Category Archives: News

Chippenham wartime tales up for film awards A film telling the stories of people from Chippenham in the First World War has made it through to the finals of the Houston International Film Festival. Finding the Forgotten made an hour-long film last year, called Lost Generation, which is to form part of a display inContinue Reading

A young Cheddar soldier who was one of millions who died in the First World War officially did not exist. Arthur Blakeman’s name is carved on war memorial in the centre of Weston-super-Mare but his service and death in the first battle of Ypres has no official record. His name does not appear on theContinue Reading

MILITARY heroes of yesteryear will be the focus of a new exhibition in Lacock being organised by a specialist World War One historian. The free display set up by Richard Broadhead will run from September 3-11, between 9.30am and 5pm, in the Tithe Barn opposite the Red Lion pub. Mr Broadhead has written a seriesContinue Reading

The repatriations of British soldiers through Lyneham and Wootton Bassett are covered extensively in the media but how much do we know about those who served in the First World War? Hilmarton author Richard Broadhead has published his fifth book on the war and it features the stories of more than 650 men from DevizesContinue Reading

He stands in full Scottish military dress, a proud member of the First Cameron Highlanders with a castle behind him and his future ahead of him. This extraordinary 100-year-old photograph was colour-tinted in the Edwardian fashion of the day. To our modern eyes, it looks like it could illustrate a tourist-friendly tin of Scottish shortbread.Continue Reading

Pensioner Don Little hopes to have his great uncle’s memorial recognised as a war grave to save it from being dug up. Percy Little, who lived in Tugela Road, Chippenham, fought in the First World War, but was discharged from the Army after falling ill and dying of TB in 1918 aged 25. He wasContinue Reading

Improvements will be made to an overgrown war grave in Devizes Cemetery after the Gazette highlighted the sorry state it was in. The grave of Devizes soldier Private Herbert Ashton Gait, who served in the First World War and died in 1917 aged 36, is the responsibility of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Author RichardContinue Reading

It’s a sorry sight, the overgrown grave of a Devizes soldier who served in the First World War. Author Richard Broadhead, of Hilmarton, was horrified when he visited Devizes Cemetery on Monday to do research for his latest book on The Great War featuring Devizes soldiers. He could not believe the condition of Private HerbertContinue Reading

Hilmarton author and historian Richard Broadhead launched his latest book at the Chippenham museum this week. MP Duncan Hames, Mayor Sandra Oakes and leader of Wiltshire Council Jane Scott all attended the launch of The Great War: Chippenham Soldiers on Wednesday.

A soldier from Calne who died during the First World War and was buried under a civilian gravestone is finally to have full honours. Ernest Bennett, who died on Christmas Day 1916 of an illness after being discharged as unfit for service, received a full military funeral. However, he was buried in Trowbridge Cemetery withoutContinue Reading