The lives of Drinkstone war heroes are revealed in a new book

The life stories of the 18 men listed on the First and Second World War memorials in a Suffolk village are told for the first time in a new book to be published on Friday, June 28.

The book, entitled “Valiant Hearts”, has been written by Drinkstone resident Robin Sharp who has been researching the lives and backgrounds of the men during the past 15 years.

The date of publication has been chosen as this marks the centenary of the signing of the Peace Treaty of Versailles that officially brought the Great War to an end.

To coincide with publication of the book, an exhibition is taking place at the Drinkstone War Memorial Institute (Village Hall) between 11am and 4pm on Saturday, June 29.

The stories of all the men will be on display, together with artefacts and items relating to the First World War, many loaned by military memorabilia collector Rod Scott, from Beyton.

Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Copies of “Valiant Hearts” will be on sale, price £7.99 each.

Robin said: “Shortly after moving to Drinkstone in 2004, I attended the Remembrance Sunday service in All Saints’ Church. It began with these opening words: ‘Let us remember those who have died for their country in war; those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure’.

“Last Post was played and in the silence that followed, it struck me that few of those present could have had memories of the men. Most, like me, knew their names and regiment as inscribed on the memorials, but nothing of their lives. As Reveille sounded, I resolved to try to find out at least something about each of the men, to bring back life, colour and substance to mere names, to ensure that we did indeed have something to remember them by.

“This exhibition is the last in a series remembering all 15 Drinkstone men who lost their lives during the First World War. Since 2015, we have focussed on each man in turn, with an exhibition exactly 100 years after their deaths.

“The management committee of the Drinkstone War Memorial Institute felt that this would be a fitting way to mark the Centenary of the Great War, the impact which their loss had on the village, and to keep the solemn pledge ‘We will remember them’.

“As yet, there have been no public exhibitions to remember the lives of the men on Drinkstone’s Second World War memorial – their deaths occurred just three-quarters of a century ago. Nonetheless, it’s just as important that their stories are told, so they too are included in the book”.

In “Valiant Hearts”, which contains 158 illustrations, readers can find out a multitude of information including a serviceman who had a hidden sweetheart, one who has a gravestone bearing the wrong date of death, another who lived in the author’s house, was shot in France, died in Fulham and is buried in Suffolk and one whonever saw his baby son plus a sergeant who won a bravery medal and dismissed his actions saying “anybody would have done the same, but I was lucky enough to be there” and was then shot dead handing out cigarettes to his men.