The British Legion was founded in 1921 as a voice for the ex-Service community as a merger of four organisations: the Comrades of the Great War, the National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers, and the Officers’ Association.
The following photos are believed to have been taken when, or soon after, the Nonington branch of the Legion was founded.
Please let me know if you can identify any of the people in the photos.
Please use any photos you want, I do have some more which I am trying to find time to put on line. I don’t have any info on individual miners, most of whom, so I understand, came from Dover at the time. They may have more info at the Dover Museum or Aylesham Heritage Centre. Snowdown Halt station was opened in 1914 to make it easier for Dover miners to get to work. Some miners did volunteeer to join the Armed Forces in the early years of WW1, which did cause some problems with coal production, especially after the loss of the French coalfields in Northern France, but after January 1916 coal-mining was a reserved occupation. There is a fair amount of info on the internet re: miners and WW1.
We are doing a small display to commemorate WW1 in the library at Ayleshm and I wondered if it would be possible to use the above photos. We could also put a notice up asking if anyone knows who the men are in the top photo for those that don’t have internet access.
As aylsham wasn’t built at the time we are trying to incorporate local villages and people. Do you have any information on pit workers or owners going to war that we could use?
Many thanks, Kind regards
Jane