~~In the year that marks the centenary of the end of WW1 the Friends of Fordingbridge Museum have chosen a very appropriate guest speaker for their Annual General Meeting at Avonway on Tuesday 6th February 2018.

Lt Col Mike Richardson OBE is a retired British Army officer who has conducted extensive research into the lives of the 55 members of the communities of the Western Downland villages comprising of Damerham, Martin, Rockbourne and Whitsbury, who died in service during both World Wars. He has collected his research into a booklet of comprehensive, illustrated biographies, copies of which have been placed in the four parish churches, each village hall and the local school. In his talk, Mike will give an overview of how he conducted his research and describe the personal and service lives of a number of the Western Downland fallen.

Jon Ingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Museum, said; “Mike has worked for two years to produce a meticulous account of the local people who left their rural villages for the horrors of the WW1 trenches and never returned.  He is determined that these courageous young men are not regarded as merely names on a war memorial.  We look forward to him bringing them back to life in our imagination as he gives us a fascinating insight into their lives and death.”

The Annual General Meeting starts at 2.30 pm with a brief museum business session which will then be followed a short tea break and then the talk. This free event is open to the general public.