TOWARDS the end of World War Two an horrific shooting took place in the sleepy village of Kingsclere but due to wartime censorship, the 'massacre' has almost been lost to history.

It was 67 years ago last month that three people died in what became known locally as the 'Kingsclere Massacre', but events were hushed up by none other than General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Allied Forces Supreme Commander, and a future US President.

The centre of the drama on that Thursday evening was the Crown Inn pub, and when the shooting stopped, two black US soldiers, Privates Joseph Coates and Jacob Anderson both lay dead.

Landlady Rose Napper, who was clearing up glasses before closing time, was also struck by a bullet ricochet through her jaw and died later in Newbury Hospital.

The shootings were not reported in any newspapers because Army chiefs feared publicity would be a blow to the morale of civilians and that of black troops in the US Army.

Thatcham later played a pivotal role in hosting the court martial of 10 US soldiers from the 3247th Quartermaster Service Corps, when the events of that fateful night unfolded.

The soldiers, whose unit had recently moved to nearby Sydmonton Court (now the home of Lord 'Andrew' Lloyd-Webber), decided to visit the pubs in Kingsclere. But they were challenged by military policemen Coates and Anderson, told they were off limits and ordered to return to base. But back at Sydmonton Court they took rifles and ammunition from the armoury and, returning to the village, spotted the MPs' 'Snowdrop' white helmets through the Crown Inn front window and opened fire.

Eyewitness Frank Butler said it was "like hell let loose" as Coates died instantly inside the pub, while Anderson managed to get out and engage the attackers with his rifle but was mortally wounded in a hail of bullets and died in the runner bean patch of a next door garden.

Nine of the 10 were convicted of murder and jailed for life - the other got 10 years' hard labour - and all were given dishonourable discharges.

General Eisenhower later sent his second in command to apologise personally to the residents of Kingsclere for what was one of many similar 'incidents' hushed up during World War Two.

Today the Kingsclere massacre's only epitaph is for the much loved Crown Inn landlady, whose gravestone reads: 'In loving Remembrance of Rose Amelia Napper. Sweetest memories.'