High proportion of villagers who served

[Moonraker]

Walking through Ramsbury in Wiltshire this afternoon, I passed the premises of the local British Legion and spotted a poster asking for information about the 335 local men who had served in the Great War

website

What hit me was the number - 335 - which seemed very high for what was, and still is, a very rural area.

Now I'm home, I've checked the 1915 Kelly's Directory for Wiltshire and found that the population of Ramsbury & Axford (a smaller village to the west) was 2,329. Let's say half of these were women, which suggests a third of all the males left home to serve.

Remarkable, or not?

Moonraker

[Guest]

Not sure if it's that unusual Moonraker. I don't have a figure for my own area, but there seems to be quite a number, maybe 300-500 possibly more. I suppose there's bound to be a high percentage after conscription?

Mike

[marshdeen]

Not so unusual I suppose.

I have just finished a Book of Remembrance for a small village Scapegoat Hill, near Huddersfield

and their plaque shows 232 men served and survived and 38 died.

Aim to have 270 poppies at commemoration service on 3rd August 2014 3pm.