To those who nobly served

Unfortunately, the dead have, by and large, remained just names on the Roll of Honour in churches, schools and libraries. It would seem that those who gave their lives for their country are now no more than carvings in stone, or etchings on wood.

That is, until now. Malvern's Paul Roberts has worked for more than six years to research and document the lives of all the local servicemen who lived and died during the First World War. The 22-year-old is compiling a CD-ROM containing photos, biographies, details and stories about each person to release it later in the year.

"I've been interested in history and First World War for ages," said the former Dyson Perrins pupil who is now on a gap year following the completion of a degree in geography and history at the University of Leeds. "I'd been casually researching since about 1994 and thought I'd better do something with it. "I've known the names (of the dead) for six odd years and to find the details now is really interesting. This CD is a memorial to them."

Mr Roberts has painstakingly delved through old copies of the Malvern News, Malvern Advertiser and Berrows Worcester Journal to piece together the lives of all the servicemen who lost their lives, spending hundreds of hours typing them up on his laptop computer.

He chose a digital format for his work rather than a book because a book would have cost around £6,000 to produce.

Among those he researched was George Brodie, of Highfield Road, who attended Malvern Link CE School and Lyttelton Grammar School before getting a job at the Malvern News. He stayed there for 18 months and then joined the Berrows Journal and the Worcester Daily Times.

Mr Brodie's three brothers were mobilised for service with the Worcester Yeomanry. However, George was rejected on medical grounds. Undeterred, he travelled to Perth, in Scotland, and was passed medically fit to join the 8th Battalion, The Black Watch, 26th Infantry. After only a few months, he went to France as a Lance Corporal and, still being a reporter at heart, could not resist relaying his experiences in the trenches to the readers of the Malvern News and Berrows Journal.

In 1916, he was wounded and invalided home. While in a London hospital, he applied for commission and was accepted. In May 1917, he was enlisted as a temporary Second Lieutenant and was attached to his old regiment, the Black Watch. On August 5 1917, his commanding officer wrote home, informing his parents of George's death during a German attack. He was wounded by a bullet and died later of his injuries in a dressing station.

Of George's brothers, Hugh died in England age 28 in May 1916 and was buried at St Matthias. Regimental Sergeant-Major J K Brodie served at Gallipoli. He was awarded the Serbian Cross of St George and was mentioned in dispatches. He was severely wounded in January 1917 and was invalided home that March. Squadron Sergeant-Major N Brodie also served in Gallipoli and Egypt and was twice mentioned in dispatches.

Pte Albert John Meredith was 25 when he was killed in June 1915. The son of John and Alice Meredith of Redland Road, Malvern Link, he joined the Malvern Battery of Artillery and later the 8th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, moving to the front in France just before Easter 1915. On June 22, he was on patrol when he was shot in the stomach by a stray bullet. Despite being moved to the hospital at Bailleul, he died the following evening.

July 1916 was a terrible month for Frederick and Harriett Wareham of The Poplars, Somers Park Avenue. They lost two of their three serving sons within three weeks of each other.

Lieutenant Frederick Wareham was educated at Malvern Link CE School and Worcester Royal Grammar School and went on to become a student teacher at Somers Park Council School. He joined the 1/12th London Regiment, The Rangers, and was made Corporal. He spent some time in England before being shipped out to France, where he was wounded and invalided home.

During this time he was commissioned to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and was promoted to Lieutenant in November 1915. He was sent to the front in Easter 1916 and joined the 1/8th Territorial Battalion. He was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1 1916.

Twenty days later, Frederick's brother Laurence was killed as he made his way through the remains of the town of Ovilliers. Laurence was also a student teacher at Malvern Link CE School. He joined the Worcestershire Regiment, where he made Bn Signalling Officer. He volunteered for active service and went to France on his 20th birthday, May 17, 1916. On July 21, his company attacked enemy positions by night but in the mud and darkness made little progress and the men fell back. Lawrie Wareham was one of those killed. Mr and Mrs Wareham's middle son, Second Lieutenant RC Wareham, survived and went on to become a draughtsman at Heenan and Froude's engineering works in Worcester.

The CD, entitled To Those Who Nobly Served, is due for release in November in time for Armistice Day on Sunday the 11th.

"The name comes from the inscription at Malvern Hills Library," said Mr Roberts, who is still looking for information about local people who were killed or who served in the war.

He can be contacted on 01684 569831.