AN amateur historian and Army veteran hopes to trace descendants of the men and boys honoured on a war memorial ahead of its restoration.

The First World War Memorial at Tursdale, in County Durham, pays tribute to 41 soldiers from the former pit community who died in the 1914-18 conflict.

According to local lore, a marble statue that once topped the memorial was damaged by drunken road workers and disappeared the following decade after it was taken to be repaired.

Artist Ray Lonsdale, creator of the sculpture 1101 at Seaham, which is nicknamed Tommy, has been commissioned to reinstate a soldier on the memorial.

With the centenary of the Great War in mind, Cornforth Parish Council raised £20,000 through council funds, grants and community fundraising for Not Much To Ask- a 6ft steel statue of a soldier longing to return home from war.

He should be installed on the surviving base, which carries the 41 names, before Remembrance services in November.

Local history and genealogy enthusiast Andy Denholm, of West Cornforth, has information about them all and hopes descendants will come forward to share information and commemorate fallen heroes when the statue is unveiled.

He said: “I want relatives of those named to know this is happening.

“I always say they should never be forgotten, they were local people like us doing day to day jobs who were called up or signed up and didn’t come home.

“I can share what I know and they might have information and photographs to add to their stories. I feel it is really important to gather the information and stories together so it is there for future generations, this isn’t just the history of a place but is about people.”

Joyce Thompson, 73, of Metal Bridge, could not agree more.

Her grandfather Private Walter Harvey enlisted at Ferryhill, was lost at sea onboard HM Transport Royal Edward and is commemorated on Helles Memorial Turkey and at Tursdale.

She said: “It is very important to me to remember,to keep their memories and sacrifice alive.”

Alan Hodgson, chairman of Cornforth Parish Council, said it will be nice to include relatives and the stories of the 41 men in an unveiling event which has yet to be planned.

Contact Mr Denholm on 07891-204260 or andydenholm@gmail.com

The names on the memorial are: BESTFORD Joseph, CROSBY Thomas, CURRY Stephen, CHISHOLM Thomas P, DYKES George, GOWLAND John T, GRINT Frederick, GRINT Robert, GARRITT Richard, HUGGIN James, HARVEY Walter, HARGREAVES Thomas, HALL James H, HUTCHINSON George H, HALLLIMOND John T, JONES William, KEITH George, LIDDLE Charles F, LITTLEY Joseph, O'CONNELL Daniel, PRICE John W, PYBURN John, RAMSAY William J, RAINE William M, ROSSITER Thomas, STEPHENSON Frederick, SCOTT William

WILSON Edward, WINWOOD Joseph, WOOD Frank, WILBY William Henry, WILBY John Brankston, WILKINSON Thomas Hall, WHITE Charles and YOUNG James (Military Medal).