RESIDENTS and family members of veterans and fallen soldiers from the First World War gathered at St Michael’s Church in Salwarpe this weekend to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the conflict.
The service was led by Canon Keith Withington, and Royal British Legion standards were represented to the altar before an address from Barbara Meddings from the parish council, during which she read out the names of 11 soldiers from the parish who died in the war.
The service also acted as a re-dedication for the parish war memorial, which has received funding for repair work, and wreaths were laid on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, Hindlip, Martin Hussingtree and Salwarpe Parish Council, the parishioners of Salwarpe and the British Red Cross.
11 memorial crosses were also laid for each of the 11 soldiers.
Three of the dead soldiers were from the Dovey family, and members of the family attended the service to remember their relatives.
The 11 soldiers remembered on the memorial are William Austin, William Bruton, Henry Dovey, Percey Dovey, Benjamin Harper, Matthew Hartland, Cyril Joynes, Bernard Mantle, Christopher Piper and Albert Prescott.
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