A LONG campaign by veterans to have a permanent memorial to the Durham Light Infantry placed in the heart of the regiment’s home county culminated in a moving dedication ceremony today.

Hundreds of people packed into Durham City’s Market Place to the see the official unveiling of a larger-than-life bronze of a DLI bugler in front of the town hall.

The statue symbolises the moment a platoon of 1 DLI buglers sounded the ceasefire in Korea in 1953 from a hilltop on the frontline – the regiment’s last battle honour.

Joining the throng of dignitaries today were Durham Lord Lieutenant Sue Snowdon, honorary Colonel for The Rifles in County Durham, James Ramsbotham and Durham County Council chairman John Wilkinson, along with civic leaders from neighbouring local authorities.

The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Paul Butler, led the service, while special guests included General Sir Peter de la Billiere, former director of the SAS and commander-in-chief of the British forces during the 1990 Gulf War and Lieutenant General Tim Evans, commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

Republic of Korea Ambassador Sungnam Lim paid homage, saying: “My country is extremely grateful to all those who came to our aid during the Korean war in the early 1950s.

“I share your sorrow for members of the Durham Light Infantry who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

Col Ramsbotham said: “We have worked long and hard to get this lasting memorial up for the DLI.

“Everyone who has lived in this county for any length of time, particularly families who have lived here for several generations, has a little place in their heart for the DLI - because some family member has served with it and indeed many made the ultimate sacrifice for it.

“So now to have this statue in the heart of the community which held the regiment in their hearts is really really important.”

The £75,000 memorial was paid for by donations and mirrors one unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire in 2012.

An appeal for the original memorial was launched after two ex-DLI soldiers – bugler Richard Softley and the late signaller Keith Straughier – visited the National Arboretum and were dismayed to find the DLI was not represented.

More than £90,000 was raised for the statue - much of it coming from The Northern Echo readers.

Col Ramsbotham said: “The Northern Echo were fantastic in this - getting the community to contribute large and small donations and raised a significance amount of money for this fabulous piece of work.

“Then rightly – and The Northern Echo was key in this - said, it is lovely too raise money for a statue in the National Memorial Arboretum, but what about something in Durham.

“And so we thought “right let’s start all over again”.”

The statue was modelled in clay by sculptor Alan Herriot, in Howgate, near Edinburgh, and was based on a photograph of the then 18-year-old Colour Sergeant Brandon Mulvey, of Chester-le-Street.

Meanwhile, tributes were paid to Captain Tony Lynn who died recently following an illness. He drew up the first draft sketches of the statue and plinth.