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Hello

My Name is Gillian Nevill and I belong to The Fovant History Org. Fovant is noted for the military badges cut in to the chalk downs by British Commonwealth and Allied Soldiers during WW1.Considering it is over 60 years that the graffiti artists of the 1940’s left their marks on the walls and corrugated metal shelters of “The Buttsâ€, much is still visible.

So much hard work has been carried out by deciphering and listing the names. Mike Harden who has documented the information and actual position of the soldiers handy work. A handful of British Soldiers also took part in the inscriptions from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment. We hope to have more information regarding these Soldiers soon.

The majority of the graffiti is the work of American Soldiers and below is a list of some of these men and where in America they had come from. Mike has researched further to identify ranks and service numbers which can be found in his reports

Arkansas FC Urfe Connecticut Norwalk/ Leo Plourde/ Smey

Florida Parish Georgia WJ Carter Idiana LK Hart

Illinois AW Decker/ Ivan Goff/ Neil Kerner/ G Shelly Iowa David Frank/ George Spahn/ Tonne Kentucky Homer Mim Kansas Joe Hyde

Massachusetts Tony Canzo/ L Celta/ Doherty Michigan Yesse Ballard/ F Rankin

Minnesota Dick Brescher/ A Ronkilla/ EL Sirovy/ Skiba

Nebraska Eamey L Newton New Jersey John Fedorchak

New Mexico Manual Martin New York City Pat Grandinico

North Carolina GE Carter

Ohio Don Hendrix/ Lith Meyer/ Bill Moore/ Frank Mucciato/ LP Neaster /A Ronges/ Schult

Oklahoma FS Gymon Pennsylvania AB Haitz/EH Whire

South Carolina Ernest Haydee Tennessee L Jones/ Varne Williams

Texas M Hillin/ Roy Tramell/ Valencia/ Jack Wilson Virginia VWP/AC Wilkins

I am using the data recorded to trace the actual Soldiers or friends relatives of these men who may have written photographed or talked about their experiences in Fovant during and after WW2, to be included in the on going History of Fovant.

Grateful for any information

Regards

Gill

“The Butts

Funny that you should use that term; it tells you how terminology in the military changes so slowly. To this day, the place where you pull targets for the rifle range is the "Butts". I can't attest to that for the army but that is at least the case in the Marine Corps.

Interesting story. It would be neat if you could track down one of those individuals.

Funny that you should use that term; it tells you how terminology in the military changes so slowly. To this day, the place where you pull targets for the rifle range is the "Butts". I can't attest to that for the army but that is at least the case in the Marine Corps.

 

Interesting story. It would be neat if you could track down one of those individuals.

"The Butts" is the name its always been refered to. The area were the targets were put up which was a deep trench and behind the embankment which the stray bullets ended up.

It would be fabulous if I could track one of these individuals down.

regards Gill