THE headstone of a Roman Catholic priest who helped hundreds of refugees in their hour of need during the First World War has been restored after it was bulldozed to the ground in the 1970s when a south Durham cemetery was abandoned.

The Northern Echo's Chris Lloyd tells the story of Fr John Krajicek in Escomb cemetery before the unveiling. All pictures by Stuart BoultonFr John Francis Krajicek was the priest at Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland, when the war broke out, and he persuaded the government to send 200 Belgian refugees, who had been subject to appalling violence by the German invaders, to live in the terraced houses in the former ironworking village.

The works had closed in the 1890s and so there was plenty of spare housing.

Scores more Belgian refugees were distributed along the Tees Valley, from Redcar to Stockton, Darlington, Cotherstone even Arkengarthdale, but Witton Park took the most, and Fr Krajicek acted as their cheerleader and soulmate, leading the fund-raising efforts as many of them had fled with only the clothes they stood up in.

Fr Krajicek in the dog collar surrounded by Belgian refugees at Witton Park in 1914Local historian Kevin Richardson who, with Dale Daniel, has done much of the research into Fr Krajicek’s times, said: “He put himself out, he got these people from Belgian into houses which became their homes, and you see photographs of him surrounded by them and it is clear he was a great man with a big heart.”

READ MORE: THE UNBEARABLE HORROR OF SOUTH DURHAM BELGIAN REFUGEE CLEMENTINE

But tragically, Fr Krajicek, who was born in London of Moravian parents, died just a month after Armistice Day in 1918 of Spanish flu. He was only 42, and he was buried in the graveyard around St John’s Church at High Escomb – a Victorian church that had been built to cater for the growing population of ironworkers and coalminers.

However, in 1971, the church was beyond repair and was demolished, and the hundreds of headstones in its graveyard were knocked flat as nature was allowed to take over.

Howard Chadwick with a line of flattened headstones that he has recently cleared from high-high overgrowth. From small children to an MP, all lay forgotten until Howard got to work But recently, Howard Chadwick has begun to clear 50 years of head-high overgrowth, as he went in search of the last resting places of his sister, grandparents and great-grandparents who lay lost amid the saplings and the brambles.

“It began because I am resentful of the way this cemetery was left in 1971,” he said. “It was disrespectful to all the people, and their families, the way the headstones were bulldozed and laid down.

Fr Krajicek's broken memorial“And then I found this broken memorial, and thought it would focus people’s minds as Fr Krajicek’s a wonderful person as an example of what can be done.”

Howard’s High Escomb Cemetery Facebook page told people of the state of the memorial, and The Northern Echo’s Memories supplement told Fr Krajicek’s story, with many readers kindly donating towards the cost of restoring it.

The work was carried out by William Allison & Sons of Bishop Auckland.

Chris Lloyd unveils the memorial, removing the flags of Belgium and Great Britain which had been draped over, assisted by Kevin Nicholson and Dale Daniel“And now his monument is a shining example of what can be done,” said Howard, proudly.

A piper pays tribute to the newly restored memorialFr David Coxon, of St Mary's & St Wilfrid's, dedicates the memorialThe memorial was unveiled by The Northern Echo’s Chris Lloyd, who told Fr Krajicek’s story, and it was dedicated and blessed by members of the area’s Roman Catholic and Anglican clergy, Father David Coxon and the Reverend Claire Gibbs.

In a final prayer, as a piper emotionally saluted Fr Krajicek, Rev Gibbs said: “As we restore his memorial and repair the dignity of his memory, may we carry in our hearts his example of service, brotherhood and love.”

The restored memorial

READ NEXT: THE FULL STORY OF THE BELGIAN REFUGEES WHO, WITH FR KRAJICEK'S HELP, SOUGHT SANCTUARY IN SOUTH DURHAM

OR: THE STORY OF THE BELGIAN REFUGEE BURIED IN DARLINGTON'S CEMETERY

Father Krajicek who died of Spanish flu at the end of the First World WarAt the unveiling ceremony