Swindon in the Great War

The people of Swindon marked the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War across the town in a variety of events this week.

On Monday August 4 Dr Mike Pringle (pictured below) launched the publication of his book Great War Britain - Swindon: Remembering 1914-18. A professional in the arts and heritage sector, Mike follows in the footsteps of headteacher WD Bavin who in 1922 was commissioned by Swindon Corporation to write Swindon's War Record. Read more about Mike's book in The Link Magazine.

Tuesday was a busy day for Swindon in the Great War volunteers who welcomed Swindon Mayor Teresa Page to open their exhibition - One Town's War - at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, Bath Road, Swindon. The exhibition, created by volunteers and funded by an HLF grant, features exhibits and artefacts donated by Great War historians Mark Sutton and Richard Fisher. The exhibition will run until January 31, 2015. The Museum is open Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 3pm.

On Friday evening a free, public viewing of Steven Spielberg's War Horse, adapted from a children's novel by Michael Morpurgo, was shown on the big screen at Wharf Green and on Saturday August 9 the Brunel Centre hosted a series of Great War events in and around the shopping centre.

And in conversation with Alastair Greener of SwindonWeb, Mike talks about Swindon during the Great War. Among the topics he discusses is the work of Old Town furnishers Gilberts who provided furniture for Chiseldon Camp and the story of two incredible Swindon women. Mary Slade MBE and Kate Handley headed a team of volunteers who collected provisions for the men of the Wiltshire Regiment. They later went on to support Swindon men taken prisoner of war. Read more about these women in Swindon in the Past Lane and visit the exhibition to see evidence of their work.

Commemorations continue next week with a local history exhibition in the Radnor Street Cemetery Chapel and guided cemetery walks on Sunday August 19. For further details see below.