This Wednesday we will be marking the hundredth anniversary of the unveiling of the Honiton war memorial in the High Street. Honiton’s war memorial pays a fitting tribute to the 66 local men who fell during World War One.

During the last two decades of research by museum volunteers, it has been discovered that at least a further 77 men from the town perished in that war too, but their names are not recorded.
In the Murch Gallery of the Museum, formerly the Allhallows School chapel, there are more memorials to the victims of war.

50 former pupils of the school served during the Second Boer War, South Africa. Nine of them were killed in action and a brass plaque to their memory was dedicated by the Bishop of Crediton on July 3, 1903.

17 years later the Bishop of Crediton unveiled and dedicated oak memorial panels commemorating the 64 former pupils who lost their lives during World War One.

The school moved from Honiton to Rousdon in 1938. At a dedication service in the school chapel there in November 1948, the Bishop of Exeter dedicated more oak memorial panels to the 55 former pupils who were killed in action during World War Two.

Another plaque is dedicated to Lieutenant Commander Richard William Banfield who was killed in action with 21 others when HMS Ardent was sunk during an Argentinian air assault in the Falkland Sound in May 1982.

When Allhallows School closed in 1998 the memorials were moved to St Michael’s Church, Honiton. St Michael’s closed and in April 2019 they were moved to Allhallows Museum.

Information on all of these men who died in World War One is kept in folders in the museum and is available for anyone to read.