Burton Overy WW1 Commemorations

Burton Overy has done much work to research the backgrounds of the eight war dead who are remembered on the war memorial in the village church. At a church service on Sunday 3 August, their stories were told and Hayley Welby – great granddaughter of John Cox, who is buried in a commonwealth war grave in the churchyard – read his poignant story.

Photos provided by villagers and descendants and work by local children were on display in the village hall and the church will have a more permanent display of the stories. In addition, the eight are being remembered on individual memorial boards around the village, including three together to represent three brothers from the one family who fell (one of which is Hayley’s Great Granddad). The village is providing a commemorative tea towel and a replica gospel of St John to each household, the booklet that was provided to all soldiers before they went to war. A reading and hymns from the booklet were in the service.