Welcome

We hope you will read the short article below, written by Councillor Angela Trend, which gives a local flavour to one of the reasons why we look back to the 1914-18 World War and to the various activities that will go on throughout the country in November this year to commemorate the end of this awful time in our history.

LEST WE FORGET

Autumn 1915.

Lyndhurst was packed. Not with tourists like today but soldiers preparing for war.

Every hotel and guest house room, every spare room in homes was taken to billet the men.

Around Lyndhurst all green spaces, forest land and fields were crammed with tents. Stables, sheds and outhouses were stables for the horses.

15,000 men, most between 18 and 21, lined up to march the 12 miles from the Bench to Southampton docks.

There were still men waiting to leave Lyndhurst while the first soldiers were embarking for France, the Somme, the Front.

One week later only 2,300 of these 15,000 men, known as ‘the Immortal Seventh Division’ were still alive.

Nearly 13,000 had died.

Many more were badly injured. These young men had spent their last night here in Lyndhurst.

They were all someone’s son, father, brother, husband, uncle, cousin, workmate, neighbour or school friend.

Our local heroes are remembered at public memorials at the Bench and the Emery Down Lych Gate.

November 11, 2018 commemorates the end of this, The First World War.

 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Below is a photograph of the seat we would like to purchase.  It is made by David Ogilvie and their website is www.david.ogilvie.com  This seat is the Armed Forces memorial seat.

Armed Forces Memorial seat