A NEW exhibition on a former Red Cross hospital in Corsham that treated soldiers during the First World War will get underway in October.

102 years on from when the town hall, now town council headquarters, opened its doors to patients, the town council will host the free event from October 22-30 to commemorate the work of the nurses and volunteers who served there.

The hospital was open between October 1914 and August 1919, 875 soldiers were treated by around 75 nurses, at an annual cost of £2,500 and had beds for up to 90 patients.

"We cannot wait for it and hopefully we can get the community really engaged in a fascinating story," said Kevin Gaskin of the Corsham Commemorates group, which is celebrating the work the townspeople did during the war effort.

"We particularly like how the townsfolk here rallied together behind the hospital through knitting, sewing, donations and entertainment held for the soldiers.

"Also this is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to relatives of people who helped out back then and maybe they can contribute to the display with more information and pictures which would be brilliant.

"To recreate the history and bring to life what it was like back then is a very exciting prospect."

In 2014, the likes of the town's civic society, the Royal British Legion and the army cadets among others formed the group, Corsham Commemorates, to celebrate what the people of Corsham did back then.

The council offices will include, photos, war records, workshops, beds and an assortment of other First World War hospital themed displays for the public to see.

In addition to this the town council have commissioned local artist Emma Leith to adorn the town hall staircase with crocheted poppies to commemorate the 115 local boys and men who fought in the war but never returned.

She will create a special yarn-bombing tribute the remember the nurses who ran the Red Cross hospital over the five years.

"This is a very exciting and special upcoming event and one that many are really looking forward to," said Sharon Thomas, head of the council's community services.

"The offices will be transformed into what it was like back then during the war and it should be a great exhibition for the town - it should be fascinating.

"A lot of fantastic work was put in by a lot of remarkable people to help with the war effort and this will give people a bit more insight into the stellar effort that was put in."