ALBERT Newman was just 19 when he died in the mud of the Ypres Salient during that awful, bloody month of August, 1917.

The private soldier of the Worcestershire Regiment had only been in Flanders for a few weeks when the ill-fated Passchendaele offensive claimed his life. Like thousands of others, he met his end in the cloying mud that had brought a new element of horror to this notorious First World War battle.

The generals of Kitchener's army had been determined to push the Germans from the high ground overlooking the Belgian weaving town of Ypres.

However, a combination of the wettest summer for years, and ferocious enemy resistance, would ultimately dash the brass-hats' hopes.

The fighting on the Somme the previous year had been bad enough - but the suffering at Passchendaele was compounded by the appalling conditions. And on August 11, young Albert made the ultimate sacrifice.

But when the telegram arrived at his parents' home the awful news came as no surprise. The family had already heard the grim tidings from the young soldier himself - for Albert had appeared as a ghost at the foot of his brother's bed Nearly a century later, Albert's great-nephew has ensured that the sacrifice of a doomed generation will never be forgotten. For musician and writer Martin Newman has not only published a book chronicling the fortunes of the Worcestershire Regiment during that fateful late summer of 1917, but has also composed an album of music with the war to end wars as its central theme.

And next year, within sight of the now rebuilt village of Passchendaele, Martin's music will be performed in a series of concerts that are expected to attract capacity audiences.

Martin, aged 51, was born in London and relocated to Farnborough, Hampshire as a boy, where he developed an interest in military history. He moved to Holland 20 years ago, working as freelance musician and studio engineer.

However, he couldn't get the ghost story out of his mind - and it was this that led to a burning ambition to find out more about the First World War.

"In 2006, I released my Recognition CD, featuring a total of 17 tracks," said Martin. "There is also a web link that gives short write-ups on the music. These will hopefully give an insight into my book, titled The Worcestershire Regiment August 1917, which was published this year."

And this is where the ghost story comes in "About two years ago, I was researching my great-uncle Albert Bentley Newman and found out that he was killed at Westhoek, Flanders on August 11, 1917. The only information I had was very limited.

"My grandfather Albert's brother told my father that he was awoken in his bed and saw Albert as a ghost. He realised that Albert had been killed.

"A few days later the telegram came confirming this. Apparently, Albert was a sniper. If you were a good shot, you were used in that role."

Martin was particularly struck by the fact that many of the soldiers were very young when they went off to serve king and country.

"It was this - plus the fact that Albert was only 19 - that made me want to discover more, so I decided to look deeper into his past. I asked questions on First World War forums but this came up with no information. Then I read a book on the Worcestershire Regiment during the 1914-18 war and found out details of the 11th Battalion.

"Albert was born in Chelsea, London. He enlisted during January-February 1917 and would have only had a few weeks training instead of the usual months.

"I searched the casualty lists and discovered that 20 from the 3rd Battalion of the Worcesters, a chaplain and a medical officer, were killed on the same day."

Martin has also contacted Belgian historians from Westhoek and has pieced together the circumstances of Albert's last hours.

"The British advanced and held the Westhoek ridge and finally captured the German blockhouses. I have since found the shallow remains of these buildings. This occurred on August 10 and the position would have been held to stop the Germans recapturing the blockhouses. I made a cross and placed it within yards of where they were probably killed."

Next year, Martin plans to make a pilgrimage to the site. "I have visited the graves of the casualties and placed candles. I was deeply affected and decided to make a tribute CD to Albert and the others killed on August 11, 1917."

The CD and the book are available on Martin's website martin-newman.com, or you can e-mail him at martinnewman@home.nl Martin's production, titled Recognition, is to be staged at five festivals in and around Ypres. It will be his tribute on the actual fields of battle to his relative and the fallen from the Worcestershire Regiment.

And perhaps, when the final notes float across Flanders fields, young Albert Newman's soul will be laid to rest at last.