Gerry Brooke looks at how World War I affected the small town of Dursley.

AT the outbreak of war with Germany in 1914, Dursley’s Territorials were the first to be called up.

That meant 136 men from the town, and nearby Wotton-under-Edge, assembled at the Drill Hall to receive a hearty send-off.

The heroes of the hour, the smiling and joking men, were presented with cigarettes, tobacco and chocolate as they marched through the town to the railway station.

Their destination was Gloucester, where they would join up with others to form the 6th Battalion of the Glosters – 912 men and 21 officers.

Then followed months of training and trench digging.

Although Dursley’s “Terriers” didn’t find themselves in the front line until Christmas 1914, reservists, such as Lance Corporal Chandler, were there already.

In the thick of the early fighting at Marne, Aisne and around Ypres, this soldier was back in Dursley in November 1914 recovering from his wounds – a shell had exploded over him – and recounting war stories.

Unlike another local man, 23-year- old Lance Sergeant Deane, Chandler was lucky to survive the war.

The first Dursley “Tommy” to die in action, in October 1914, Deane was part of the British Expeditionary Force which had landed in France soon after war had been declared.

From then on casualty lists were posted up outside the post office, a sombre reminder to the town’s wives, mothers and girlfriends of what war was all about.

Of the five boys in the Deane family all except the youngest left their widowed mother to fight in the conflict.

Despite the mounting casualties, and bad news from the front, Kitchener’s recruiting drives went on.

At R A Lister’s works, after some rousing speeches and lusty singing of the National Anthem, 40 men signed up. There was loud cheering.

By mid September, 73 men had signed up.

Sir Ashton Lister, the boss, added that it was the duty of every young man without direct ties to fight.

After the war, he promised, he would give any local ex-servicemen job preference.

Once overseas, the troop’s comfort was not forgotten.

At Christmas 1916, many Dursley men received gifts such as tinned Christmas cake and puddings, face towels, knitted socks (trench foot was a great problem),

soap, cigarettes, condensed milk, coffee, sweets, bootlaces, candles and writing equipment.

But when the soldiers wrote home describing their experiences, and the horrors of trench warfare, many of the letters were censored.

As the war dragged on so the Dursley casualties mounted. By the end, the tally was more than 50.

The last to die was 2nd Lieutenant John Wyatt, on October 25, 1918, just 17 days before the Armistice was agreed.

The town had one Victoria Cross holder – brave Captain Allastair McReady-Diarmid, who died after being hit by a bomb while leading his men through a heavy barrage near Cambrai.

Distinguished Conduct medals went to Harry Woodward and Gordon Seeley, who both survived the war.

Also awarded were two Military Crosses and three Military Medals.

Celebrations in the town in November 11/12, 1918, seem to have followed the pattern elsewhere, with singing crowds in the streets and general rejoicing.

Parades headed by Lister’s Works Band played patriotic airs, as did the Bugle

Band of the Church Lads’ Brigade.

Sixteen men from Lister’s sheep shear section, it was noted, had lost their lives in the conflict.

Amid much cheering there were processions of civilians and children wearing

and waving flags.

These were followed by an all-night dance at Lister’s Mess Hall and a bonfire on Stinchcombe Hill.

The Dursley Gazette, a faithful chronicler of these four long years, informed the populace that 15 widows and nine maimed soldiers – as well as those soldiers still serving – would receive Christmas gifts.

The names of the 55 townsfolk who never returned – sons, lovers and fathers – can be found on the town’s war memorial.

Be Proud that You’re Fighting for England! Dursley – A study of a small town at war – 1914-1918, is by David Evans.

Published by Two Plus George Ltd, the book costs £13.99.