New piece of WWI puzzle found

The watercolour was once in three parts and fixed to the wall of the Assembly Rooms in Storrington’s High Street.

But earlier this year the main Roll of Honour document, which was created in 1917 and lost for decades, was rediscovered and restored to go on display at its new home in Storrington Museum.

Museum secretary Patricia Wilks said: “Last year the Storrington World War One Roll of Honour was found by Horsham Museum and they handed it over to us. It was in a very damaged state - nobody quite knows why and when it came to be removed from the wall of the old Assembly Rooms in Storrington High Street.

“A few weeks ago Horsham Museum unearthed one of these side panels. Again it was in a very damaged and fragile condition and will be stabilised by Jessica Jacob who worked on the main panel.”

It was painted by Paul Hardy, a well known artist who lived in Church Street and also made suits of armour, including the miniature suits in Queen Mary’s dolls house which is in Buckingham Palace.

Now that one of the two known side panels has been found, it will be fully restored to join the main document at the museum.

Yet, one final piece of the puzzle still remains missing.

The first part to the roll of honour will remain on display, and will form the centrepiece of an exhibition planned for 2014 to commemorate the centenary of the war.

To find out more and visit the museum, open 10am-4pm Wednesdays, Saturdays and 10am-1pm Sundays, telephone 01903 740188.