Homes for heroes will be protected

A row of Norfolk cottages built to commemorate Second World War heroes are to be given protection against future demolition.

The six terraced cottages, built in Sprowston to celebrate the lives of Royal Norfolk Regiment veterans, are the first such monuments to be Grade II listed.

Built to commemorate fallen soldiers in the Royal Norfolk Regiment, which won five Victoria crosses, more than any other division in the conflict, two of the cottages are named Europe and Asia after the theatres of war in which the regiment fought. The others are named after Victoria Cross holders who displayed extreme bravery and self-sacrifice. They include John Neil Randle, who as a 26-year-old temporary captain took charge when his commander was wounded during the Battle of Kohima in North East India.

English Heritage is supporting the listing of the richly detailed cottages, built in a vernacular Baroque style which is distinctive to Sprowston.

David Lammy, the Culture minister, has approved the listing. "Remembrance Sunday is a time to reflect on great sacrifices," he said. "These memorial cottages are poignant and important monuments to those who gave their lives in the Second World War."