WW1 Project Nearly Complete

Just over a year since Unlocking Warwick launched the Warwick War Memorial Project to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War. A small group of the volunteers have researched nearly every one of the 364 WW1 names on the memorial in Church Street, to find the background stories of those from the town who died in the conflict.

The results are on the special website www.warwickwarmemorial.org.uk which has become a rich resource available to relatives, researchers, historians, students and local schools. 

Thousands of hours of researching has involved visits to the County Record Office to find death notices and contemporary accounts in the local newspapers, and searches of official databases online. But an invaluable source of material has been from Warwick families who responded to our appeal for information and photographs or letters. 

Project Leader Christine Shaw says, “It’s been a fascinating journey discovering the human stories behind the names on the brass plaques. It’s been particularly good to receive some lovely photos from family albums. But there are sure to be a few more hidden away, and we would welcome any more contributions to the website”.

The project has also revealed some of the resting places of the local men who died of their wounds in the UK. Other names have been discovered on headstones at family plots in local cemeteries. For example these two memorial stones were recently discovered in Warwick Cemetery.

Horace Megeney, who has worked for the Godfrey-Payton Land Agents was killed in action on September 21st 1918, less than 3 weeks before the Armistice was declared.

John Phillips, who lived in Vine Lane, died in a Southampton hospital in March 1919, six months after the fighting had ended, and was laid to rest in the family plot in Warwick.

If you have photos or information about someone from Warwick who died in WW1, contact Christine on info@warwickwarmemorial.org.uk