EXBOURNE will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of the start of Second World War with an exhibition on Sunday afternoon (September 8) in the village hall.

On display will be memorabilia including items and photographs lent by people in the village and surrounding area.

The exhibition has been put together by the Exbourne Local History Group, with research led by Sue Rose.

It tells the story of life in the village during the war, when soldiers were stationed on a local farm and evacuees were billeted with local families.

It also reveals the names of the two men from the village who were killed during the war, submariner Lawrence Kettle and Royal Artillery soldier Jack Pyke. There is more about farming in the community too.

Dave Weeks, who has lived in the parish all his life, grew up hearing his parents’ stories about the war in the village. He helped with the research.

‘There was a detachment of the Searchlight Regiment of the Royal Artillery at Chattafin Farm and one of them stayed on after the war and got married to a local girl who was one of the teachers at the school,’ he said.

‘He then went to work in Okehampton for T Day & Sons, the garage in West Street.

‘He was called Laurie Ainsley and was very active in the village after the war, he took part in concerts during the 1960s.

‘We’ve got photographs included in the exhibition which have been lent by his son who still lives locally.’

He said the research for the exhibition had also uncovered a bit more about Jack Pyke, one of the men who died in the war.

‘We’ve got photographs of Jack Pyke but I haven’t been able to get any details of Lawrence Kettle although we have got details of the submarine he went down on and a newspaper report,’ said Dave.

The exhibition also includes a section about the WI and their efforts on the Home Front and a display on wartime farming in the parish, put together by Professor Michael Winter of Exeter University.

‘Evacuees came from London and there were quite a number that came to Exbourne,’ added Dave.

‘We have details of where they stayed which will be included in the exhibition.’