The bells of Bridstow Church were rung on Saturday, August 19th to honour the memory of Private Albert Edward Gwynne, who was killed 100 years ago in the First World War. He was just 20 years old.

This commemoration of Private Gwynne’s death in action on August 19th, 1917 was particularly relevant as, before he enlisted with the Herefordshire Regiment, which subsequently merged with the Gloucestershire Regiment, he himself was a ringer at Bridstow Church. He lived with his parents, Thomas and Mary Gwynne, at Weir End Cottages, Bridstow.

The exact details of his death are not known and his grave is unmarked, but his name is recorded on the piers of the memorial at Thiepval. This memorial records the names of over 72,000 men who were lost in the Somme battles between July 1915 and March 1918.

His name was also recorded on the Roll of Honour kept at St Paul’s Cathedral, London of all the bell ringers killed in the Great War, as well as on the memorial tablet within Bridstow Church.

Those ringing last Saturday were Brenda Robbins, Jackie Rogers, Richard Gething, Denise and Henry Stevens and Mowie and Martin Thorne, all of whom are or were regular ringers at Bridstow Church.