The Repair Shop’s Will Kirk has helped restore a smashed war memorial and return it to the community it honours following its callous theft.
The memorial, which had stood since 1920, was stolen and severely damaged in an act that shocked residents in Luton in Chatham, Kent.
It is believed the plaques were attacked with an axe or angle grinder after they were taken from the church gates.
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The memorial consists of two bronze plaques that carry the names of 163 local men who died during the First World War.
Police later recovered the memorial, but one plaque had been badly warped and broken.
Experts later revealed the vandals had caused extensive damage while trying to destroy it.
Thankfully, Will stepped in to help bring the memorial back to life.
The Repair Shop’s Will Kirk helps mend smashed war memorial
In the latest episode of The Repair Shop on the Road, Will met with the church’s vicar, Reverend Andrea Lennard.
The plaques had originally been installed on the church gates on Remembrance Sunday in 1920. However, they were stolen on May 23, 2025.
Rev Lennard told Will: “We thought we’d never see them again and they’d be melted down quickly. But a very kind scrap dealer who received one of the plaques immediately contacted the police.”
The theft sparked national outrage and quickly made headlines in newspapers across the country.
Publicity around the case, along with a social media campaign, helped lead to the second plaque being returned just a week after the robbery.
However, one plaque had been severely damaged and bent out of shape. The damage was believed to have been caused during the theft.
“Everyone must have been absolutely devastated when these disappeared,” Will said.
Rev Lennard replied: “There were tears and incredulity. And a real sense of loss, not just in the church but in the community.
“Every name on this plaque represents a precious life of someone who bravely gave their life. When they were stolen, I did a bit of research. I just looked up one name and had to stop because I was crying.”
Will calls in the experts
To repair the memorial, Will turned to bronze casting specialists John and Paul.
After examining the damage, John said: “There’s a lot of damage. Somebody’s really gone to town to try and destroy these.”
Paul added: “It’s so sad. So tragic actually.”
The pair carefully cleaned the plaques, blasting away more than a century of corrosion from the bronze surface.
Paul then recoloured the metal using chemicals to restore its original finish.
John also used a wire brush attached to a drill to carefully highlight the engraved names of the soldiers.
When the work was complete, Will was stunned by the transformation.
“Oh my word, they look amazing,” he said. “Absolutely amazing.”
Will, John and Paul later returned the plaques to the community during a special remembrance service.
War veterans, relatives of the fallen soldiers and police officers involved in recovering the memorial attended the event.
As a curtain was pulled back to reveal the restored plaques, the room broke into applause.
Will invited emotional relatives forward to find their family members’ names.
“They’re back home, they’re back home,” he reassured them.
The ceremony ended with a veteran performing The Last Post.
Five men have since appeared in court in connection with the theft of the memorial. They deny all charges. A sixth person is also due to appear.
- The Repair Shop on the Road continues weekdays at 3.45pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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