HIGHWORTH stopped to remember the town’s First World War hero Reginald Warneford VC on Sunday (JUN 7) during a service which marked the centenary of his greatest achievement.

Reginald, otherwise known as Rex, was awarded the Victoria Cross to mark his feat as the first man to single-handedly destroy a German Zeppelin, when he dropped his aircraft’s bombs on it in the sky on July 7, 1915.

The 23-year-old was forced to land behind enemy lines as a result of those actions and had to repair his aircraft before flying it home to safety.

Highworth adopted Rex as its war hero because the Warneford family has history stretching back 700 years with the town.

The town’s secondary school is already named after him, but Sunday’s service was the culmination of years of planning to commemorate the First World War's VC bearers.

The Government’s plan to roll out commemorative paving stones for VC recipients did not at first stretch to Rex because he was born in Asia, but after protestations from Highworth Town Council the stone was commissioned.

The £2,500 stone has been mounted at the podium in the town centre, opposite The Globe pub, by the town council and Midcounties Co-operative “We didn’t want it sitting in the ground for people to walk on,” said Richard Williams, a former town councillor and organiser.

The annual civic service at St Michael and All Angels Church preceded the centenary tribute, which involved a parade of town councillors, air cadets, Swindon Sea Cadets and Brownies.

Colonel James Arkell attended to represent the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, as did Lady Gooch, the High Sheriff of Wiltshire.

“The general consensus fairly early on was it felt very strange to honour someone by putting something on the ground for people to walk on,” said Richard.

"It’s an insult getting people to walk on it afterwards.

“Very early on the council decided it didn’t want it on the floor.”

Exmouth, where Rex’s mother lived, and King Edward VI School in Straford-upon-Avon, where Rex was educated, were also granted commemorative paving stones to dedicate on his centenary.

“Certainly for myself and the other parade members, we were all very proud to be stood there and recognised what he did for us,” said Richard.

“The stone will stay as it’s not going to be walked on. It will be many hundreds of years before it starts showing its age.”

The former councillor is hopeful this dedication will mean the name Warneford goes on to be remembered in Highworth for decades to come, after its meaning began to wane for the younger generation.

“The name Warneford is extremely well-known around Highworth,” he said.

“But for many it doesn’t mean a great deal anymore. The only connection with the family is the name itself, there are no family members living locally.

“In fact, our historical society couldn’t find any living members they could get in touch with to try and invite.

“It seems to be a family which, not long after the war, splintered and fell apart.”