By Sam Smalldon
Hatch Beauchamp parish church has had a long affiliation and friendship with the Taunton branch of the Royal Engineers Association .
In 1979 they even had a royal visit from a South African Zulu prince who came to mark the centenary of the battle of Rorke’s Drift.
The officer in charge at Rorke’s Drift was LT John Rouse Merriott Chard RE and when he left the army, he came to Hatch Beauchamp to live with his brother Edward who was rector of the church. The branch has presented this bench to mark the centenary of the end of WW1.
We hope that many visitors will sit and enjoy the peacefulness of this quaint old church and visit John Chards famous grave.
Tone News would like to thank Sam Smalldon for sharing this story with photography provided by Roger Prince.
