Featured ArticlesA Selection of Articles From the Archive That We Thought Most Newsworthy

Presentation At Torrington Ceremony in the Square

12.6.1945 Torrington POW

Presentation of £20 each coupled with expression of the town’s pleasure at seeing them back home and best wishes for the future, were made to returned prisoners-of-war from Torrington at the largely attended public gathering in the Square on Thursday May 31st. Torrington is thus continuing its gesture of presenting £20 to every repatriated prisoner-of-war from the town.

The money has been raised by the combined Social Committee of the Home Guard by means of various entertainments, the chairman of the committee being Capt F S Kelly and the hon. treasurer and secretary, Mr N L Lockton.

At the ceremony Capt Kelly introduced the Mayor (Ald L S Hutchings), who first took the opportunity of congratulating the Social Committee of the Home Guard for what they had done for various charities. It had been wonderful work raising £465, and his Worship knew it would be of interest to know how the amount had been distributed, which included the following: Mr Ebsworthy’s Prisoner-of War Fund, Toc H, Red Cross Penny-a-Week Fund, Torrington Cottage Hospital, British Legion, National Institute for the Blind, Army Cadet Force, Mrs Grantham’s HM Forces Fund, to the patients at the local Institution, to a piano for the use and entertainment of those at the local Institute, four Challenge Cups, instruments for the Band, and twelve benefits for prisoners-of-war when repatriated.

He wishes to acknowledge the great work of Capt Kelly, of Mr Lockton, and of members of the Committee, and the hard work for the prisoners-of-war by Mrs Eastmond and Mr Charles Ebsworthy.

Col J E Cruickshank, commanding the 24th (Hartland) Batt, Home Guard, which includes Torrington, then handed the gifts of £20 to each of the prisoners – Pte E R Perryman, Sgt T J Hocking, Gnr W C Piper, Radio Officer R J Long, Cpl J Bastone and Pte R Rook.

Full Gazette article dated 12 June 1945

Login Form