A Year In Pictures 2019

2019 was another interesting year, exploring our collections and discovering new things. January Our Assistant Librarian, Sandi, wrote about the research she had been doing on the Plaster Ceilings of Barnstaple in the first post of the year. March Was a big month for us as we worked together with British Military History to put …

100 Years of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

On this day in 1917, a Royal Charter was given establishing what is now known as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). The cemeteries and graves the Commission look after can found across the world. The Commission was the brainchild of Sir Fabian Ware who, being too old to fight in World War One, commanded …

Home From Dujailah – Braunton Sergeant’s Experiences in Mesopotamia

In August 1916 one of the journalists from the North Devon Journal visited Sergt. George Kerswell in Braunton. George Kerswell was born in Dunsford, near Exeter, in 1878 before moving to Braunton. By the time he went to war he had a wife, two sons and a step-daughter and was in the thick of the …

The Priscott Twins

Fred and Reg Priscott, twin brothers, served with the 1st 6th Devons in both India and Mesopotamia during the First World War. Born 18th October 1895, in Barnstaple, they were the Regiments only serving twins. Before the war both Frederick John and Reginald James Priscott were working for local furniture maker Shapland and Petter and …

Discover the Battle of Dujailah & the 1/6th Devons…On Our Shelves

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Dujailah. While it remains one of the less well known battles of the First World War, but for North Devon it was one of the worst. Some 49 officers and men were killed from the 1/6th Devonshire Regiment in one day and hundreds more died as a …

Sixth Devons -Leaving Lahore for Active Service

The following article taken from the North Devon Herald includes another letter from one of the Priscott twins who were serving in the 1/6th Devonshire Regiment. By the time it was published they had already arrived in the Persian Gulf and were making their way from Basra to Sheikh Saad on foot...Barum Athena The 1/6th …

6th Devons in Persian Gulf – Barumites Who Hope to Reach Bagdad

Twin brothers Fred and Reg Priscott were members of the 1/6th Devonshire Regiment a Territorial Regiment which drew it's numbers from Barnstaple and North Devon. By Christmas 1915, the Regiment had already spent a year in Lahore, India, before they received orders which would see them sent to Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf... Mr. and Mrs. …