Western Front group help to right an historical wrong

Seven members of the Heart of England branch of the Western Front Association – a charity which promotes education, research and remembrance concerning the First World War – journeyed to Le Cateau near Cambrai to install a plaque commemorating the battle fought there on 26 August 1914.

On the day of the battle, Major-General Sir Charles Fergusson ordered that a platform be built on the roof of a cottage on the edge of the village of Reumont.

From this vantage point he commanded the troops of 5th battalion. After the war a brass plaque was placed on the cottage but it was stolen in 1987. With the agreement of the owners, members of the Heart of England branch - which meets in Warwick and has members across the region - decided to fund a replacement plaque in slate. It was installed on Sunday September 29 in good time for the commemoration of the centenary of the outbreak of the War next year.

Branch chairman, Trevor Harvey, said “This is a small illustration of the work of the Western Front Association to ensure that the events of the Great War are remembered by future generations, in this instance where they actually took place.”

The local branch holds monthly speaker meetings at the Warwick Arms Hotel, Warwick, at 7.45pm on the second Wednesday of each month. Visit www.westernfrontassociation.com/heart-of-england.html