‘Holsworthy World War One 100 years – to the Memory of the Fallen and the Future of the Living’
Holsworthy Town Council is starting its newest project ‘Holsworthy World War One 100 years – to the Memory of the Fallen and the Future of the Living’ to commemorate the end of WW1. It is joining with other local community organisations to organise a series of events, heritage exhibitions and commemorations to thank and remember all those individuals who went through the War to end all Wars. The group comprises of volunteers from the local Museum, Scouts, RBL branch, Lions and Rotary Clubs, Youth Club, Amateur Theatre Society, the local Primary School and Community College and Parish Councils to make sure that all in this very rural area can become involved in their heritage in ways that would be for them understandable, meaningful and enjoyable and also learn more about, commemorate and thank a generation who gave and sacrificed so much.
One of the ambitious aims of the project is to turn Holsworthy into the ‘Poppy Town’ of Devon ensuring that from May onwards everywhere possible in the Townis planted with poppies with everyonebeing encouraged to place a poppy or poppies (flower, knitted, ceramic, cardboard, drawn etc) in the window of their house or garden. The Council is giving out free small bags of poppy seeds, including to the Primary school, Community College and Youth Centre, to encourage all to take part. If anyone from the town would like the seeds they are available from the Visitor Information Centre in the Memorial Hall, Manor Car Park. Holsworthy Rubies WI will be busy making poppies! Also, if anyone would like a free knitting and/crochet pattern for making a poppy these can be obtained from the Town Council’s website, from the Visitor Information Centre or from Sue of Yarns of Holsworthy in Victoria Square.
However, the Poppies are just a part of the project, it is intended that a permanent WW1 Memorial Tree Trail will be planted by the Town Council in the Stanhope Park. 39 trees will be planted dotted around the park remembering the 39 local servicemen who died during the War and a 40th mature apple tree will be planted for those that survived and those that lived through it; symbolising the future of the living. Each tree will have a plaque with the photo (if possible), name and brief history of the deceased with the 40th tree having a large silhouette plaque of the Silent Soldier which will be produced by the local 'Man Shed'. There will also be at the entrance to the Park an Information Board about the tree trail and why it was created and who contributed to the Project. The information on the Board will also be contained on a leaflet which will also be obtainable on line and via the Town Council's and Museum website. It is hoped that local businesses, organisations, Parish Councils and individuals will help towards the costs of the trees by sponsoring a tree at a cost of £250 each which will include their logos or name being added to the plaque on the tree they have sponsored. This has already been popular with some trees already being sponsored but if anyone is interested in becoming a ‘tree sponsor’ please contact the Town Council asap on 01409 253312 or by email on
The local 'Men Shed' will make a number of bird Boxes which will be placed on the more mature trees and the new Apple Tree in the Park to encourage birds to nest within the trees new and old.
The planting of the trees with be done by local volunteers, young people from the College, and Army Cadets under the guidance of the Town Council's Gardener. Children from the Primary School, College and Youth Club will be encouraged to look after the trees and will also be involved in planting poppies throughout the Town. This will help not only in reinforcing the human 'stories' behind the trees and memorial plaques but encourage them to look after them.
Holsworthy Museum, as well as providing information about the servicemen in the area, will be holding an exhibition throughout the Project period not only on the casualties of WW1 but on the area during the period and before and after. As part of this the community will be asked to add to the existing information held by relating information, stories, photographs and memories about their relatives and families during the time. Several of the casualties’ relations still live locally and many of their houses and farms are still in existence.
Other Events being planned are a family orientated picnic Celebration Party, as happened at the end of WW1, in Stanhope Park with entertainment and the launch of the Tree Memorial (subject to funding), the College holding a Remembrance Concert, children from the Primary School learning about the era and planting poppies, Holsworthy Amateur Theatre Society presenting readings, music, dramatisations, poetry, comedy from the era, overgrown War Graves in the Churchyard being tidied by the Scouts, and on Remembrance Sunday 11th November 2018 the Remembrance Parade and Service with at 7pm the lighting of a Beacon on the Church Tower to join with other Beacons all over the UK as part of the Battles Over – A Nations Tribute 100 years of Remembrance.’