Village near Horsham gets set for 20th anniversary of poignant tribute

A village near Horsham is getting set to mark the 20th anniversary of a special exhibition.
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Since 2001 Holy Trinity Church at Rudgwick has paid a poignant tribute to all its citizens who lost their lives in the two world wars.

And it’s all thanks to retired graphic designer Geoffrey Turberville Smith who researched those who had died and set about creating memorials to them.

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This year the Rudgwick Remembers exhibition will be held at the church for three weeks beginning on November 2.

Memorials inside Holy Trinity Church, Rudgwick, to those who died in the First and Second World WarsMemorials inside Holy Trinity Church, Rudgwick, to those who died in the First and Second World Wars
Memorials inside Holy Trinity Church, Rudgwick, to those who died in the First and Second World Wars

Around the north and south walls of the church are ‘headstones’ created for each of the 59 names on the Roll of Honour.

There are also maps showing where they lived in Rudgwick, where they died and extracts from parish magazines of the time.

“Over the last 20 years there has been a growing interest in researching into the past and we have added many photographs and background stories,” said Geoffrey.

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“Each year there has been a lot of interest from local schools.”

Geoffrey first embarked on his mission after hearing the names of the dead being read out during a Remembrance Day service.

“Then everyone solemnly said: ‘We will remember them.’ And I thought we don’t really know who they are.”

Since then, with help from others, Geoffrey has managed to research the lives of all of them in a fitting village tribute.