HISTORIAN and author John Sheen is to look at the background and service of the Durham Light Infantry's famous fighting labourers this weekend.

He has researched the stories of four DLI battalions at the Western Front during the First World War for a book to be published soon and will be at the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery for a talk on the Durham Pioneers at War.

He has already given talks at the Durham County Council-run museum on three of the battalions and on Saturday he will turn his attention to the 22nd Battalion DLI.

Mr Sheen is hoping that relatives of men who served with 22DLI, a pioneer battalion of fighting labourers, whose soldiers wore the famous crossed rifle and pick collar badge, will attend the talk and bring photographs and other records.

Steve Shannon, of the DLI, said: "This month marks the 90th anniversary of the raising of the Durham Pioneers by the Durham County Recruiting Committee as the last of the Kitchener battalions.

"John will explain how 22DLI was formed, its training and its service overseas."

As a pioneer battalion, it had a short, bloody career which was shortened by a reduction in the number of infantry battalions in 1918.

Mr Sheen, who was born in Durham City, joined the Light Infantry Volunteers at the DLI's former Drill Hall in Gilesgate in 1968 before joining the regular army and serving with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers for 22 years.

After he retired from the Army, he returned to Durham where he still lives and works.

* Go to The Northern Echo's online history site at www.northeasthistory.co.uk