SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: First World War booklet given to school children

THOUSANDS of school children across South Somerset are being given a booklet to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

The booklet has been produced by South Somerset District Council and given to 21,000 children. It was paid for by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and was produced by the Community Heritage Access Centre with help from the Imperial War Museum’s 1914 Centenary Partnership.

A character called Daisy takes the children on a journey through life during the First World War in South Somerset and also tells the story of some of the soldiers that went away to fight. The books have been distributed to all the schools but some schools are waiting until November to pass them on to their pupils.

PHOTO – ABOVE: The Jesty family from Yeovil. Edgar George Jesty (pictured standing second left) died on July 1, 1916, the first day of The Battle of the Somme. It was one of the most horrific battles of the First World War. It ended on November 13, 1916, with more than 400,000 British Casualties.

PHOTO – RIGHT: The front cover of the commemorative booklet distributed among school children in South Somerset.

Richard Powell, head teacher at EastCokerCommunityPrimary School, said: “I was very impressed with the booklets; they are an appropriate and accessible way of teaching our children about the war in the local context.

“We are going to refer to them in assemblies nearer to Remembrance Day and teachers will also use them in class at the appropriate level before we distribute them.

“The older children will certainly access them fully, the younger ones will have their awareness raised and will gradually appreciate the books as they get older. Congratulations and thanks to all involved.”

The booklets have proved so popular that South Somerset District Council has been approached by schools outside the area for copies.

It has also been decided to print more copies of the booklets to sell to the general public, as even though aimed at children, adults have enjoyed the information and photographs in them as well.

The council’s leisure and culture spokesman, Cllr Sylvia Seal, said: “The booklets have been gratefully received by schools across south Somerset and we hope that the educational information contained within if useful to the children and helps them to commemorate the First World War this year.

“Staff have worked very hard at producing the booklets and we are very grateful for the grant we received from the Heritage Lottery Fund which made the making of the booklets possible. Thanks must also go to the ImperialWarMuseum’s 1914 Centenary Partnership for their help in producing the booklet”.

The booklets are available at a cost of £5 per copy. All proceeds will go towards the care of the collections at CHAC. To purchase your copy, please send a cheque made payable to SSDC to: CHAC, Lufton Depot, 7 Artillery Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8RP.

You can also order by telephone on 01935-462855. Alternatively, you can also purchase a copy Cartgate Tourist Information Centre and Yeovil Tourist Information Centre.

PHOTO – ABOVE: This was Tommy Atkins’ medical discharge certificate. He was disabled in the First World War and sent home in 1916. He stayed living in Yeovil until he was 96-years-old.

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