Rode Servicemen and Women in World War 1
177 people from Rode (20% of the village) served in WW1, 21 died
It is believed that their photographs (below) were originally published in group of 6 to 8 (one or two pages per month) in the village magazine. Later a set of the pages was collected and made into a book by Harry Field a member of the Rode branch of the Royal British Legion.
The rectangular frame round some of the photographs is thought to have been added at a later date to indicate those who had been killed in action.
The names of all those who had served were also listed on large boards fixed to the front of the United Counties Institute and Reading Rooms as can be seen in the photograph c1930 below.
Imperial War Museum Inventory Number 74633
The memorial was erected in 1920 in commemoration of those who had lived in Rode, or had connections with the village and had served and fallen in the Great War. The Memorial also contains the names of those from the village who had served and fallen in the World War 2. Its cost was met by public subscription.
It is a wheel cross on an octagonal column, square plinth and three stepped base in Portland stone. The architect was Edwin Woolley, who I believe lived in Rode. It was made by Arthur George Oram of Longs in Trowbridge.
In November 1920, the Parish Council signed a deed agreeing to be the trustees of a fund to maintain the Memorial. The trust fund was set up with £70, being the proceeds from public subscriptions for this purpose, and the money was invested in the purchase of a 5% War Loan 1929/1947
Inscription on SW Face
THE
VILLAGERS’ TRIBUTE
TO THEIR GLORIOUS DEAD
WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR
A.D. 1914-1918.
“THE LORD HATH WROUGHT GREAT
THINGS BY THEM THROUGH HIS
GREAT POWER”
THESE MEN OF OURS, UNSELFISH, UNAFRAID
PTE. PERCY MARTIN D.C.L.I.
PTE. FRANK MATTICK WILTS. REGT.
PTE. JOHN MOORE O. & B.L.I.
A.B. HENRY NOAD R.N.R.
GR. HOWARD PICKARD M.M. AUSTR.F.A.
PTE. WALTER SHORT R.A.S.C.
PTE. WALTER STOKES AUSTR. INF.
PTE. PERCY STOKES WILTS. REGT.
PTE. BERTRAM VINCENT SOMT. L.I.
BUGLER WILLIAM WHEELER R.M.L.I.
DVR. GEORGE WOODS R.F.A.
Inscription on SE Face
PTE. PERCY MARTIN D.C.L.I.
PTE. FRANK MATTICK WILTS. REGT.
PTE. JOHN MOORE O. & B.L.I.
A.B. HENRY NOAD R.N.R.
GR. HOWARD PICKARD M.M. AUSTR.F.A.
PTE. WALTER SHORT R.A.S.C.
PTE. WALTER STOKES AUSTR. INF.
PTE. PERCY STOKES WILTS. REGT.
PTE. BERTRAM VINCENT SOMT. L.I.
BUGLER WILLIAM WHEELER R.M.L.I.
DVR. GEORGE WOODS R.F.A.
WENT TO THE WORLD WIDE FIGHT
Inscription on NE Face
1939 – 1945
CPL. DONALD HEATH R.A.C.
SGT. TREVOR HILLIER R.A.F.
PTE. CECIL HUGGARD R.A.O.C.
PTE. EDWARD LUKINS WILTS. REGT.
SPR. IVOR LUKINS R.E.
MECH. ALBERT MARKEY R.N.
LIEUT. GRAHAME MOON S.L.I.
GDMN. CHARLES PHEAR G. GDS.
F/O. ROBERT WILDEN R.A.F.V.R.
FORGET NOT HOW THEY FOUGHT AND HOW WE PRAYED
Inscription on NW Face
CAPT. DUDLEY SMYTHIES K.R.R.C.
SERGT. WILLIAM COUCH R.I.R.
CORPL. WILLIAM PRESCOTT CAN. INF.
PTE. HARRY BIGGS G. GUARDS
PTE. EDWARD GEORGE GLOS. REGT.
PTE. JOHN GIBSON HANTS. REGT.
SAPPER CHARLES GOULTER R.E.
PTE. HENRY HARFITT I. GDS.
PTE. REGINALD HOWELL CAN. INF.
PTE. ERNEST KEMP AUSTR. INF.
FOR ENGLAND AND FOR RIGHT
More Photographs of the Memorial
World War 2
During WW2 the river Frome was used as part of a north/south defence line built across the country to hamper any invasion force that might land in the South West and make its way towards London. The remains of these defences in Rode are:
A pillbox on the east bank of the river 100m downstream of the A36 bridge at Shawford
Tank traps on the island between Scutts bridge mill race and the river
There is also a pillbox on the east bank just upstream of the weir at Tellisford
Apparently there had also been a pillbox on the east bank of the river just upstream of Rode bridge. (where there is now a main sewage storage tank).
In September 1940 a German Heinkel bomber crashed in a field between Rode and Woolverton. The pilot survived, but was badly injured. A Spitfire crashed in the next field, piloted by a 20 year old Australian, Kenneth Holland. People from Woolverton ran to help him out, and found him, sitting motionless in his cockpit. He had been killed by a single bullet to the head. A sketch map below shows the site of the crashes.
A fascinating short video, available on Youtube, tells the story of the crashes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU8n03GXDZg