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Home town honour for hero

War hero Colin Grazier could be celebrated with a sculpture in his home town of Tamworth.

Such a move would be the culmination of the Tamworth herald’s long-running campaign to secure his place in history.

Grazier was one of three men involved in an operation to retrieve secret Enigma codes from a German U-boat during the Second World War. He died along with shipmate Tony Fasson, but not before the codes were passed onto his crew in a move which is said to have shortened the length of the war.

The planned sculpture consists of three anchors held in place by a genuine anchor chain.

A separate brass plaque will tell the story of the men’s bravery.

It would be the final part in an award-winning Herald campaign that has raised almost £17,000 to honour the men whose heroics remained unknown for decades because of the Official Secrets Act.

Deputy editor Phil Shanahan is chairman of the Colin Grazier Memorial Committee.

Milestones in the Herald campaign include:

  • naming a housing estate after various elements of the wartime story;
  • opening the new Colin Grazier Hotel;
  • the Imperial War Museum’s use of Herald articles in its Enigma display;
  • beers being named after the heroes;
  • the Tamworth Herald winning Campaign of the Year for its work.

    Drawings for the 15ft sculpture were due to go before town planners today.

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