THERE are few better ways to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than a leisurely trip out into the Worcestershire countryside.

This particular expedition took us to the charming village of Birlingham, near Pershore. And as ever, I was drawn to the church – in this case St James, above – where I made quite a discovery.

For on the right-hand side of the building there is a stain glass window dramatically depicting St George and a vanquished dragon.

On closer inspection, I saw that it commemorated the wartime death of Harry Bernard Windows. I imagine it had been paid for by his grieving family.

I’m always moved by such acts and decided to do a little bit of research.

Harry Windows was a lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and died on March 5, 1943, aged 26. He was the son of Walter and Annie Mary Windows of Birlingham.

It’s not hard to imagine the depths of grief caused by his death because this young man seems to have died working on the Siam-Burma ‘railway of death,’ a war crime for which Japan has still not apologised.

He has no known grave. His name appears along with those of 24,799 other prisoners-of-war on the Kranji Memorial, Singapore.

Later, leaving the village, I couldn’t help but reflect that although Harry lies for eternity in the corner of some foreign field, he lives for evermore thanks to that window in a charming Worcestershire country church.