An online journal for the North Devon Athenaeum
When the Armistice was signed 100 years ago today, many took to the streets in celebration. This article was written by one of the North Devon Herald's journalists and describes the scenes in Barnstaple on that memorable day. "PEACE HAS BROKEN OUT!"I was in the midst of a shorthand transcript in the reporters' sanctum of …
It is well known the contribution women made as nurses during the First World War with examples in literature such as Testament of Youth written by Vera Brittain about her experiences as a VAD nurse but this was an occupation traditionally undertaken by women. Half a million single men had volunteered in the first two …
Continue reading "Women in World War One – Women’s War Work and the Women’s Forestry Corps."
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 …
Continue reading "Home From Dujailah – Braunton Sergeant’s Experiences in Mesopotamia"
Whilst scanning items for our North Devon War Items project on our Facebook page, I came across several stories about the men who served in the war which made me want to find out more about them. One of these men was Mervyn Ninnis of the Devonshire Regiment. Born on the 9th January 1889, in …
In the first of two posts covering the Battle of Jutland 100 years ago today we have a transcript of an article from the North Devon Herald. The next post will be a transcript taken from the Herald's rival paper, the North Devon Journal. Published almost a week after the event both published news regarding …
Continue reading "The Battle of Jutland – The Toll of the Brave"
More from those Troublesome Aliens as Mrs Ellen Dyer of Summerland Street is brought before the bench for failing to register two Belgian musicians who were lodging with her in this article from the North Devon Herald... At the Barnstaple Borough Sessions on Thursday, before the Mayor (Councillor F. A. Jewell), Messer. H. Barrett, G. …
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 …
Continue reading "Discover the Battle of Dujailah & the 1/6th Devons…On Our Shelves"
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 …
Continue reading "Sixth Devons -Leaving Lahore for Active Service"
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. …
Continue reading "6th Devons in Persian Gulf – Barumites Who Hope to Reach Bagdad"
The start of a new year gives us a chance to reflect on some of the things we have discovered over the last year and look forward to some of the things we may find during 2016. In 2015 we showcased some of the items we have in our general library collection through our new series of Discover...On …
Tales From the Archives 