A PERMANENT tribute to York chocolate workers who gave their lives for their country is set to be unveiled ahead of Remembrance Day.

Confectionary giant Nestlé gained permission earlier this year to create a new war memorial, which will take pride of place at a remodelled entrance to its Haxby Road factory.

It will commemorate former employees of the company’s forerunner, Rowntree’s, who were killed in service during the First and Second World Wars, including replicas of memorial plaques originally displayed in the plant’s old dining block.

Now Nestlé bosses have confirmed they expect to have the memorial, which will be carved from North Yorkshire sandstone and list all the names of workers who died in the two wars, ready in time for Armistice Day on November 11.

“The war memorial is seen by Nestlé as part of its heritage in York and plays an important role in remembering our employees who laid down their lives for their country,” said a spokesman for the firm.

“We are working very hard to complete this new memorial in time for Armistice Day in November.”

The project to revamp the entrance to the Nestlé factory also involves demolishing the existing security hut, as well as retaining the company’s pentagon logo, which will form part of a new paved area where the memorial will be positioned.

The entrance area will also be reserved for pedestrians, with the firm saying the move is being made because of problems segregating visitors walking and driving into the site and as an extra safety measure.

The Rowntree’s factory was used to help Britain’s military efforts during the Second World War, with a section of the gum department being converted into a fuse-filling factory and 13,000 square feet of floor space in one of its office blocks being put at the disposal of the Royal Army Pay Corps.

A site next to the factory’s sports ground was also used for storing explosives.