A BASINGSTOKE historian has been researching the fallen heroes of the First World War to commemorate them on a website.

David Stewart has spent the last eight years finding information about the 233 men named on the Basingstoke War Memorial, including the date they died, rank, regiment, parents and siblings and what happened to them during their lives.

David is set to end his project on November 12 this year and said: “After a suitable period of rest I will begin the mammoth task of writing it all up in a book.”

The names of the men who lost their lives during the First World War from Basingstoke also feature in a Roll of Honour, which lists more than 1,200 men who served in the four-year conflict.

It was first created in 1916 and is held at the Hampshire Record Office, in Winchester.

The Roll of Honour was presented to the mayor and Basingstoke Town Council in June 1916, by Alice Fisher, of Cliddesden Road, Basingstoke, naming local men who were serving or who had been serving in the forces up to that time.

The list of 1,036 names was inscribed by Winchester Road resident Ernest Henry George Bolley and it was agreed by the mayor and Miss Fisher that Mr Bolley would inscribe the additional names of men joining up to serve in the conflict after it ended in 1918.

The names listed are only those serving in the military, namely the Army, Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, along with Basingstoke men who have emigrated and served in the armed forces in Commonwealth countries such as Canada and Australia.

To view Mr Stewart’s website visit basingstokeremembers.co.uk.