Veterans 'moved' by first glimpse of LGBT memorial

Armed forces veterans say they feel "very moved" by their first glimpses of a UK memorial dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel.

They have been gathering at Holkham Forge, in Norfolk, to see work progressing on the bronze sculpture, ahead of its installation at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire this August.

The artwork emerged as a recommendation of an independent review into the historical treatment of people sacked or forced out of the military for being gay.

Retired naval commander Roly Woods was among those to visit and said: "I had a little moment to myself because I was not expecting to have such a strong reaction."

It was illegal to be openly gay in the British military until 2000.

Mr Woods, who served in the Royal Navy for 46 years - both under the ban and after it was lifted - said the UK's first memorial for LGBT personnel marked an emotional moment.

He said people saw their lives ruined by the law.

"Up until the late nineties, people were sent to prison for being who they were; for their sexual orientation," said Mr Woods.

"Many were sent to jail, they were dismissed without pension, they were asked to go back to their families, who then quite often shunned them.

"You had youngsters in their late teens, early twenties, being marched to the gate of their military establishment... and living rough on the streets.

"We had examples of our veterans who were living rough in Portsmouth, just outside the main gates, because they had no idea what to do."

Mr Woods also told how he had served in the Falklands conflict, in which about 250 people had died, with a proportion of those unable to have served openly.

He said the memorial at the 150-acre site in Staffordshire, which commemorates those in the armed forces who lost their lives, would give people a place to reflect on the sacrifices made by LGBT personnel.

Former Royal Military Police officer Kate Holvey-Williams was among those who visited the forge.

She signed up to the armed forces at the age of 19 unaware of her sexuality, and left just 12 days before the ban was lifted.

"It only had to be a rumour at the time, it didn't have to be necessarily true and I was given a choice: be a soldier or be myself, and I really wanted to be myself so I had to give my notice," she said.

"I hope it will bring some closure to many people, but also for them to be remembered and, not necessarily just for being gay, but for being brilliant soldiers, sailors and airmen.

"We all gave everything for our country.

"We're very proud and it's only because of who we loved that it came to an end."

The charity Fighting With Pride has been organising the memorial, called Crumpled Letter, created by the Norfolk and Suffolk artists' collective Abraxas Academy.

The group, made up of artists including Nina Bilbey from Wells, James Spedding of Holkham Forge, Charlotte Howarth from West Acre, and Sue Aperghis from Felixstowe in Suffolk, found out their design had been picked out of 38 entries in January.

Mr Spedding said they had been working non-stop on the sculpture, which was based on a letter used as evidence in a court martial between a serving member and their partner, according to Mr Woods.

The artwork includes words from the Lord Etherton review together with those about optimism, with Mr Spedding saying the project had "exceeded my expectations".

Reflecting on the memorial's entire meaning, Mr Woods said: "It gives veterans a place to come and the serving community a place to reflect on the progress that has been made."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.