Wilfred Coppen, a much loved Stepney Green resident, served in the First Battalion of the Essex Regiment and was awarded four medals including the King’s medal for bravery for evacuating the surrounding houses during the Dunkirk evacuation, but he never talked about the war.  The community in and around Carlton Square banded together to have a Elm tree planted in his memory when he sadly passed to higher service last September.

The Elm was donated by David Shreeve at the Conservation Foundation as part of the great Elm Project. The tree has been propagated from a parent tree which appears to have resisted Dutch Elm disease and will be monitored for a least 20 years. Libby Symon and James Coleman from the Conservation, John Ludgate, Deputy Lieutennant of London for Tower Hamlets, Mick McManus the MC Representative, Rob Richier the District Chairman and the Walthamstow Standard Bearer were also in attendance along with the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, who supported the campaign to have £600 council fees waived for the tree to be planted in a public space, and helped plant the tree along with other residents.

The Parks department in Tower Hamlets 'polished' the replaced slats on the bench and a 'mystery' person bought the plaque. James Woodard from the Parks department was instrumental in helping and preparing and making it happen. 

Photos by kind permission of David Justice and Anna Gaudion.

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