From the Battle of Blythburgh to the two World Wars and the Victoria Cross
The first example of war affecting Wenhaston was in AD 654, when King Penda, a heathen King from Mercia, chased King Anna, a Christian King of Anglia, and they fought the Battle of Blythburgh. There are a number of sites that have been put forward, but the one that most agree on is the site of Blythburgh Hospital, in that it is on the top of a hill. Anyway the people of Wenhaston must have had a grandstand view, and perhaps took part. The result was that King Anna and his son were killed and therefore lost the battle.
During the First World War 24 men were killed and three missing. The Second World War saw five more names being added to the War Memorial. One Wenhaston man distinguished himself C.S.M.Wright was awarded the Victoria Cross on 2nd September 1943 while serving with the Coldstream Guards at Salerno.
One evening in June 1941 a German bomber on its way back dropped four bombs. One fell on the road at the back of The Compasses, one at the back of No. 7 East View, one on the path on the north of Blackheath and the other in a field near The Star. No casualties but slight damage.