First World War Centenary

GWlogoLotteryFundedDo you have a Forncett relative who fought in the Great War of 1914 to 1918? Do you have family memories of these times, a photograph, letters or documents? Do you have any information of life in Forncett during those years?

If so we would love to hear from you - please contact Jackie Scully

Forncett Great War Project

Written by Jackie Scully.

Planning of Forncett History Group's major project is continuing and a couple of dates have been entered into the diary.

On Saturday 2nd August the Timeline will be launched. It is planned to situate this in St Mary's Church in the long term, but if renovation work has not been completed by then, the initial launch will be in St Peter's Church. In the evening of the 4th August, at 11pm, a Vigil will be held to commemorate the beginning of the First World War. Candles will be extinguished as a symbol of the then Foreign Secretary, Lord Gray's, remark "The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our time".

On 9th November 2014, Remembrance Sunday, there will be a dedication of the Books of Remembrance by the Bishop of Norwich in St Peter's Church. Although this is centred on those who gave their lives, we will also remember those Forncett men who served and returned; many wounded physically as well as mentally.

To this end we hope that relatives of the survivors as well as the Fallen will attend the service. It must not be forgotten that this service will also be honouring the victims if WW2. The names of a number of men who served in WW1 who did return is listed below, but if you know of others please get in touch as this is important to us. Of course we welcome all those who will wish to attend.

The timing of these events will be published at a later date along with a calendar of other activities we hope to incorporate during the period of commemoration of the Great War.

Known Forncett soldiers who returned:-
Bassingthwaite Charles
Blake Herbert
Brooks Edward
Coleman Arthur
Coleman William
Falgate Arthur
Falgate John William
Falgate Percy
Fryer Samuel
Gostling Claude
Gostling William
Gray Arthur
Gray William
Green Maurice
Harvey Alfred
Hunt William
King John
Lincoln George Charles
Lincoln Himalaya Cubitt
Newman John
Scott William
Sheldrake Horace
Skipper William
Symonds Reginald Edward
Thomas Edwin
Waters Harry

We will be grateful for any help that can be given.

Jackie Scully Co-ordinator of Forncett GWP

Commemoration of the Great War 1914 – 1918

Written by Jackie Scully.

Already ideas are beginning to be formed as to how we in Forncett might get involved in this. One idea is to create a 'timeline' concerning Forncett and its inhabitants during the period of the Great War. It would be in real time, starting at 4th August 1914 with the declaration of war and adding information as it came in; e.g. information regarding enlistment of local boys, news from the Front from letters received back home or recorded in a local magazine, and snippets of local activities arranged to help the war cause etc; and sadly news of the death of a soldier as and when it arrived. This would be interwoven with information on major events happening at the time. The information would provide a picture of how the war affected Forncett people, and could lead to a publication of this material.

There are hopefully people who have items, photographs and handed down memories of Forncett which could be copied and inserted in the timeline. This would include those who served in the War and survived.

I would like to hear from anyone who would like to get involved with this project and/or has material or information regarding Forncett men or people from the time which could be used. Please get in touch. Any original material will be copied and returned.

An ongoing research project into the names on the Forncett St Peter and Forncett St Mary war memorials is nearing completion and this will be part of the Great War commemorations. Plans are being made to have two books dedicated, hopefully on Remembrance Sunday 2014, following which one will be placed in each church.

If you have a relative who is named on either of the memorials and have not been in touch regarding this, I would like to hear from you. For those of you who have already contacted me I will be letting you know future developments.

Jackie Scully