As part of this year’s Remembrance Sunday commemorative events, Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum organised a re-dedication to the memory of Sgt Jon Webster (34), a terminally ill soldier in 39 Regiment of the Royal Engineers who devoted the last years of his life to raising money to help sick babies at Addenbrooke’s neonatal intensive care unit.
The service was attended by members and veterans from 39 Engineer Regiment and the standard bearer from the Cambridge Branch of the Royal Engineers Association, which donated a new bench that was dedicated to Sgt Webster in the memorial created for him where his ashes are buried by the former Sergeants’ Mess.
David Adamson former CO of 39 Engineer Regiment said: “It has been an honour to pay tribute to the memory of Sgt Webster, a dynamic man and a wonderful Royal Engineer who was an inspiration to those he served with. Despite being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in his early 30s, he remained positive and spent the last couple of years of his life raising money for charity. He is remembered affectionately by all who knew him and is sadly missed.”
The memorial – along with key military memorial and heritage features – have been designed into future plans for the development of the barracks and airfield, to ensure the dedication and sacrifices made by Waterbeach RAF squadrons and Royal Engineer regiments across nearly 80 years of military history are always remembered.
It has been an honour to pay tribute to the memory of Sgt Webster, a dynamic man and a wonderful Royal Engineer who was an inspiration to those he served with.
