On July 1st 1916 a major First World War offensive began. The British and allied forces had been told that enemy resistance would be minimal because of the artillery bombardment on the days leading up to this date. They were misinformed.
By the end of the day approximately sixty thousand had been killed or wounded. No Tideswell men were killed that day. The first died on July 2nd. By the end of the campaign, November 1st ( a date disputed by some), eleven men from our Parish had been killed.
From July 1st 2016 we will have a commemorative display in the churchyard and chancel of the Parish Church. Those who died will be remembered by name and by the centenary of their death. Visitors will be able to listen to recorded music and poetry on July 1st 2016 and on the subsequent centenaries of the deaths of the Tideswell men (so far as we can gather they were all from Tideswell itself).
The recordings will be played at times of the day indicated on a notice board in the church porch.