News

The Edward Thomas Fellowship has published a fine-art limited-edition book featuring eighteen poems by Edward Thomas, illustrated by specially commissioned wood engravings by contemporary artists. This project follows on from the popular series of notecards produced by the Fellowship.

Photographs and further details are on the Edward Thomas Fellowship website.

Shropshire officials have given their backing to officially change the name of Oswestry’s five-acre site off Gobowen Road to Wilfred Owen Town Green.

It is hoped the Green will become a venue for events marking the outbreak of World War One which has its centenary in 2014.

Read more on the Shropshire Star website (19 August 2010)

Chris Hearn, co-owner of The Loddon Brewery, has presented a cheque for £460 to All Saints Church in Dunsden. The Money was raised through sales of their Monthly special for May, Wilfred’s Mild, named after Wilfred Owen.

Wilfred worked as Lay Assistant to the vicar of All Saints Church (found in the field behind the brewery) from 1911-1913, shortly before he went to war. His parents Susan and Tom, and his sister Mary, are buried in the church yard.

Read more on the Society of Independent Brewers website and, if you are a WOA member, in the latest issue of our Journal.

Songwriter and musician Dean Johnson is currently working on a stageshow called Bullets & Daffodils, which is based on the life and work of Wilfred Owen, and he has uploaded some music onto his website.

As well as original songs, many of Owen's most famous poems have been set to music by Dean. 

There will be a premiere of the songs in Owen's birthplace of Oswestry, Shropshire, on 12 August 2010.  Dean will perform the musical’s score solo and narrate key events leading up to Wilfred’s tragic death, and some of Oswestry's promising new poets will precede Dean’s performance. Click here for further details.

Dean will also be performing at Birkenhead Library in November.  Details to follow.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has published a list of names who may be among those recovered from the site.

British and Australian families who believe they have connections to, or information on, one of these WW1 soldiers are being encouraged to come forward to assist with the process of identification, which will remain open until 2014.

Further information is on the Commonweath War Graves Commission website.

Click here to read more about the Battle of Fromelles.