Real stories... real people.

My name is Cecil Button and I was born on 24th July 1915.
My family and I lived at 2 Fairfield Cottages in Peasedown St John.
Life was very hard, especially for my father, David, who worked in the mines.

My mother, Mary, took care of us all, as I was the youngest of three older brothers and three older sisters.

Frank worked in the mines, Arthur was a master baker and confectioner, and Frederick was a builder’s labourer.

My sisters, Ethel, Annie and Elsie were all married by 1925.

Although I started work in the mines I decided to enlist in the Coldstream Guards in 1934 but transferred to the Royal Horse Guards in 1936, just before war broke out in 1939.

In 1940 I met and fell in love with the girl who was to become my wife Gladys Lillian Palmer. Our first son David was born in 1941 followed in 1943 by our second son Graham.

My family was everything to me and my time on leave very precious.

I was posted to Italy and became a Sergeant in the Military Police.
On 1st September 1944 I was struck down by a fever that was to take my life at 29years of age and I was destined never to see my dear wife again or watch my beloved sons grow into the fine young men I always hoped they would become.

My name is Herbert William Bampfylde, and I was born in 1918. Our family home was in Dunkerton.

My dad’s name was Charles, and my mother’s Maria. Mt dad worked in the coal mines as did his father before him, while my mother stayed at home and took care of the family of four children.

I had two older brothers, Leslie and Leonard and our younger sister Pearl.

In 1924, our family was devastated at the death of our father, who was only 36 years old. We children were still so young and unable to comprehend why our father had left us, but we knew that our lives had changed forever. I was only six years old at the time.

In 1939, at 21 years I was to find great happiness with Sheila, the girl who was to become my wife. We settled into contented married life, and I had a good job as a journeyman painter.

Unfortunately, our lives were to change drastically with the declaration of war with Germany.

I knew I had to do my duty for my country and enlisted as a Private with the Green Howards Infantry. Our unit was sent to France.

On the 10th August 1944, was to be the last day that I would see the sun set beneath the horizon, together with 18 of my comrades.

Never to enjoy the beauty of the green fields of home, my wife’s welcoming smile,e and to feel the comfort of her arms around me.

I was only 26 years old.

My name is Mark Ford, and I was born early in 1881 in Wellow near Peasedown St John, Somerset.

I was the youngest of 11 children and the son of Thomas and Ellen Ford. My father was a coal miner, as were seven of my brothers, including myself.

I learnt my trade in South Wales coal mines in Abitillery, Monmouthshire, but I longed to return to Peasedown St John, which I did after a few years.

In 1910, I met and married Emily, a local girl and settled into married life in Wellow. We were blessed with four much-loved children, George, Phyllis, Hubert and Ethel.

With the advent of war, I made the difficult decision to enlist and to leave my wife and young family to fight for them and for my country. I joined up as a Private in the Royal Berkshire Regiment, serving in their 10th Battalion.

In 1916, my unit became the 158th whilst serving in France. During this time, I was severely wounded by an exploding shell and was immediately repatriated to England, where I was admitted to the Military Hospital in York.

My injuries were of great concern, and the doctors thought it advisable to send for my dearest Emily as soon as possible.

When she arrived at my bedside, I knew that our time together was to be the last moments that we would share. As I looked into her loving eyes, saw her gentle smile and listened to her comforting words, I took my last breath. This was on the 28th October 1917, and I was 36 years old. My dear Emily had to return home to tell our four young children that their daddy would not be coming home again.

My name is Albert Thomas Swift, and I was born in Cameroon in 1894, the eldest of six children.

My brother Walter Francis was born in 1896 when I was two, Arthur Edward’s when I was four, my sister Gwendoline May when I was seven, and Lillian Gertrude a year later. My youngest sister, Malala Dorothy, was born in 1906 when I was 12.

Times were hard, but we had each other, sometimes squabbling as siblings do, but we always knew we were loved and well cared for.

Then the world became a very frightening place as the threat of war loomed before us. We prayed that it would not happen, but unfortunately, in 1914, war was declared and our lives changed forever.

I was 20 years old. I loved my country and my family and thought it my duty to protect both, and so enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry. I said a fond and tearful farewell to my family. My parents said they were proud of me, but I could see the pain and worry in their eyes.

The 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry were posted to France, where I encountered what war was really like. Life in the trenches was indescribable at times, with little time or opportunity to sleep.

The Battle of the Somme was my final battle I was to fight, and on 29 June 1916 I took my last breath, my thoughts with my family I so dearly loved and would be unable to share any more precious moments with.

My name is Frederick Charles Westerman and I was born on 26th September 1877 in Bristol and baptised at St Phillip and St Jacob on 18th November 1877.

I had a sister, Minnie Beatrice, who was born in July 1880. I was excited to have a little sister to play with and we were very close growing up.

Our parents moved to Poplar in London.

When I was 24 years old, I met Alice Webb and realised that this lovely girl was the one person I wanted to share my life with.

We married on 9th November 1901 at St Mary’s Church in Hanwell. We were blessed over the next few years with our darling children, Alice Maud, Frederick Charles and Beatrice Nellie, all born in Hanwell. Unfortunately, our little Alice died shortly after birth.

We then moved to Clutton in Somerset and Alice gave birth to three more children: Elizabeth May, William John and Christina Alice. Again, sadly, we lost William soon after his birth.

We felt we were fortunate to experience the joy of our four other children despite the loss of Alice and William.

We moved to Lower Peasedown and settled into life with our young family. I worked as a bricklayer — it was hard physically.

We were living under the threat of possible war in Europe but never believed it would really happen. Of course, it did, and at 37 years old I knew I had to defend my country and protect those that I loved most in the world.

I enlisted in the Royal Engineers 479th Field Company in 1914, said goodbye to my dear wife and children, which broke my heart. Looking into their tear-filled eyes and having to walk away took almost all my courage.

My company were located to Flanders. Fighting and living in the trenches was unbearable, but myself and my comrades knew we had no choice. It was a case of fight or be defeated.

By summer of 1917, we all thought that we were invincible and that the end of this destructive war was not far away.

There was to be no escape for me, and I fell in action in the poppy fields of Flanders. I closed my eyes for the last time on 4th June 1917.

My last thoughts were for my family and the tears they would share when they were told I wouldn’t be coming home.

My name is Frederick Charles Davidge, and I was born in 1896. I was the eldest son of five siblings, two brothers and two sisters, Ann, John, William and Clara.

We lived at 49 Hillside View, Peasedown St John. My father worked at a quarry in Moncton Combe, and my mother took care of all of us. Family life was quite hectic but happy.

At the age of 15, I married my childhood sweetheart, and we welcomed the birth of our beautiful little girl, whom we named Hilda Phyllis.

Then in 1913, my father was tragically killed in an accident at work, and at 17 years old, I was suddenly the head of the family.

Unfortunately war was declared a year later in 1914 and I along with many others, enlisted as a driver in the Royal Field Artillery, 18th Division Ammunition Column.

I was engaged in moving supplies in the Somme, and on the 3rd October 1915, having served for less than a year, I said good night to the world. Never again would I enjoy watching the sun set over the Mendip Hills in my village of Peasedown St John.

Leaving behind my lovely little daughter to grow up without her daddy, and my dearest wife to care for her alone.

My mother lost her eldest son to help raise my four younger siblings.

My last thoughts were for peace and the war to end soon and for my family to survive and live a good, happy and contented lives, even though I would not be there to share their future with them.

I am Private Frederick Philip Cole, the son of Frederick and Lydia Cole of 41 Hillside View in Peasedown St John.

I had three brothers – Ernest, Herbert and Thomas.

I obtained an apprenticeship as a painter and decorator to Messers Gowen and Stevens and shortly after finishing my training I decided to join the Army, initially for three years but then signed on as a reserve for nine years.

At the outbreak of war I was recalled to my regiment, the 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment.

I was engaged and due to be married to my lovely fiancée but we were unable to wed before i had to leave her to join my comrades.

My brothers Ernest and Herbert joined the 3rd and 5th Wiltshire Regiment and Thomas was with the Royal Navy at Perham Down.

My regiment landed at Rouen in France on 14tn August 1914. We were in the vicinity of Ypres and suffered severe artillery bombardment and although I fought with great valour both myself and many of my comrades suffered fatally and I took my last breath on December 26th 1914.

My dearest parents and fiancée were never to know where I lay but could take comfort that my name was engraved on Panel 53 on the Menin Gate and that each night the bugler would play the Last Post to honour all those who had sacrificed so much in the defence of their town and its people.