THE sale of a First World War memorial on eBay has angered military historians.

The copper plaque bears the names of men who lost their lives in the Great War, including soldiers from the Green Howards, now the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards).

The plaque was sold by an American woman, Sue Otteman, who claimed that a friend bought it at an auction in Colorado.

The eBay caption read: RARE WW1/GREAT WAR 1914-1918 COPPER HONOR PLAQUE!!! VERY HEAVY – 6 LBS. BRITISH IN ORIGIN.

The auction ended on Friday and the plaque sold for $250.56 (£160).

Frances Moreton, director of the War Memorial Trust, expressed concern at the sale. She said: “War memorials should have no commercial value; they form part of our shared past and national cultural heritage.”

Edward Nicholl, a war memorial enthusiast and friend of The Green Howard’s Museum, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, tried to find out more about the plaque after being asked to speak about the auction on BBC Radio 4.

Mr Nicholl, from Norton, Teesside, started an internet discussion topic on a war forum website asking if people could track down where the copper memorial came from.

The topic attracted 14 posts over the weekend, with different shreds of information on the plaque’s origins being submitted.

One of the names on the plaque is Geoffrey Layton-Bennett. He was a second lieutenant with 2nd Battalion, The Green Howards, who was killed on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Retired history enthusiast Mr Nicholl thinks it was produced by chartered accountant firm E Layton- Bennett and Co in memory of the owner’s sons, Geoffrey and Kenneth.

He said: “It’s distasteful and sad that a war memorial ends up being on eBay, but it’s not against the law and the woman selling it needed the money. At least for $250 we know it’s not going for scrap metal.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t set a trend.”