Bulkington War Memorial
The seven names recorded on the Memorial plaque are those of villagers who lost their lives in The Great War 1914 -1918. More information about these poor souls can be found on the following link; The Roll of Honour Copyright © of The Roll-of-Honour.com. One could almost tell the story of the Great War through the experiences of these seven men. The first (Pte Pickett) was a Wiltshire Regiment reservist who deployed with the original BEF and died near Le Cateau on the Retreat from Mons. The second (Lt Gaisford) died with the Indian Corps at Festubert in 1914 in the first months of proper trench warfare. The third (Sjt Hicks) was killed at Gallipoli. The fourth (Lt Col Gaisford) literally disappeared when he took a direct hit from an artillery shell after his battalion had successfully captured (but ultimately did not hold) the Hohenzollern Redoubt at Loos - the first blooding of the New Armies. The fifth (Stoker Harrell) died of complications from an illness on board a guardship (HMS Glory) at the Russian port of Archangel. The sixth (Pte Wareham) was the victim of retaliatory shellfire whilst serving in the trenches around Ypres. And the seventh (Capt Gaisford) was shot down over enemy lines whilst flying a reconnaisance mission in Italy.
The Parish Council Commemorates 1918
The war memorial marks the end of the fighting in November 1918. Funded partly by the Melksham Area Board and partly by the Parish Council on behalf of the residents of Bulkington, it is hoped that this new memorial stone will last for another 100 years. The Memorial was installed on October 28th 2017.
The order for the commemorative stone was been placed with James Long (masons) Ltd of Trowbridge. The stone chosen is a block of high quality grey Karin granite, measuring 24 x 24 x 8 inches. The top surface sloping, highly polished and inscribed ' NEVER FORGET 11.11.1918'.
Melksham Area Board agreed to fund 50% of the total cost of the stone.
100 years ago, September 1917, the 3rd Battle of Ypres, aka. Passchendaele, staggers on. Mons, Loos, the Somme have taken a terrible toll. British deaths in WW1 have now reached the 600,000 mark. With the German Spring Offensive of 1918 still to come, the British losses will reach three quarters of a million dead.