How an article in the Parish Magazine led to the discovery of some fascinating local coincidences.
An article about the First World War in the autumn edition of the Parish Magazine mentioned the sinking of HMS Monmouth with the loss of all on board - including Buriton's Henry Tupper.
Buriton-born Matthew Gaylard, now living in Horndean, read the article and got in touch to say that, as a Member of the Royal Marines Band, he would be performing at a Gala showing of a special film about the battle in which HMS Monmouth was sunk at the London Film Festival.
?It was an amazing coincidence,? said Matthew, now living in Horndean. ?I was honoured to play in the special concert - and then I found out that the village already had a link to the tragic battle.?
The Royal Marines Band performed newly commissioned music to accompany a restored version of one of the finest films of the British silent era: 'The Battles of Coronel and Falkland Islands'.
The Festival's programme explained that the film provides a thrilling reconstruction of two decisive naval battles from the early stages of the war.
The Battle of Coronel, off the coast of Chile, in which Able Seaman Henry Tupper lost his life, was a triumph for the Germans - inflicting the first defeat of the British navy for a hundred years.
Six weeks later, however, British supremacy was restored in the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
The film, which covers both battles, was originally released on Armistice Day 1928 to act as a memorial to the thousands who died.
Filmed on real battleships, the movie was shot mostly at sea near Malta, with the Scilly Isles a convincing stand-in for the Falklands.
?There was a full house for the Archive Gala at the Film Festival,? said Matthew, who played a euphonium, ?and the music seemed to go down very well.?
?We played for the full duration of the film,? he explained, ?almost two hours. The music represented the rough conditions of the battle, with some quieter interludes.?
This coincidence was subsequently reported in the Petersfield Post and a reader, Eileen Tupper, contacted the Heritage Bank to say that she had some more information.
Her late husband, Frank Tupper, had been a nephew of Henry - and Eileen still has a family photo of young Henry in his uniform.
The Heritage Bank received a copy of this photograph on 1st November: 100 years to the day from when Henry lost his life whilst fighting for his country ?
