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It is said by 1918 everyone knew somebody who had died in the war. Bereaved families were dealing with the grief of losing loved ones.

Out of 16,000 communities it’s estimated only around 50 saw all of their boys come home. The writer Arthur Mee came up with the term ‘Thankful Village’ in the 1930s. The village of High Toynton near Horncastle is one of them.

Instead of a war memorial to the fallen; the village has a brass plaque in the church to commemorate the safe return of fourteen men from the village. One of the names engraved on it is Sapper George H Boucher of the Royal Engineers. After the war he returned to the village, he was married and had a family. Like countless others who returned he simply carried on with his life. George died aged 72 and is buried in the local churchyard.

High Toynton is one of only a few villages to be doubly thankful. It also suffered no losses in WW2.

Location: High Toynton, Lincolnshire LN9 6NN
Image: George Boucher from High Toynton, courtesy of Geoff Boucher

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