LYING in the dust and muck on the floor of a barn in Farley, eagle-eyed Chris Walker spotted two tiny coins.

He picked them up and noticed they dated back to 1904 and 1908 and the inscription showed they were of Belgian origin.

Now the two little coins have helped recall a curious fact from the First World War that might have been forgotten.

When the German army invaded Belgium over a quarter of a million Belgians were forced to take refuge in England to avoid the conflict in their own country.

Many settled in the east of England, but some families were housed further afield and some found their way to Wiltshire.

Mr Walker said: “In Farley my three great-aunts Elizabeth, Sarah-Jane and Florence Parsons took in members of the Reychler family, whose home was in the village of Drongen, not far from Ghent, a city which was occupied by the Germans throughout the war.

“The Reychlers came to Wiltshire, we don’t know why, until hostilities ceased and then returned home but they never forgot the kindness shown them by the people of Farley.

“They sent large numbers of gifts back to England as a token of gratitude. Items such as traditional Belgian lace, top-quality velvet for curtain-making and an impressive brass milk churn of the type carried in small carts that were pulled along by large dogs.”

Mr Walker came across the two coins back in the late eighties and although they were worse for wear he was able to make out the inscription and dates - "Koninkrijk Belgie 1904" on a 10 cent coin and "Royaume de Belgique 1908" on one worth 25 cents.

He added: “They could only have been dropped accidentally by the Reychlers almost 100 years ago and now they are a symbol of an act of kindness in history shown by my family to another family.”

Now Mr Walker is asking for information on whether any other Belgian families were housed in the Salisbury area during the war, and what happened to the Reychler family.

“I'm afraid I don't know myself and sadly, I do not know either whether any descendants of the Reychler family are still alive and living in Belgium. Maybe if the Journal publishes the story of the coins we might find out.”

Anyone with information can email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk