YOUR Swindon Advertiser needs you!

Or more specifically the Adver and local volunteers from the Swindon in the Great War group need your personal stories of the heroism and hardships of ancestors who had to endure the First World War from 1914 to 1918.

Whether they are tales of the Western Front or the Home Front, people from all over town rose to the unprecedented challenges of the time and as the 100th anniversary of the declaration approaches a host of events and memorials are planned to commemorate it.

Local historians and authors Dr Mike Pringle and Mark Sutton are spearheading the community events and are gearing up for a large-scale commemoration this August.

Mike said: “I started writing a book for the history press on Swindon in the Great War and I met with Mark, who has a huge passion for it. Once the two of us got together things really took off very quickly.

“The idea behind it is united we stand and the more people we can get together the better. We were worried nothing was going to happen in Swindon and we’d be the only town in the county not to be organised.

“We are all volunteers and we are always looking for more. We also want people to get involved and tell their own family histories.

"There will be exhibitions, events in schools, memorials and all sorts and the main events will kick off in August, on the anniversary of when the war started.”

Anyone with any family history stories, memoirs, heirlooms or items associated with the First World War can contact newsdesk@swindonadvertiser or info@swindongreatwar.org.uk.