A proposal to construct a memorial was made by the then Vicar, C Faulkner Chorley in the Corston and Rodbourne Parish Newsletter, July 1919 “Now that peace has come it will no doubt be the general wish that some permanent memorial should be raised to those from the Parish who have made the great sacrifice.”

By August 1919 a Committee had been set up, led by a Mr A Chubb. The committee also set up wider public meetings to agree on the site and overall design of the memorial.

By September 1919 proposed designs and costs had been received and those of C A Hughes of Malmesbury were chosen by the committee. The cost was £65, plus 3s.4d per dozen letters.

Copies of the design/costs were displayed in post offices in Rodbourne and Corston during a further public consultation phase. The memorial was subscribed to by “practically every family in the parish” (Parish Newsletter) and fundraising brought in £87.4s.0d.

The dedication ceremony was held on 31st October 1920. The memorial was unveiled by Miss Luce, and the dedication was made by the Archdeacon of Swindon.

The Parish Newsletter of November 1920 sets out the following as the inscription:

The Great War 1914-1918. Our Glorious Dead. ‘Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori’

F. Barton, A. Denly, W. Dunsby, A. H. Dyer, E. Frayling, W. D. A. Holland, W. Ponting, C. Poulton, G. Read, H. Slade, W. Slade,

‘Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.’

Also in honour of the 64 men from Corston and Rodbourne who served in the Great War.

(The Wilts and Glos Standard, 7.11.1920 report of the dedication adds an initial, recording the second name as “A F Denly”.)

The Parish Council arranged for the War Memorial to be restored in 2016.