HAWKESBURY Upton’s war heroes are being honoured in a new book published to commemorate the centenary of World War One.

The book, Hawkesbury at War: The Roll of Honour, is the culmination of 18 years of research and tells the stories of all those from the parish of Hawkesbury who served between 1914 and 1919.

Written and researched by historian Simon Bendry, national education co-ordinator for the First World War Centenary programme, the book records for the first time ever details of all those soldiers from the village who served in the war.

It looks in details at the 32 men from WW1 whose names appear on the Hawkesbury Upton war memorial as well as the stories of the 200 men and women from the parish who served.

Mr Bendry, who moved to Hawkesbury aged 10, said: “I have often stood on The Plain on Remembrance Sunday and listened as the names of the fallen are read out.

“Each year, this was concluded with the words ‘We will remember them’. Indeed, even the gate to the war memorial states ‘Lest we forget’. But time has gone by and there are few left who do actually remember those men.”

After completing his A-level studies and with a real interest in discovering the stories behind the war memorial, Mr Bendry embarked on tracking down records, letters, newspaper reports and photographs of the 32 men who had lost their lives during WW1. But when he presented his findings to the local history society in 2011 he was asked about those who had survived the war and the project rapidly grew.

Five years later and he has finished researching the Roll of Honour having discovered that six local men were killed in the Battle of the Somme, one man died at home from tuberculosis and another was a Member of Parliament.

“Each individual has been extensively researched using official records, letters, newspaper reports and photographs,” said Mr Bendry. “Exactly 100 years after the original parish Roll of Honour was published, this book tells the stories of the men and women of Hawkesbury who are now commemorated on the parish war memorial and also those who served and returned home.

“Perhaps this will help ensure that we can now honestly say ‘we will remember them’.”

As well as biographies of all men and women who served, the book also looks at the wider context of the war, tells the story of the Red Cross Hospital in Hawkesbury and describes the origins of the village memorials.

Hawkesbury at War: The Roll of Honour is available to buy at the Beaufort Arms pub, The Hawkesbury Shop, Hawkesbury Post Office or from Pam and Mike Bendry at 14 Hunters Mead. It is also on sale online at eBay or by emailing sbendry@gmail.com