Heart of Conflict rugby match recreated.....

BBC Cornwall’s Hannah Stacey has created a wonderful feature around the Heart of Conflict story of the rugby matches at the Front played in 1915 after Camborne Rugby Club sent out a ball to local men who had signed up. Three matches between Cornish and Devon soldiers were played.

This story, which started with the discovery of a newspaper cutting in the West Briton (May 1915) has grown and grown. The latest discovery: two more grandsons of men who played and a great great grandson - a budding young musician in Camborne Youth Band.

To listen to the original feature, click here.
Derek Head and Chris Negus, the grandsons of two of the men who played are interviewed – as well as local historian Paddy Bradley and Martin Woolcock, who currently plays for Camborne RFC.

We'll be building on this work in 2018 as we're working with Camborne Youth Band, who've been invited to play at the Menin Gate, Ypres, in August. To find out more - and to support the Band (who are working hard to raise funds to pay for the trip), click on this link.

West Briton reports on our Heart of Conflict exhibition

Some things in the world don't change much, and coverage in the West Briton newspaper (print version), despite the power of the Web, still means a lot locally.
So it was great to see an article today, as we officially launch our Heart of Conflict exhibition, on one of the stories that we've featured.  Camborne Rubgy Club sent a ball out to the Front at the start of the War and soldiers from Cornwall and Devon played three matches.
We tracked down two of the grandsons of those who played: Chris Negus (grandson of Fred Negus) and Derek Head (grandson of Fred Head).
The article also mentions the fact that we discovered Fred Negus was recommended for his bravery, and was a prisoner at the end of the war. His family had been unaware of this.