricks and mortar and a lovely garden for all to use.”

Representatives from each service laid wreaths in the new garden and Major Tomlinson, who has been based at St George’s Barracks since 2012, said members of the public could also arrange to pay visits to the garden.

He added: “I will do my utmost to ensure everyone can come and spend time to remember. We are like a family here and the memorial is something very close to my heart.”