Vivian Belcher was born in the Berkshire village of Challow Station in 1918. He was one of nine children. After education at the village school at Goosey, he started work on a local farm, when aged 14.
In 1936 he “took the King’s shilling” and joined the Tank Corps. He did his training at Bovington Camp, Dorset, becoming a dispatch rider. His duties as a dispatch rider led to his meeting Alice Butcher, who was to become his wife.
Viv was taken prisoner in Greece in 1941 and spent the rest of the Second World War working on farms in Austria. He maintained what contact he could with folks back home, and was re-united with Alice in May 1945. They married at Warminster in July 1945.
After the war Viv worked at Bishopstrow Mill for two years. He then became a fitter at the REME, Warminster, where he was employed for 36 years, working mainly on tanks.
In 1959 he secured a plot of land at Boreham Road, east of what is now Highbury Park, and with the help of Alice, he saved enough money to start building his own bungalow on the plot in 1967. The bungalow (with the address 53a Boreham Road) was completed three years later and the couple moved in, during October 1970.
Viv served as a sidesman at the Parish Church of St. Denys, The Minster, Warminster, for 30 years, and he also helped care for the churchyard. He also offered his assistance at Kingdown School, Warminster, with the Learning Support Scheme.
Vivian Belcher died on 5th November 1991, just a few days after attending the funeral of his wife Alice. Viv’s funeral service was held at St. Denys Church on Tuesday 2nd November 1991. Canon Roger Sharpe, assisted by the Rev. Peter Hawksworth, conducted the service. Among the mourners were Mr. and Mrs. J. Belcher (son and daughter-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. B. Avery (son-in-law and daughter), and Miss E. Avery, Miss S. Belcher, and Master S. Belcher (grandchildren). Cremation followed at Bath. A private burial of Viv’s ashes was carried out later at the Minster Churchyard, Warminster.