POET Edward Thomas is one of the most recognised victims of the First World War but he was only one of about 700,000 men who died on land and at sea between September 1914 and November 1918.

Thomas and his family were living at Steep, near Petersfield, when he enlisted and his death, near Arras, on April 9, 1917, became one of 54 recorded on the village’s Roll of Honour commemorating all the men who fell in service of their country, whether famous outside East Hampshire or not.

The youngest victim, William Applebee, was a 17-year-old boy sailor, who died of influenza before setting sail, while the oldest, Major-General Hugh Fitton, was killed by a sniper’s bullet at the age of 54. Between them were men whose links to Steep included attendance at the village school or Bedales, people who worked on some of the large estates and others who had emigrated to Canada but returned as part of Empire forces supporting the British effort.

All of the personal stories of sacrifice have now been researched and collected by Stroud resident David Erskine-Hill whose book, Steep Roll of Honour 1914-1918, will be launched at Petersfield Museum.

He has unearthed moving stories typical of the villages, towns and cities of Britain whose men marched off to do their patriotic duty, leaving few families untouched by the deaths or injuries of loved ones after four years of brutal war.

Summarising some of the biographies, David said: “Five of them were decorated for gallantry; one of them took ‘gold’ in the London Olympic Games in 1908.

“Two died of gas poisoning; two as prisoners of war.

“One of them served in the Australian Imperial Force; two of them served in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force.

“One sailor died ashore in the Royal Naval Division at Gallipoli; one soldier died at sea – his ship being torpedoed and sunk en route to the same theatre of war.

“Three served as pilots or observers in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force; one of them – a fighter ace – had earlier been wounded on three separate occasions as a subaltern in the trenches.”

David added: “One of them appeared as an apparition at the exact time of his death: an investigation carried out by The Society for Psychic Research concluded the ‘sighting’ was quite genuine.”

Petersfield Museum will be hosting a book launch, which will be attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson, who has also written the book’s foreword, on March 22.

A preface has been contributed by Robin Hollington, whose Royal Marine son died after serving in Afghanistan.

Proceeds from the book’s sale, which is priced at £10, will be divided between the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and Friends of Steep Church (FOSC).

Anyone who would like to attend the launch should contact learning and community engagement officer at the museum Ryan Watts by e-mail at: [email protected] or call 01730 262601.