WITNEY needs a permanent tribute to mark the centenary of the First World War, according to a man researching his family connections with the conflict.

Tony Robey, 49, from nearby Minster Lovell, wants to see the town permanently mark the anniversary by commemorating each individual serviceman killed in the area.

Carterton has planted trees for each of the eight men from the town who died in the conflict and Mr Robey would like to see a similar tribute in Witney to the town’s 143 soldiers who died in the Great War.

The lorry driver, who became interested in the war after visiting relatives’ graves, said: “Other towns and villages have done something extra because of the 100 years.

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“Once these five years are over it’s going to be distant history and will start to disappear.

“We have the war memorial, but it’s a bit impersonal because all you see is a name.”

Mr Robey, married to Lisa, with four children and two grandchildren, has come to believe it is important to learn more about individuals after his research took him to the spot where his great-great grandfather was shot.

He had always known his great-great uncles Henry and John Painter, from Crawley, West Sussex, died in service.

Lance Corporal Henry Painter, in the 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, died in a St Omer hospital from wounds he received in battle on January 14, 1916, aged 27.

Lance Corporal Painter’s older brother, Private John Painter, of the Grenadier Guards' 2nd Battalion, died at the Battle of the Somme on September 13, 1916, aged 32.

But it was only when researching his family tree earlier this year that Mr Robey learned about his great-great grandfather, Private Thomas Clack, of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry’s 5th Battalion.

Born in Witney in 1879, Private Clack lived in Lowell’s Place wife Harriett and son Albert, and worked in the blanket industry.

He is believed to have been shot in the Battle of the Scarpe during the Arras Offensive in 1917, and died of his wounds on April 13, 1917, aged 37. Private Clack is buried in the Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery in Saulty, France.

Mr Robey, who has never seen photographs of his relatives, was helped in his quest by Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum staff in Woodstock.

He also used Jeff Clements’s book Remembered – the Men on the War Memorials of Witney, Crawley and Hailey: 1914-1919 Volume 1, published last year.

Mr Robey had already visited the Painter graves in France, but in July he stood on the spot where Mr Clack was shot. He said: “By sheer luck we found almost the exact field where he was shot. It was very moving and I was tearful.

“It was amazing to think that 100 years ago there was this huge battle, where my relative was shot.”

Witney deputy mayor Jim King said he was not aware of plans for permanent tributes, but added: “If that’s what the town wants and that’s the consensus then I would support something.

“An addition to mark the end of hostilities might be more appropriate.”


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