Benenden

Special event

War Memorial Postcard
(Image and more details of those commemorated by the war memorial at www.roll-of-honour.com/Kent/Benenden.html)

The unveiling of the Benenden War Memorial by the Hon. Esmond Harmsworth, MP, on February 27th 1921.
(The sculptor was Albert Toft)

Commemoration event Sunday 3rd August 2014 commencing 4.30pm

To commemorate the outbreak of the Great War the Parish and Parochial church Councils have invited the descendants and families of all of the 32 casualties named on the village war memorials to return to Benenden on Sunday 3rd August.

All parishioners are invited to join them in a brief act of Remembrance at 4.30pm at the War Memorial opposite the Bull.

Afterwards all are invited to a special service of commemoration at 5pm at St George's which will take the place of the usual monthly service of Evensong. Candles will be lit as a vigil to these village men and a village wreath will be laid in the Church. Appropriate music forms a part of this service.

A display based on the Village before WWI, the effect of over 126 parish men enlisting soon after war broke out, of whom 32 did not return, and the permanent changes brought about as a result of the catastrophe of a World War will be open at the West end of the church and for the following 5 days.

Refreshments will be offered to all afterwards when we shall take the opportunity of learning more about the ancestors of the families who are returning from all over the United Kingdom, welcoming those who have returned to Benenden or who, despite this sad connection, will perhaps be first time visitors who may learn what a close knit community existed before the events of 100 years ago.

You are warmly invited to join together in this special gathering

The names on the War Memorials at St George's Parish Church, Benenden, The Congregational Church, Iden Green and The Village War Memorial...

William BairdEdward ColeyWilliam HumphreyPercy Moore
George BoxallLeonard Coley George JennerWilliam Roff
Harry BridglandGeorge CouchmanFrancis MarshallCharles Russell
Vincent Bridgland Alfred FosterBenjamin MatthewsJohn Taylor
Archibald BurtHerbert HarmerThomas MatthewsErnest Watson
Robert BurtVyvyan HarmsworthAlbert PaveyJack Watson
William ColeVere HarmsworthStanley PaveyGeorge Weeks
Albert CresswellRichard HoareGeorge PaveyCharles Worsley

Copyright Tim Dwyer 2014 - timdwyer@benenden.org.uk