Two D-Day veterans in their nineties and seventeen members of a forgotten soldier's family will be amongst those attending a special Service of Remembrance in August, to commemorate an army officer whose name was missing from the village War Memorial.
After last year's Remembrance Service in Chilcompton, late local historian, David Strawbridge, discovered that Captain William A. Hollwey's name was missing from the village War Memorial.
The case was taken up by David Richardson-Aitken, who lives on Stockhill Road, just as Captain Hollwey had. He said: "I was intrigued by the omission of this brave soldier, who died at the age of 23 while fighting in Burma on March 16th 1943. I decided to track him down and have his name rightfully added to the memorial. I was on the village Parish Council when the case of Bill's missing moniker was raised.
"After some research, I found that his family once lived not far from me. A couple living in the same street told me they knew William's – or Bill, as he was known – name was omitted and they'd always wanted it included on the monument among the dead from both World Wars.
"The couple put me in touch with Bill's niece, Helen, who has provided useful information about the soldier."
Bill Hollwey was born on January 11th 1920 and lived in Chilcompton with his parents. His father worked in the local colliery and his mother ran a sweet shop.
After attending Midsomer Norton County School in the 1930s, where he excelled at cricket and hockey and became Head Boy in 1937 – Bill was awarded a senior county university scholarship, which enabled him to study at Selwyn College, Cambridge.
He enlisted in the army in 1939, was called up the following year, commissioned in 1941 and made a Captain in 1942. He served with the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (10th Pathans) until his death on 16th March, 1943, fighting for Htizwe, Burma.
Although there is no known grave for Bill, he is commemorated on the Taukkyan War Cemetery, in Rangoon, the Norton Hill Memorial and also at Selwyn College.
However, his name was mysteriously left off the Chilcompton War Memorial. One reason for this omission could be that his parents moved to Wiltshire at the start of the war.
David said: "Apparently, Bill's death came as a huge shock to his parents and his father never really recovered from the tragic news. His hair turned white overnight when he heard of his son's death."
As well as celebrating Bill's military achievements, the village will also acknowledge his talents as a poet. His poetry was regularly published in the school magazine, The Nortonian, and he went on to write in adulthood.
The service will take place at 2 p.m., on 15th August, at the Catholic Church on Bowden Hill, followed by an unveiling at the memorial. A piper is to play Heroes of Kohima and The Flowers of the Forest during the wreath laying.
Afterwards, those attending will be invited to a tea party at the village hall, where there will be a small exhibition about Bill and VJ Day.