A Woodstock care home paid its respects to the soldiers of the First World War with a talk from a local historian.

Julie Ann Godson, author of Our Boys 1914–1918: who were the fallen of one Oxfordshire valley?, visited Spencer Court Care Home on Monday to talk about her work.

Mrs Godson’s book provides a glimpse into the lives of 48 men from Oxfordshire who fought and fell in the First World War.

Witney Gazette:

Her talk went through the details of the men’s stories accompanied by images which brought the stories to life..

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Mrs Godson said her book was an attempt to move away from Armistice Day being purely about ranks of gravestones and churches and instead step into the lives of local men who were craftsmen or labourers in nearby villages and farms.

Many of the residents of the Spencer Court have firsthand memories of the Second World War and have lived locally all their lives making this Armistice Day talk a personal event.

Witney Gazette:

For the residents of the Woodstock care home the memorial service gave them a chance to recollect on their own memories as well as explore the stories of the fallen men of Oxfordshire of the First World War.

Spencer Court home manager Anna Odeyemi said: "Reminiscence is an important and often therapeutic part of life as we age and is something we encourage here at Spencer Court.

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"At this time of year, as we remember those fallen in battle, it is important for older generations to have a chance to recall their families’ pasts and how they shaped the world we live in today."

The stories of the young men from Oxfordshire helped the residents of the Woodstock care home not only reflect on conflict within their lifetime but also on how the war and conflict has affected Oxfordshire.

While the residents of the home enjoyed stories and reminisced on the war they also enjoyed refreshments and food specially decorated with poppies.