‘Wiltshire Does Its Bit’ Exhibition visits Chippenham Museum: 18 Jan-27 Feb 2016

Wiltshire Does its Bit – The second exhibition in the Wiltshire at War: Community Stories series will be held in Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre from 18th January – 27th February 2016. Using letters and archive images this exhibit tells the fascinating community stories of just some of the ways that Wiltshire people pooled their efforts on the Home

Using letters and archive images this exhibit tells the fascinating community stories of just some of the ways that Wiltshire people pooled their efforts on the Home Front to help the country during the First World War. It includes information panels and an interactive video display of stories, and is the second of five Wiltshire at War exhibitions, which are part of Wiltshire County’s multi-year remembrance of the First World War.

These truly inspiring stories have been gathered from all across Wiltshire to create this exhibition. They include the wonderful story of “Gertrude Luce, OBE (1871-1961), the eldest daughter of a wealthy tea planter, and her three unmarried sisters [who] dedicated their lives to public work. Soon after the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) in 1909 she raised the Malmesbury Women’s Detachment (Wilts 22) as its Commandant until the late 1920s. She then became its President for another 20 years.”