FIVE brothers who were killed in the First World War and the one who survived thanks to royal intervention are to be among those honoured at a special Remembrance service tomorrow.

The story of the Smith brothers, of Barnard Castle, captured the nation's hearts exactly a century ago, when all six were sent off to serve their King and country.

However, death soon came as Margaret Smith, of Bridgegate, started to receive the dreaded news that her sons had been killed one by one. Robert, 22, George Henry, 26, John William Stout, 37, Frederick, 21, and Alfred, 30, were all killed.

The tragedies prompted a local vicar’s wife to write to the Queen, asking for her to intervene and send the last surviving son, Wilfred, who was in his early 20s, home.

The young man was indeed returned home from France and a few years later, in 1923, the pair laid the first wreath at Barnard Castle’s newly unveiled war memorial, at the Bowes Museum.

Despite suffering chronic chest problems throughout his life caused by a mustard gas attack by the Germans, Mr Smith lived until he was 72 and raised five children with his wife, Hannah, in his home town.

Dubbed the real-life Saving Private Ryan, Mr Smith and his brothers were remembered with a special ceremony at the museum to mark the 100th anniversary since the first brother’s death, in September 1916.

And tomorrow, at least nine of Mr Smith's descendants, including his youngest daughter Dianne and granddaughter, Amanda Harrison will come together to mark the centenary at the same war memorial.

Mrs Nelson and Mrs Harrison, who both still live in the market town, will each lay a wreath at the memorial along with one of Mrs Harrison's children and her grandson, Tommy, two.

Mrs Harrison said she felt honoured that four generations would be laying a wreath and that it was an "emotional" time.

She said: "Tommy is the youngest from the Wilfred line so in 100 years time he could still be alive and educating future generations on the story."

The 52-year-old added: "Mum is 74 now and has been more emotional this time as she's the only one left and I think she's found it a bit more touching.

"It's a special day but it's not just us; there's everybody else and all the other families who have lost somebody."

The mum-of-two added: "The brothers just worked for everything; they had a normal life like everybody else and I do think now, if they knew how people were honouring them, they would be quite proud of themselves.

The service at the war memorial will be held from about 11.50am. It will follow a service at St Mary's Church, Newgate, Barnard Castle, at 10.45am and a parade at 11.40am.

Other events will be held throughout the day as part of a programme organised by Barnard Castle Town Council.