Dorset's 'thankful village' in search of answers

Safely home: Langton Herring's honours board

During a recent visit to Dorset, I stayed at the county's only 'thankful village', where all men returned safely from the First World War. Langton Herring is a few miles west of Weymouth and in the porch of its tiny church the names of the men are listed on an honours board.

Included are officers and men from the army and the navy and, as you might expect in a small community, many share the same family name: there are four Farquharsons, for example, and no fewer than five Mowlams.

This summer, to mark the Centenary of the war, there are plans to unveil a slate plaque that was presented to Langton Herring by the Thankful Village Bike Run which passed through last year. In readiness for the event, efforts are now being made to discover more about the men who returned: who were they, where did they live, and what was the village like at the time?

Langton Herring church

At the moment little is known, but if anyone can shed any light on the answers, please contact me at jacwadsworth@hotmail.com and I will be delighted to pass your details on. The full list of men is given below.

Fifty three civil parishes in England and Wales have now been identified where all soldiers returned from the Great War. None have been found in Scotland or Ireland. Langton Herring is said to be 'doubly thankful' because all of its men returned from the Second World War too.

HONOURS BOARD

CF Bailey, R Sussex

CE Case, Wilts

T Carter, RN

JP Farquharson, Comm RN OBE DSO

FA Farquharson, KGO Sapper MC

KR Farquharson, Lt Comm RN DSC

ER Farquharson, Lt RN

C Ferns, CG

EW Garrett, L Corps

HM Greenhill, Maj Dorsets

FJ Hansford, RGA

A Harris, RN

AJ Thatcher, RFA

W Larcombe, R Inniskillings

F Matthews, CG

E Mowlam, L Corps

G Mowlam, RN

J Mowlam, RN

SC Mowlam, MGC

WE Mowlam, Worcesters

HJ Penfold, CG

S Peach, Wilts

R Randall, RGA

EA Sparks, RASCMT

BO Smythe, Capt Northants OBE

C Stone, RN

C Stone, RN

W Stone, RN

AJ Taylor RNR

S Wederell, Dorset

WJ Whittle, RAVC