York pays tribute to Afghanistan heroes in moving service - Full report and photos

Armed forces personnel, relatives and comrades of York's three fallen servicemen, and invited guests gathered in the church of All Saints Pavement on Thursday, as the Archbishop of York dedicated the City of York Afghanistan Commemorative Window.

The Archbishop of York with Rev Jane Nattrass below the window

The parents of Marine David Hart from Poppleton, Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton from Haxby and Trooper Ashley David Smith from Acomb carried lit candles to the altar at the beginning of a moving service in the medieval church, joined by Standard bearers.

After the service, a Pipe Major from the Royal Dragoon Guards led a procession up High Ousegate and along Spurriergate and Coney Street to Guildhall.

Dilys and Chris Hart, the parents of Marine David Hart

Phil and Jill Hatton, the parents of Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton

Sandra Smith, mother of Trooper Ashley David Smith

The service was led by The Revd Jane Nattrass, priest-in-charge of All Saints Pavement, and The Sheriff of York represented the civic party.

The Archbishop, Dr John Sentamu, dedicated the window, sprinkling it with rose water and praying before it.

He said: "We bless, dedicate and set apart this window to the glory of Almighty God and in memory of all those from York who served their country in the cause of peace and of those who gave their lives in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014, especially David Hart, Matthew Hatton and Ashley David Smith."

He preached on the topic of love, based on a passage from 1 Corinthians in the Bible and paid tribute to those who had served and fallen.

Marine David Hart, Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton and Trooper Ashley David Smith

He said commitment to the sake of peace and justice in the world had left many injured, some badly injured, some suffering trauma.

Barry Dodd, The Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, and Francine Clee, former deputy editor of The Press, read the readings.

The window was designed and created by stained glass artist Helen Whittaker, of Barley Studio in Dunnington.

Its dedication marks the culmination of the City of York Afghanistan Commemorative Appeal, which was launched by The Press in 2011.

I met with the families of three York servicemen who died in the Afghanistan conflict while working on the design, and was inspired by their desire for peace and their sons’ commitment to their country and their comrades.

The main focus of the window is the traditional symbol of peace in the form of a dove, which is also the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Beneath the dove is a winding pavement, made from cobbles or sets; a reference to the Church of All Saints Pavement, which stands on one of the earliest paved streets in York. In the distance can be seen a glimpse of the Heavenly City, the final resting place of all our journeys.

Coloured lines in the pavement refer to the three Regiments which have lost men serving in Afghanistan: the Royal Dragoon Guards (maroon, gold and green), the 40th Regiment Royal Artillery (red and blue) and the Royal Marines (blue, red, green and yellow).

The three York servicemen are represented as individual stones, proudly displaying their regimental badges, and flying upwards towards the dove and the Heavenly City. The yellow colour beneath the stones reminds us of the sun and desert earth of Afghanistan. On the sides of the cobbles are the names and ranks of the three men: Marine David Hart, Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton and Trooper Ashley David Smith.

The pavement spirals up from the ground towards the Heavenly City, with the focus of the underlying geometry at the meeting point between the pavement and the symbol of the Holy Spirit - the intersection of Earth and Heaven. The sapphire blue background at the top of the window is a reference to the appearance of the Divine Being on Mount Sinai: “they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone” [Exodus 24:10]. 

In the Book of Esther, the king’s palace has “a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble” [Esther 1:6]. In the Heavenly City itself, “the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass” [Revelation 21:21], suggesting glass as an appropriate medium for this memorial.

These biblical references emphasise the precious nature of each individual stone within the pavement, here representing the precious lives of each service man and woman.

That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:15]

Since we believe that Jesus died and rose, so we also believe that God will bring with Him those who have died [1 Thessalonians 4:14]

The memorial inscription reads: 

THIS WINDOW IS DEDICATED TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND TO THE MEMORY OF ALL THOSE FROM YORK WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN THE CAUSE OF PEACE AND OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN AFGHANISTAN 2001-2014

At the bottom left of the window, below the inscription, grows a single White Rose of Yorkshire. The White Rose is surrounded by an array of poppies, the universal symbol of remembrance of the fallen. These poppies, placed along the pavement towards the Heavenly City, remind us that the sacrifice of all our servicemen and women in the service of their country should not be forgotten. Whilst their precious earthly lives were lost, they were given so that others might have peace – as Christ was sacrificed on the Cross for the salvation and redemption of all.

THE dedication of the window marks the culmination of a fantastic community effort by the people of York and beyond.

The City of York Afghanistan Commemorative Appeal was launched by The Press in January 2011, and has led to a fitting tribute to the thousands of servicemen and women from the York area who served in Afghanistan – in particular, three who paid the ultimate sacrifice: Marine David Hart, Trooper Ashley David Smith and Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton.

Our appeal, kickstarted by a £1,000 donation from The Press, won the backing of the families of the three servicemen, the army, City of York Council, York Minster Stoneyard, the Dean of York, York Civic Trust, the Royal British Legion and York’s MPs.

Money poured in, with scores of readers sending in cheques. One, giving £100, said her “heart ached for the families” of the “wonderful York soldiers who have died in that terrible war”.

Two children baked cakes and sold them from a stall at the end of their drive, a cousin of David Hart staged a sponsored walk, a working men’s club in Fulford staged a Fulfordgate’s Got Talent contest, regulars at the Tiger Inn at Haxby were sponsored to go on an army assault course and a collection box was placed on the counter at Cornlands Road News in Acomb, the local newsagents for Ashley Smith’s parents.

Thousands of pounds were raised by Community Carol Concerts held at York Barbican, another £600 through a pop-up shop organised by The Press in York city centre and a further £1,500 through a Press charity auction offering readers the chance to bid for once-in-a-lifetime treats that could not normally be bought, ranging from riding on the footplate of a steam loco to ‘flying’ on the Tucano flight simulator at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

Generous donations also came from guests at The Press’ Business Awards ceremony and the parish of All Saints Church.

A sponsored assault course at The Tiger Inn in Haxby raised more than £1,100

Young cadets helped at a Pop-up shop in Silver Street

A fundraising day at a local hair salon helped the total

Fulfordgate's Got Talent gave another boost

A collection bucket in Cornlands Road Newsagent's drew huge support

Marine Hart's cousin Gavin Butler, far right, joined friends for a sponsored walk

Local children sold cakes to raise precious pounds

The York Community Carol Concert raised £2,000 for the appeal

• Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to the total