THE name of a forgotten Stourbridge hero, killed in the First World War, has finally been unveiled on the town’s cenotaph nearly 100 years after his death.

Corporal Harry Whitwell, of the 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, died of injuries sustained while fighting for his country in Mesopotamia on February 2 1917, but the 24-year-old's sacrifice was never acknowledged on any memorial in Worcestershire.

However, 100 years on since the start of The Great War, the tragic soldier’s name was finally unveiled on Stourbridge’s war memorial in Mary Stevens Park in a poignant ceremony on Saturday September 13 at 11am.

The Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Margaret Aston, and a host of other dignitaries, RAF cadets, Royal British Legion and Regimental Association members attended the service, organised by the Worcestershire based Remember the Fallen group and Dudley Council following a campaign by Corporal Whitwell's great nephew Paul Nash.

Mr Nash, aged 65, from Birmingham said: "It was marvellous - even the sun came out. It was a long time coming but it was a great day. I was very proud."

Harry and his brother Thomas, who lived in Field Lane in Oldswinford for a time during their childhood, voluntarily enlisted with the Worcestershire Regiment in August 1914.

Thomas, of the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action in France on May 21 1917, aged 26, leaving a wife and daughter.

Harry died a few months earlier but news of his death was delayed and the widowed father of the ill-fated brothers, Henry Whitwell, died at an address in Stourbridge High Street in 1920 before names were gathered for the Norton memorial.

Thomas's widow Frances is assumed to have put her late husband's name forward and made a donation towards the cost.

But Harry's name, for reasons unknown, was omitted.

Following a campaign by Mr Nash and researcher Sandra Taylor from rememberthefallen.co.uk, nearly £3,000 was donated by Stourbridge Football Club, the Anthony and Gwendoline Wylde Memorial Charity, the Laslett's Hinton Charity and Dudley Council's community forum for Norton, Pedmore, Stourbridge and Wollaston towards finally adding Harry's name to the memorial and to fund the dedication ceremony for the fallen soldier who was buried in Amara War Cemetery in modern day Iraq.

Rev Tom Chapman took the service, which was attended by around 100 people and which included a reading of Rupert Brooke's The Soldier by Old Swinford Hospital School RAF cadet James Kelly, dedication of the new plaque, prayers, the laying of wreaths and a two-minute silence.

Mr Nash added: "It was very moving - and they did a really good job of integrating Harry's name with the others on the memorial. It looks as if it was there from the start."

Sandra Taylor, from Remember the Fallen, said: "It was very emotional and lovely to finally see Harry's name on the memorial. He's come home after nearly 100 years.

"I'm so pleased we've been successful in what for Paul Nash has been a five-year quest. I'm glad it all came together."