REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
Sunday 13th November 2022, 10.45am at the War Memorial, followed by service in Church
As usual, the short service of Remembrance at the War Memorial will be followed by a service in Church, where a retiring collection will be made on behalf of the Royal British Legion. Coffee will be served after the service.
THE MEN OF KEEVIL
George Dixon, 1st Wiltshire Regiment
Albert Wareham, 1st Wiltshire Regiment
Frank Bodman, 2nd Wiltshire Regiment
James Andrews, 4th Wiltshire Regiment
George Hicks, 4th Wiltshire Regiment
Jacob Bodman, Leading Seaman Royal Navy
Herbert Swanborough, Royal Navy
Frederick Clifford, Royal Garrison Artillery
Victor Clifford, Royal Garrison Artillery
Herbert Ludlow, Sergeant 1st Wiltshire Regiment
Edward Jeffries, Machine Gun Corp
Thomas Ludlow, Royal Army Service Corp
Edward Gilbert, Royal Berks Regiment
Stephen O’Leary, Wiltshire Training Reserves
Robert H Lane, Lance Corporal Worcester Regiment
Leonard Griffin, Somerset Light Infantry
Frederick C Wilmutt, 1st Hants Regiment
William C Gumm, Royal West Kent Regiment
M. Leonard Gingell, Royal Artillery
George E Perrett, Royal Pioneer Corp
‘At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them’
11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month
ROYAL AIR FORCE KEEVIL Annual Service of Remembrance at Stocks Green Memorial Plaque
See here for updates, photos and history of the RAF Keevil/Arnhem remembrance services held in September.
2022 Service on Saturday 17th September, 12 noon, led by Rev Jake Eggertsen
Every September for twenty six years, villagers and friends have gathered at Stocks tree for a short Service of Remembrance, to honour the memory of all those brave men who flew from Keevil airfield as part of the D-day and Arnhem operation. Many were injured and sadly many never returned.
In 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic the service did not take place.
This short service has its origins in the 50th Anniversary of D Day and the Arnhem Operation. This was a remarkable village event with Airmen, Ground Crew, Glider Pilots and Airborne Infantry arriving from all over the world. The weekend of activities was drawn to a conclusion with the dedication of a Memorial Plaque at Stocks Tree, unveiled by the ex-Glider Pilot Bill Higgs. Since then a service has been held every year and continues to be a part of Keevil village life. It is important that the village continues this simple service for what it represents.
The RAF Keevil service was supported by the Royal Engineers ‘Sappers to Arnhem’ Cycling Sappers, comprising both serving and ex Royal Engineers, who cycle to Keevil as part of their continued fund raising on behalf of the Help for Heroes appeal right up to the pandemic years, and some still attend privately.
The Double Hills Memorial Service
The Double Hills Memorial Service normally precedes the Keevil service. Although 2019 was the last large organised event, a small remembrance service still goes ahead each year to remember the 21 Sappers from the 9th Field Company (Airborne) Royal Engineers and 2 pilots from the Glider Pilots Regiment, who lost their lives on Sunday morning 17th September 1944, when their Horsa Glider RJ113 crashed into a meadow called Double Hills, in the village of Paulton, Somerset. These were the first casualties of the Battle of Arnhem – Operation Market Garden. They had earlier taken off with their tug aircraft, a Stirling bomber, from RAF Keevil.
They did not die in battles din,
Of worlds renown,
Or medals win,
But gave their lives for you and me,
So that we and the whole world might be free.Ruby Bowell – A Paulton nurse who, in 1944, attended the scene of the Double Hills disaster
We were blessed with a mild and bright morning for Remembrance 2018, and so many friends and neighbours all turned out on this centenery of the end of WW1
KEEVIL VILLAGE 
I am a relation of the Bodman family my great grandparents lived in a cottage in Keevil that burnt down , they were the parents of Frank and Jacob who’s names are displayed on your war memorial , thank you for the information i have found today from your site . I hope to come and join in on 11th November to represent my family . jane hunt (nee )Bodman .
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I am related to Frank and Jacob as well. I have placed crosses by the memorial for them. Not entirely sure of the connection. My dad did the family tree but he’s not well. My grandfather was Derrick Bodman.
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Beautiful, My nana was Ruby Bowell and I am so proud to find this here.
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Hey Natasha, oh my goodness, how wonderful, you must be so proud of her xxx
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