Forgotten soldiers from Sherston who lost their lives in the Second World War will soon have a permanent memorial.

Fundraisers have collected £4,200 towards the £5,000 target and church permission has been granted.

The money raised will now enable Sherston Parish Council to commission stonemasons to start work.

It is hoped to erect the memorial at the lych gate, which leads into the grounds of the Holy Cross Church.

Vice-chairman of the parish council Martin Rea said the memorial will now also include the name of Reginald Neems. It was never placed on the existing First World War memorial.

Mr Neems from Easton Town, Sherston died of pneumonia while serving with the Royal Artillery in France in March 1917. He was only 23 years old.

Parish councillor Cilla Liddington is writing a book dedicated to the 51 men from Sherston who died in both world wars.

She said her research shows the

winter of 191617 was one of the coldest in living memory and pneumonia was common.

Mr Neems' 19-year-old brother Percy who served with the 10th Battalion, The Gloucester Regiment, and died in October 1915, will also be honoured.

According to Mrs Liddington's research, the younger Mr Neems was the only commissioned officer from Sherston to die during the First World War.

She said the 10th Battalion was one of the first units to arrive in France and take part in a major battle.

Nearly 3,000 of Mr Neem's comrades died in one day in just under four hours. There were only 60 survivors of which Mr Neems was one. He was brought back to Sherston where he later died of his injuries.

Mrs Liddington has also discovered that the men's mother Louisa Neems was said to have kept a lighted candle burning each evening in her home to show her boys the way home.

Committee members hope to raise the shortfall in cash over the summer, to have the memorial in place for this year's Remembrance Day.

Contributions can be made by cheques, payable to Sherston War Memorial, and sent to the Clerk at 23 Cliff Road, Sherston, SN16 0LN.