DESCENDANTS of a fallen First World War soldier spanning three generations attended a ceremony commemorating the centenary of his death.

Richard Robinson, of Sedgefield, was just 27 years old when he died of pneumonia just more than one month after the armistice on December 17, 1918, in Greece.

His nephew Peter Robinson, 86, great-niece Ailsa Campbell, 59, great-nephew Will Robinson, 52, and eight-month-old Henry Robinson, his great-great-nephew, joined a gathering of more than a dozen people at Sedgefield War Memorial yesterday to pay tribute to his service.

The service drew to a close a major four-year community project to honour the 42 soldiers from Sedgefield who died on active duty in the First World War - exactly 100 years on, or as close as possible, to the date they fell.

Will, of Sedgefield, has carried out research into the life and service of his great uncle and his grandfather William as well as other men from the town who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

He said: “My hobby is World War One, I read a lot about it and I go to France and Belgium every November for Armistice Day.

"In 1999 I started badgering the council to get the names repainted on the war memorial and started finding out where the men were buried.

“I visited many of the graves which took me all around Belgium and the Ypres area, down onto the Somme, Calais and Boulogne. I’m named after my grandad, William, and I got his war medals. My interest just stuck and I started reading more and more about it. It’s nice that 100 years on that everybody is remembered. In the past we have tended to forget and push it to the side.

“It’s got a lot more interest.

"When I first went to the Menin Gate I could stand under the gate with veterans from World War One and now you can’t get anywhere near it.

"The numbers visiting is fantastic.”

Born in 1891, Richard Robinson was a butcher before signing up and serving as a driver in the 2nd Regiment of Royal Engineers, the Royal Army Service Corps.

He is one of 1,942 casualties to be remembered at Mikra British Cemetery, in Kalamaria, Thessaloniki.

Norma Neal, of Sedgefield Local History Society, performed the commemoration ceremony which was followed by the laying of a cross by Mrs Campbell and a two minute silence.

Mrs Campbell, who has traced the family’s history back to 1555, said: “It’s been very emotional. I don’t live in Sedgefield anymore but I like coming back and it will always be my home."

The FWW commemoration services have been organised by Sedgefield Local History Society and Sedgefield Village Veterans.

Mrs Neal said: “It was so good to have so many family members attend, it really makes such a big difference.”