A historian is appealing for help from Warminster residents as he works on a new book that will tell the stories of local people who died during the Second World War.
Gary Cooper, who grew up in Warminster during the war, is compiling what he calls a “ground-breaking” book to record the names and profiles of the town’s war casualties, and to capture part of Warminster’s social history during that time.
“Aside from the War Memorial, there is no official book or collective register of those from Warminster who served and died in the Second World War,” said Gary. “To help preserve their memory, I’m appealing for any information, letters, postcards or photographs relating to those who served. Anything shared will be treated with care and returned after copying, and publication will only happen with your permission.”
Gary is looking to hear from residents who were children in Warminster during the Second World War, or those who have a relative who served in the military between 1939 and 1945.
Now living in Horsham, West Sussex, Gary makes regular visits to Warminster to carry out research at the town library and War Memorial. He was a child during the war and remembers his time in the town.
Gary added, “My grandfather Robert Davis had an ironmonger shop at 10 High Street until the early 1940s.
“During the Second World War, I went to school in Warminster and stayed with my grandfather in a little cottage. It was a little boy’s paradise as there were troops of all types in the town. I’ve always been interested in military history.
“I remember tanks would trundle down the High Street. I can’t imagine the Army doing that now – I think there would be a few crushed parked cars!”
To share your stories or contribute material, contact Gary by email at coopg709@aol.com or phone 01403 241620.
Gary is also the author of Horsham’s Heroes of the Great War, which chronicled the lives of Horsham’s First World War casualties.
Pictured: Gary Cooper, pictured here aged 9, was raised in Warminster during the Second World War
