Carleton Rode First World War Archive

discover the stories of a village who went to war

Inspiring Souls

Inspiring Souls

The First World War was a global war originating in Europe that started on the 28th July 1914 with Great Britain entering the conflict on the 4th August. The fighting stopped over four years later at 11am on the 11th November 1918 when the Armistice was declared - but the war did not finish officially until the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919 and many combatants were not demobbed until then.

The aim of the Inspiring Souls Project is to remember the 24 men from Carleton Rode who died and to pay tribute to the many men – and women - who survived, examining the impact the war had on their families and the village community. This on-going project involves compiling biographies of over a hundred individuals - where they lived, an indication of their jobs and information about other family members.

It is hoped that this non-profit making, educational website will enable people tracing their ancestry to view relevant material and support them to make connections to their own families. It will also help young people to understand the ultimate sacrifice these men made for their country.

Stories of the War Dead Stories of the Survivors

FORGOTTEN DEAD

Since the First World War centenary commemorations in 2014, additional information has come to light regarding men whose names should have appeared on the Carleton Rode War Memorial but for whatever reason were omitted in 1920.

This project is bringing to light the forgotten dead and telling their stories against the backdrop of the world in which they lived. We can only speculate as to why these men were not recognised at the time, but it is important to the village of Carleton Rode that it remembers the sacrifices that everyone made.

Robert Thomas Bush
Tony Brooks knew that his grandmother’s brother had been killed during WW1 and had spent many years researching the family history trying to find a memorial that bore his name – but to no avail. He discovered that the Bush family had lived in Carleton Rode at the time and so contacted the Parish Council for help. It took another two years and the development of this website in order that more of Robert Bush’s life could be revealed.

Robert John Bartram
November 1916; thousands dying as the Battle of the Somme continued. At home in Carleton Rode, this news report appeared in the Eastern Daily Press. A small act of petty crime was to have disastrous consequences for Robert Bartram.