A FORMER Cumbrian museum curator is set to hold a talk about a local hero.
Stuart Eastwood, who was previously the curator of Cumbria's Museum of Military Life, will hold the illustrated talk which will focus on the life of Major William Thain.
The talk will take place at 7.30 pm on Friday, September 22 at Wreay Village Hall, metres away from where Major Thain is remembered by the arrows that adorn the door of St Mary's Church.
Major Willian Thain was born in 1797 in Wreay and served in the 33rd Regiment of Foot, seeing action in the nineteenth century that included fighting at Waterloo against Napoleon in 1815.
Promotion followed for the local hero who went on to serve in Jamaica, Gibraltar and, in 1839, he became aide de camp to Major General Elphinstone in Bengal.
Three years later, in January 1842, it is believed that Major Thain died, being struck by an arrow, whilst retreating with the British Army who were being driven out of Afghanistan.
The illustrated talk is free to enter and will provide a more in-depth look into the life of Major Thain, with refreshments also being available at the event.
Raymond Whittaker, chair of the Friends of St Mary's Church said: "The talk by Stuart Eastwood, former curator of the Cumbria Museum of Military Life, will be made even more interesting as he had discovered that a relative of his served in the same regiment as William Thain and so may have fought alongside him. "
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