The Westbury Area Family History Group will welcome Andrew Janes, who will give a talk entitled ‘From Farmer’s Field to Flanders Fields’ on Thursday 25th May.
Many of the personnel records of First World War soldiers were destroyed or severely damaged by fire. This talk illustrates the use of other sources to compile a service record for a soldier killed in 1916, and also shows what is available in a surviving record for his younger brother, the speaker’s grandfather, who survived the war.
The Westbury Area Family History Group meets every fourth Thursday of the month at 7.15pm in the foyer of Westbury’s Methodist Church. The branch has regular interesting and informative talks and discussions by members and guest speakers on all aspects of family history and general history.
“The Westbury Group’s project to find the names of the men from Westbury and the surrounding villages who joined up and served in WW1 continues, and we would still like to hear from anyone who can add to the archives that already exist.
“We are collating the information in the following groups:- Men who were born and resident in Westbury when enlisting. Men who were resident, but born elsewhere, when enlisting, and men who were born in Westbury but living elsewhere when enlisting.
“It is very much hoped that private photographs of both the people and the area will come to light, adding to the area’s photographic heritage. Much is made of the men who lost their lives in the conflict but little is known of the men who joined up and returned.
“The project will allow schools and historians to explore the life of this area at this time and add to the town’s cultural knowledge.”
