Sutton Veny Guest Book
Please note that comments will be held for moderation in order to prevent spam.
Thank you.
29 entries.
Greetings from the west coast of the land Down Under. Browsing through some old family postcards, I came across a postcard sent from my grandfather ( W. Pegrum ) to my grandmother, some time during WW1. It features the Woolpack Inn in winter time at Sutton Veny. This piqued my curiosity, as I had no idea where Sutton Veny was.
My grandfather survived the war and my grandparents subsequently migrated to WA in 1919 and took up farming. I wish you all the best in your endeavours to save this wonderful old Inn.
My grandfather survived the war and my grandparents subsequently migrated to WA in 1919 and took up farming. I wish you all the best in your endeavours to save this wonderful old Inn.
Greetings from Brisbane this Anzac Day weekend. My husband and I lived in Warminster from 2011 until he died there in 2016 and this small communitys commitment to these war graves had a profound impact on us. Tony had been a British national serviceman and both my grandfathers had served in the Australian army in WWII. Living in Warminster we attended the annual service and regularly took our visitors to the memorial at St Johns. It remains a very special place in my own life story. Thank you to the children, the school and families who continue to respect this extraordinary place.
My great uncle Ernest Lilley was born in Wymington, Bedfordshire. He doesn't appear to have any Australian connections but during the First World War he served with the Australian army including training at Sutton Veny. I have his uniform insignia and medals, but can't discover why he served in the Australian army and not the British. He even came back to the hospital at Sutton Veny and it is recorded in his war diary which he kept, plus postcards he sent home from there. Can anyone explain why he might have joined the Australian force?
Hi there! To the community of Sutton Veny. Thank you so much for a very informative site. My heritage stems from Edward Benham1808 and Mary Snelgrove 1808. Married November 1829. I believe the family goes further back via John Benham in 1600's who migrated to USA in 1630, arriving in Massachusetts. I would like to hear from anybody who has the historical lineage of BENHAM family from years 1500-1800. Many thanks
I am so pleased to see the villagers of Sutton Veny continue to maintain the Badge at Codford and participate in the Anzac Day service on 25th April.
I was posted as the Australian exchange officer at the School of Infantry from 1981 until 1983. When I first arrived, John Burrows, my predecessor, told me that one of my additional responsibilities was to maintain the 'Badge' . The first time I went out to the Badge I took the lawn mower that John had left me and it took me nearly a full day to mow the grass and pull weeds. As a result I then approached the Commanding Officer of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, who at that time were the demonstration battalion at the School of infantry. He and I came to an arrangement that each time I needed assistance he would provide me with men and in return when we had finished the work I would reward them with some beers and a bar-b-que.
On one occasion during my posting I was invited to dine with Henry Thynne, the 6th Marquess of Bath, at Longleat House to discuss the Badge. He told me that he remembered seeing Australian soldiers building the Badge in 1917 and expressed his concern that he hoped Australia would not let the Badge fall in to disrepair. I explained to him the arrangements I had put in place.
My other enduring memory of my time at Warminster are of the Anzac Day services where my wife and I would work with the local people to arrange the service including morning tea. My wife had discovered a eucalyptus (gum) tree growing in the yard of a Sutton Veny villager and was given gum tree leaves which reminded us of Australia.
At our last Anzac Day service in 1983 the villagers presented me with a glass goblet engraved with the Australian Rising Sun Badge. I still have the goblet, which as I type this message is sitting on my mantle piece,
Please pass on me very deep appreciation for all the good work the people of Sutton Veny have done and continue to do to honour our Australian men and women.
Best Regards, Graeme Mickelberg.
I was posted as the Australian exchange officer at the School of Infantry from 1981 until 1983. When I first arrived, John Burrows, my predecessor, told me that one of my additional responsibilities was to maintain the 'Badge' . The first time I went out to the Badge I took the lawn mower that John had left me and it took me nearly a full day to mow the grass and pull weeds. As a result I then approached the Commanding Officer of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, who at that time were the demonstration battalion at the School of infantry. He and I came to an arrangement that each time I needed assistance he would provide me with men and in return when we had finished the work I would reward them with some beers and a bar-b-que.
On one occasion during my posting I was invited to dine with Henry Thynne, the 6th Marquess of Bath, at Longleat House to discuss the Badge. He told me that he remembered seeing Australian soldiers building the Badge in 1917 and expressed his concern that he hoped Australia would not let the Badge fall in to disrepair. I explained to him the arrangements I had put in place.
My other enduring memory of my time at Warminster are of the Anzac Day services where my wife and I would work with the local people to arrange the service including morning tea. My wife had discovered a eucalyptus (gum) tree growing in the yard of a Sutton Veny villager and was given gum tree leaves which reminded us of Australia.
At our last Anzac Day service in 1983 the villagers presented me with a glass goblet engraved with the Australian Rising Sun Badge. I still have the goblet, which as I type this message is sitting on my mantle piece,
Please pass on me very deep appreciation for all the good work the people of Sutton Veny have done and continue to do to honour our Australian men and women.
Best Regards, Graeme Mickelberg.
I'm researching my family history and came across your website. My ancestors came from Sutton Veny, Tytherington and Heytesbury. Their names are Pothecary (loads of them :-), Smith, Singler, Jefferies and many others. Some of them migrated up to Wales.
My father was illegitimate and at the moment Ancestry DNA matches are pointing me in the direction of one of two sons of Sisera Pothecary (what a wonderful name), and my grandfather was possibly descended from one of 2 sons of Sisera, William James Pothecary, born 1853 and Solomon James Pothecary, born 1857.
My apologies for rambling on, but you probably guessed I love researching my family history!
Hopefully, I will be able to visit your beautiful village and surrounding area one day.
Julia Taylorxx
My father was illegitimate and at the moment Ancestry DNA matches are pointing me in the direction of one of two sons of Sisera Pothecary (what a wonderful name), and my grandfather was possibly descended from one of 2 sons of Sisera, William James Pothecary, born 1853 and Solomon James Pothecary, born 1857.
My apologies for rambling on, but you probably guessed I love researching my family history!
Hopefully, I will be able to visit your beautiful village and surrounding area one day.
Julia Taylorxx
Brilliant website! I was staying at campsite near Warminster, and a friend pointed me to the WW2 huts left at the Indistrial park.. I'm an avid spotter of things WW2. He then mentioned Sutton Veny had a couple of things worth looking at, and I camacross your entry about the t2o sites at Sutton Veny; fascinating seeing how much of the camp remains at Deverill industrial estate. Yhe excerpt from 573 AA Battalion is exraorinary, brings terrible times much closer.
I have a handwritten letter dated 16 Feb 1975, sent to my dad from Queensland, Australia, by a Mr. V. W. Groves (then aged 70). In one paragraph Mr Groves writes:
"I was at Sutton Veny in 1943, my Aust. cousin, an American cousin, & self all second cousins met at the U.S. Camp. The first meeting between the families since they left Dorset in 1860!"
"I was at Sutton Veny in 1943, my Aust. cousin, an American cousin, & self all second cousins met at the U.S. Camp. The first meeting between the families since they left Dorset in 1860!"
My grandfather was in Sutton Veny twice during WW1 for treatment. He eventually arrived back in Sydney in 1920 and was in hospital near there for another year. I hope to be in Sutton Veny for the 2024 Anzac day commemerations so please advise me the details.
Not heard of Sutton Veny and its wartime role until I recently came across a poem printed on a postcard written by Pte .Whiting. It is headed Sutton Veny and what We think of it.Lines include …..rats big as cats, never rest,…..There is hardly a girl in the place…..And remember ‘Sutton Veny -on- mud.’.
It might be well known but it opened up an area of history I was unaware of.
It might be well known but it opened up an area of history I was unaware of.
My Grandfather was wounded twice in the Western Front between 1916 and 1918 and was cared for at the Sutton Veny Hospital on three occasions. many thanks to the people of this village for their support of the soldiers. He survived but with ongoing trauma until he died in 1952.
My great grandfathers brother, Gunner Michael Edward Cusack was stationed in Sutton Veny in World War One. He survived the horrors of the Western Front and the flu epidemic of 1918-1919. He returned to Australia in 1920.
He re-enlisted and served in the Pacific in World War Two.
To everyone in Sutton Veny thank you so much for honouring the men and women of Australia who are buried in your village so far from home.
He re-enlisted and served in the Pacific in World War Two.
To everyone in Sutton Veny thank you so much for honouring the men and women of Australia who are buried in your village so far from home.
RIP Private Albury Fullerton Jones, 26/2nd Battalion, AIF. Died 2 March 1918. Buried Sutton Veny Churchyard.
Extract from Service record re burial:
"The full band of the 1st Training Battalion preceded the procession to the churchyard. The firing party, 12 in number, were from the comrades of the deceased soldier and a number of person friends marched to the graveside. Full burial honours were paid to the deceased soldier and a number of beautiful wreaths presented by comrades were placed on the grave. The deceased was very popular with his comrades and officers, and his loss keenly felt by officers and men alike."
Extract from Service record re burial:
"The full band of the 1st Training Battalion preceded the procession to the churchyard. The firing party, 12 in number, were from the comrades of the deceased soldier and a number of person friends marched to the graveside. Full burial honours were paid to the deceased soldier and a number of beautiful wreaths presented by comrades were placed on the grave. The deceased was very popular with his comrades and officers, and his loss keenly felt by officers and men alike."
On historic Google Earth there appears to be a large hutted camp at Sand Hill to the west of the Second World War U.S.Army barracks.Was this the ammunition depot for the Americans?
We had heard about the Australian Service personnel who are buried in the Sutton Veny Commonwealth War Graves. We wanted in our own way to let them know they were not forgotten and to pay our respects when we were next in England. Today, we visited the cemetery to do so. Thank you so much to those that continue to honour their memories and for thinking of them on ANZAC Day .
Hello. I am trying to trace my family tree but have hit a (big) snag on my paternal side - namely my grandfather. From records found (only 3!!!) I know he was a soldier, and married my grandmother, in 1915 at Sutton Veny. Unfortunately I do not know what regiment. Is there a local historian of military, or church, matters who may be able to help me? My email address can be given by the site admin. I am able to visit and assist anyway I can. Thank you in advance.
We visited the Church and village on Anzac Day 2019. The CWGC staff were present at the Church, continuing their maintenance -and a great job they do too.
In 1918 and 1919 some of the Australian soldiers and nurses (who had survived the war ) died of the flu pandemic and are buried at Sutton Veny. And now, in 2021, we too, know about pandemic.
It was sobering to read about a Deloraine (Tasmania ) boy who lies there in Sutton Veny.
Herbert Bakes of Deloraine, joined the army in 1918, knowing full well the death tolls. There must be a story there. He was sent for training to fight on on the Western Front, arrived in England but died due to the flu’ and now lies in a green yard that looks a lot like the church yards of his original home town on the other side of the world.
What a wonderful job the people of Sutton Veny do in keeping this place in a great condition and especially with the history so beautifully kept.
written Remembrance day 2021.
In 1918 and 1919 some of the Australian soldiers and nurses (who had survived the war ) died of the flu pandemic and are buried at Sutton Veny. And now, in 2021, we too, know about pandemic.
It was sobering to read about a Deloraine (Tasmania ) boy who lies there in Sutton Veny.
Herbert Bakes of Deloraine, joined the army in 1918, knowing full well the death tolls. There must be a story there. He was sent for training to fight on on the Western Front, arrived in England but died due to the flu’ and now lies in a green yard that looks a lot like the church yards of his original home town on the other side of the world.
What a wonderful job the people of Sutton Veny do in keeping this place in a great condition and especially with the history so beautifully kept.
written Remembrance day 2021.
My Grandfather was employed as a carpenter in the building of OHMS. SUTTON VENY CAMP. FEB. 1915. I have three photographic postcards showing the building of the camp and would like to find out more. I have looked at the village website and was very impressed on the gallery of WW1 camp photopgraphs.
My grandfather Arthur Rodney Kimmins was in the 25th Battalion AIF and was shot in the head at Villers Brettoneux on 17 July 1918. He was repatriated to Bath military hospital and was then posted to Sutton Veny. He went AWOL from Sutton Veny for four days which cost him 8 days pay. He returned to Australia soon after. He died in 1963 (?) as a result of ongoing issues from the GSW. My husband was born in the UK and we have visited three times but I have only recently obtained all of this information on my grandfather. I will definitely visit Sutton Veny on our next visit to the UK. Thank you for remembering our Anzacs and commemorating their service.
As a former Australian Army serviceman who has formally participated in the Sutton Veny ANZAC Day services (1985 & 1986) and subsequently attended as a visitor, I would like to sincerely thank the wonderful, caring and dedicated folk from Sutton Veny who keep this worthwhile tradition alive.
Believe me, your efforts are very much appreciated.
Believe me, your efforts are very much appreciated.