THE first phase of a millennium project which aims to remind present and future generations of the past is nearing completion.

A retired army major took up the challenge of researching the history of Alcester's wartime heroes from the First World War on behalf of the town branch of the Royal British Legion last year.

Robert Woodfield's written project, called Sacrifice and Service, was compiled using back copies of the Alcester Chronicle, which have been stored on microfilm at Alcester and Redditch libraries.

It will be donated to Alcester's proposed heritage centre and will reside next to a similar project on the 24 men who died during the Second World War and one from Korea, which is ongoing.

And Mr Woodfield, of Chantry Crescent, has also made large displays using two maps which pinpoint where the 48 men died, along with photographs of war memorials in France, Belgium and Germany.

Mr Woodfield said: "I have never done anything like this before but it has been completely absorbing.

"It's a record of those men from the parish of Alcester and Oversley who fought in the War of 1914-1918 and will be on show for the people of the town.

"The display has already been featured in the library on three or four occasions and will also go to the heritage centre for future generations to enjoy.

"But there are still many townspeople around whose relatives were on the war memorial, such as my two uncles."

Mr Woodfield's uncle, Lieutenant Corporal Robert Oliver Devey, of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, was killed in action in France on September 23, 1915, aged 19.

He was the son of John and Sarah Ann, of Priory Road, and his obituary was featured in the Alcester Chronicle on October 9.

Sacrifice and Service is broken up into eight chapters - Introduction, A Call to Arms, Response to the Call, Nominal Roll of WW1 names shown on the war memorial and Names and Details of Those Appearing on the War Memorial 1914-1918.

There are also chapters featuring obituaries published in the Alcester Chronicle, Letters and Correspondence and Honours and Awards.

The project includes not only names and details of those who died but also their regiment and grave location.

The Alcester branch of the Royal British Legion also embarked on a clean-up campaign of the memorial at St Nicholas' Church and, as a result of Mr Woodfield's work, the town is now in receipt of three updated plaques, which take pride of place on the memorial.

Mr Woodfield said: "The millennium project is well ahead.

"The actual fitting of the plaques has been completed and the £900 cost was easily raised through donations."