The village of Purton just outside Swindon in Wiltshire is no different to countless similar sized villages throughout the country. In the hour of need it offered well over 400 of its young men and women to serve their country throughout the Great War of 1914 -1918, many of whom would die as a consequence. No different to any other village, Purton`s loss was greatly felt and discussion held as to how they should be fittingly remembered. The most notable memorial within the village is that of the War Memorial located on the high street. This however isn’t the only Great War memorial within the village.

• War Memorial on the high street
• Wooden memorial board located inside St Mary’s church
• A book of remembrance located inside St Mary’s church

These I have used and make reference to throughout my research, there is also a further scroll of Honour inside the Red House as well as the Red House and Village Centre itself that are a legacy of the War.

After the Second World War further names were added to the War Memorial and other memorials erected but this booklet only covers the period of the Great War.

The War Memorial stands like any other Great War Memorial in a prominent position within the community. It is seen by the vast majority of those who pass through the village but many indeed most have little knowledge of the men and the actions they endured over 90 years ago. The annual armistice service is well attended and the memorial lit up throughout the week of remembrance making a striking sight for those passing.

The site itself still offers views across the Wiltshire countryside despite the huge housing developments that spread from nearby Swindon. The unveiling and dedication of the Memorial was conducted on the 26th of December 1920 drawing a large crowd of both families affected by the War and onlookers from the surrounding area.




1920

2009

Canon Rawlins composed a fitting passage that is carried on the base of the monument.

They died in war,
That we at peace might live.
They gave their best
So we our best should give,
Not for ourselves
For justice, Freedom, Right they fought
And bid us forward to the fight

One of the villagers to fall during the Great War was Captain M S Richardson. Capt Richardson’s mother Ethel buried at the foundation of the memorial a bottle containing some grass and soil from his grave plot at Fricourt on the Somme, other names were recorded and placed in another bottle in a similar fashion. The Memorial Surrounded by a superbly kept garden is indeed a fitting tribute to those who left the small Wiltshire village never to return.

The War memorial displays the names of 55 village men folk. The names are generally recorded in Alphabetical order on 3 of the hexagonal faces. There is no age or reference to rank held at the time of passing, just proud names that stare out across the Wiltshire countryside.



Inside the village Church at St Mary’s on the Western wall is a memorial board listing 50 names, topped with a shrine of St George. There is also a beautiful book of remembrance that lists the fallen by name, year and date that the villagers fell. The pages of this book are turned so that they display as a way of constant remembrance to the fallen. To the rear of this book is a list of those who went to the Great War and returned to the village afterwards. This book was based upon the ideas of Captain Richardson’s mother, the pages made of lambskin and lettering in clear bright color even today, the details of the book are included in Ethel’s book “Remembrance Wakes”.



Memorials that are of a more personal form are located within St Mary’s churchyard. Headstones that mark the burial plots of 5 men wounded during the Great War who died of these wounds whilst recovering back in “Blighty”. A further 2 headstones have inscriptions to village men who are buried or remembered overseas, their families recording their passing on family headstones. Another grave that of Albert Bunce is also in St Mary’s churchyard he died after he was discharged from the Army.



It is worth noting at this point the CWGC guidelines to headstones. After both World Wars the relatives of men who died in the home country were given two choices not given to the relatives of those who died overseas, overseas servicemen were buried in communal cemeteries close to where they died. Relatives at home could choose to bury the casualty where they wished and they could choose to have an official CWGC stone erected or select their own private memorial. If a private memorial was selected (and many were erected before the CWGC stone became available), CWGC has no responsibility for maintenance. However, this does not alter its status as a war grave and recording by CWGC.

The Commission does inspect these private graves regularly to see if the name is still visible. If it is not, they will seek permission from relatives or the cemetery authority to erect an official stone. This permission is usually forthcoming - but not always. The poor condition of many private war graves in the UK is a direct consequence of the relatives being granted this option. It should also be remembered that, initially, CWGC was not going to be responsible for any graves at home but this was added to their remit later.

The names of the fallen are recorded on 3 panels of the War memorial as follows.

T.R.BARTLETT
R.BEASSANT
A.BROWN M.C
V.OAKLEY-BROWN
J.R.BROWN
A.BUNCE
A.BUNCE
F.BURGESS
P.COOK
E.CURTIS
F.N.DANIELS
L.DUNSFORD
T.EMBURY
V.EVELEIGH
B.FISHER
M.GREEN
R.S GRIMES
S.F.HAINES

E.H.HARRISON
W.J.HAYNES
E.H.HEDGES
P.HEDGES
R.JEFFERIES
E.KIBBLEWHITE
C.LANDER
E.LEECH
A.LEWIS
H.LEWIS
V.LOVELOCK
H.MARTIN
M.E.MARTIN
H.MATTHEWS
P.C.MATTHEWS
F.MERCHANT
L.G.MILLS
F.J.MILLS
F.C.LANE

G.A.PAGINTON
A.PARSONS
W.C.PARSONS
M.S.RICHARDSON
E.SAUNDERS
J.SELWOOD
R.SELWOOD
S.SMITH
F.STALEY
F.SUTTON
F.W.SUTTON
J.TUCK
M.T.WEBB
E.WILLIAMS
E.J.WOOLFORD
H.S.WOOLFORD
J.J.WOOLFORD
J.LANE

A total number of 55 Names are recorded for the Great War period on Purton`s War memorial.