Discover the Thankful Village in Shropshire

A 'Thankful Village' is a term used to describe a village where all the soldiers who fought in WWI returned after the conflict had ended. The term was popularised by Arthur Mee during the 1930s after he included it in his book.

There are thought to be around 53 Thankful Villages in the UK.

Harley is the only thankful village in Shropshire.

Of the twenty men who served in WW1, all twenty returned after the conflict.

This is a very rare occurrence, and you cannot begin to imagine the relief their families would have felt upon their return. Equally, it must be remembered that for the men, their experiences during the war would have stayed with them, even after they returned to the plough.

There are two memorials commemorating the men's service, one in the village hall and one in the church of St. Mary.

Both list the names of each of the men. Their survival is not only an important piece of local history but also indicative of our understanding of the experiences of ordinary folk during World War One.

I have begun researching the lives of these men, which I will be sharing in due course. I believe it is important to remember them.

Watch this space as more details come to light and unravel I will update you all with a part 2 to this important aspect of history to be remembered.