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Swindon Heritage sets up group to get ready for Great War commemorations
Swindon in the Great War is a new group founded by Swindon Heritage and other local historians to commemorate next year’s centenary of the
outbreak of the First World War, and to organise and help coordinate events marking the four years of carnage which followed.
Support is gathering and a range Radnor Street Cemetery, which is an “It would be disastrous for Swindon agreed to chair a meeting to see how
of events are planned, but the group official Commonwealth War Graves if we did not do our bit to remember we can work with the council on this.
is also hoping to be an umbrella or- Commission cemetery, its base. a war that changed the world forever.” “We can’t go ahead until we are
ganisation for others in the town who “There have been some issues with The group have already received the sure we have the backing of the local
have ideas for the centenary. Swindon Borough Council over com- backing of Robert Buckland, MP for authority, but we are now hopeful
Mark Sutton, an authority on munity access to the cemetery in the South Swindon. we will have something positive to
soldiers from Swindon who fought last couple of years, and now we are Mark added: “Robert has a personal report soon.”
in the war, said the town was in asking them to help rather than hinder interest and knowledge of the history See more at: www.swindoninthe-
danger of missing out on what will us,” said Mark. of the war, so we’re delighted he has greatwar.wordpress.com
be a major national commemoration.
He said: “It seemed to us that plans
have been made all over the country, New College graduate pursues navy career after time with air cadets
but not here. The rest of Wiltshire is Oliver Mendham, from Nine Elms, has gone to sea after attaining a high rank with West Swindon based 633
already gearing up and have funding, Squadron Air Training Cadets.
but nothing seemed to be planned for After graduating from New Col- officer since my school days, which
Swindon, even though the town had lege, the 21 year-old gave up a job as grew from my time in the ATC. The
a big part to play in the war. a salesman to undergo an intensive Royal Navy offers a great opportunity
“As well as around 1,500 men from 30 week training course at Britannia to serve the country whilst seeing the
the town who died in the conflict, Royal Naval College, the first stage world, which has always appealed to
there was also a huge training camp in of his ambition to become a naval me. Overall the training was suitably
Chiseldon, and there is a big story to warfare officer. challenging with a great group of
be told about the war effort at home He spent two thirds of the training people. I feel incredibly proud to have
- such as the work of Mary Slade who at the college in Dartmouth, with passed out, having learnt so much in
received the MBE for the support she the final stage at sea on board the a short time. My ambitions are now
gave British prisoners of war.” helicopter carrier HMS Bulwark. to fully qualify as a warfare officer
Swindon in the Great War is plan- This included a trip to Rotterdam to going on to specialise as aircrew or
ning exhibitions, events and a blue celebrate the 40th anniversary of the commemorations for the 70th an- in intelligence.”
plaque-style scheme to mark the Anglo-Dutch amphibious partner- niversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. Oliver has now started the next
addresses of men who served. They ship and a visit to Liverpool where Oliver said: “I’ve had a strong stage of his specialist training at
hope to make the disused chapel at the ship and crew were part of the ambition to join the military as an Britannia.

14 swindonlink.com • September 2013