Big plans for Thame’s commemoration of WW1 centenary

THAME’S ambitious plans for this year’s centenary of World War One have been revealed by the town council, from where the event will be co-ordinated, and they include researching the lives of every name on the town’s memorials, locating each grave throughout the world and placing a special cross on each resting place.

Thame’s Memorial Gardens in Autumn (Photographer unknown)

There are at least seven memorials in the town with around 180 individual names on them and it is hoped that everyone in the town, from its school children to those descendants of relatives directly involved in WW1, will take part in the research to produce a lasting record for the town. The big challenge will then be the ‘cross delivery programme’ to places including France, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Egypt, India, Iraq, Singapore and Tanzania, as well as ocean graves where navy crews went down with their ships. How this will be achieved will depend on the ingenuity and imagination of the people of Thame – already offers have come from people taking holidays in some of these places or others making business trips to a region where a grave is sited.

It is hoped that the main funding for the project, initial estimated cost currently being £22,000, will come from the Heritage Lottery Fund but more help will be needed through grants, and donations from townspeople and local businesses.

An exhibition of material from the project is planned for Thame Museum and a big launch event on August 3 (the eve of the centenary of the start of WW1) to start the cross delivery programme.

More information about the project will be available via leaflets and posters, a website, a video and presentations at schools and town events.

Anyone can get involved by registering their interest with either David Bretherton or Mike Dyer at Thame Museum: 01844 212801.