hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn October 2014 | Page 50

Hedgerley Historical Society Wednesday 15th October 2014 Mike Senior will present A Bucks Village in the Great War When war was declared in August 1914 the tranquil way of life in this small Buckinghamshire village (The Lee) was changed forever. The local men were encouraged to enlist and many of them joined the local TA unit, the Bucks Battalion. The women, older men and children who were left behind in the village faced new and difficult circumstances. After 18 months of training in England the 2 Bucks Battalion was posted to the Western Front and took part in the fateful attack at Fromelles in July 1916. Nine men from the village were killed or seriously wounded during this attack. Seven of these men were among the “missing” - they just disappeared. Ninety-two years later a mass burial pit was discovered near Fromelles and, by means of DNA, a number of the remains were identified. While the events described are taken from one Buckinghamshire village, the same story could be told of any one of a thousand villages and towns thoughout Britain. MICHAEL SENIOR was born in Yorkshire and now lives in Buckinghamshire. He spent his working career in manufacturing industry. He has had a life-long interest in the First World War and, since his retirement, he has devoted much of his time to research, lecturing and writing about aspects of the Western Front. A history graduate, he has been awarded a Ph.D. for a study of Lieutenant General Sir Richard Haking who commanded the British XI Corps 1915-18. Bookings have opened for our Autumn Lunch on Saturday 25th October at 12 noon. 2 course hot lunch with wine/soft drinks £15. Places can be booked by telephoning John Lovelock on 01743 647187, emailing [email protected] or by post - send cheques (payable to Hedgerley Historical Society) to John Lovelock, 13 Coppice Way Hedgerley, Slough, Bucks, SL2 3YL Following the lunch Elias Kupfermann will present a talk on Vanishing Windsor. Monthly Meetings of Hedgerley Historical Society take place at Hedgerley Memorial Hall, Kiln Lane Hedgerley SL2 3UZ at 8pm and visitors are most welcome. Further details from John Lovelock 01753-647187 [email protected] 50 To advertise in Hiya Bucks text or call 07947 349134