Month: October 2018

When World War One ended in 1918, the people of Britain celebrated for three days. People took to the streets, lighting bonfires and tearing down war propaganda.        However, others were more sober, and war memorials were already being erected across the country.

Memorials celebrated victory but also sacrifice and loss, and were a way to ensure that later generations would not forget the war.

Above the old entrance to Thornton Primary School, there is a rather unusual memorial. Unusual in that it bears, not only the names of the nine men from Thornton whose lives were lost, but also the fifty-two names of those who went away to War and survived. That’s sixty-one men from the tiny little village that Thornton would have been at that time. What effect those terrible experiences had upon their future lives, and upon their families, one can only imagine.

The members of Thornton WI want to mark the end of WWI  in a way that will allow any villager who would like to be involved, to honour the memories of all those who served our country.

We are making remembrance wreaths and hope that in November they willl be displayed in windows throughout the village.

Nine will be sponsored by the WI and will be dedicated to the memory of those who died:

They will be displayed, where possible, in, or close to, the houses where they lived.

Would you like to purchase and display a wreath in your window?

They will be made by WI members and friends. The price of a wreath will be £3 – £2 will cover the cost of materials and the other £1 will be donated to the Royal British Legion.

We very much hope that a wonderful display of wreaths throughout the village will show that we all do remember with honour and respect.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ORDER ONE, then please either ring Muriel on 01455 822148, or make contact on the Thornton Residents Facebook Page.

If you don’t live in Thornton, then, of course, you may still participate and order a wreath from us.

AN IMPORTANT DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:

On Thursday, 8th November , there will be on Open Meeting , to which you are all invited,  at Thornton Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. , when Dr. John Sutton will speak on “The Story of the Unknown Warrior”.

This talk tells the story of where the idea of an unknown warrior was first conceived , and the very differing opinions of the King and the British government. The talk also focuses on how the Unknown Warrior was selected and his journey home from France, and the nation’s reaction to the burial service in Westminster Abbey.

Dr. Sutton is a noted military historian, and we are fortunate to have been able to book this talk so fittingly close to Remembrance Day.

There will be an exhibition of militaria, and the booklet, “Lest We Forget”, which tells of the nine Thornton men who lost their lives in WWI, will also be on sale.

The income from the sale of those books goes to the Royal British Legion.

Muriel Walker