Valiant Soldier exhibition marks Devon town’s role in Great War

Buckfastleigh’s time-capsule tourist attraction, the Valiant Soldier, is putting on a unique local exhibition about World War One.

It opens at the end of May and features artefacts, photographs, information and personal memories. The exhibition will display items ranging from German, French and British helmets to cards and gifts sent to the troops from the people left at home.

The exhibition is part of a series of events called Buckfastleigh Remembers.

Graham Squires, of the Valiant Soldier project, said: “This is going to be a rolling exhibition, with new things coming in all the time. I’m sure when people see what we have they will go home and find their own pieces that they will want to loan us.”

In addition, Tipperary Days, a performance of poetry and spoken word, takes place in the atmospheric surroundings of the Valiant Soldier itself. There will be shows on Thursday May 29th to Saturday May 31st by the Buckfastleigh Drama Group.

On Thursday June 19th, Friday June 20th and Sunday June 22nd the town will see its most ambitious event. It will all be over by Christmas is a pageant created by the South Devon Railway and Buckfastleigh Primary School. Children wearing period costume will leave their school for the Town Hall, where they will sign up to join the war effort, then march down through the town singing songs of the time. At the South Devon Railway they will climb aboard a steam train waiting to take them to war.

The Valiant Soldier, known as the pub where time was never called, is a preserved public house with interiors dating from the 1950s and 60s. Volunteers opened it as a tourist attraction in 2000. For information, opening times and tickets telephone: 01364 644 522 or e-mail enquiries@valiantsoldier.org.uk. Valiant Soldier, 79/80 Fore Street, Buckfastleigh, Devon TQ11 0BS.