PLAQUES have been placed on the former homes of fallen soldiers to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Chipping Norton's Royal British Legion installed poppy plaques on the buildings where the fallen of the town were born or lived before the war.

Of the 101 names on the town's war memorial, 28 properties were found to be still in existence. Letters were sent to all the householders and to date 20 have agreed to have plaque on their property, including 4 double plaques marking where brothers who both died resided.

Each householder will be given a framed certificate with their man’s story included.

A spokesman for Chipping Norton Royal British Legion said: "When the branch looked at ways of marking the centenary of the First World War in 2014 we were keen to take the names carved in stone on the war memorial and bring them alive. "Extensive research was carried out with the assistance of our town museum resulting in an archive of material on the men of the town who died in the war.

"This includes where they were born and lived, their families and occupations, where they served and died and in many cases photographs. These stories were placed on our website www.chippingnortonbritishlegion.com and led to further exchanges of information with relatives and researchers.

"The stories of these men have formed the basis of our commemorations of the First World War from a special event of music, poetry and stories featuring the late actor Robert Hardy in 2014 and in services marking Jutland, The Somme Offensive and Third Ypres. They have been particularly valuable when talking to the town’s school children.

"A plaque remembering all the men, women and children of the town who suffered because of the First World War will be placed outside our headquarters, The Crown and Cushion Hotel."

On Sunday July 8 the Royal British Legion will be holding a ceremony to dedicate the plaques starting at 1pm in front of the Crown and Cushion in Chipping Norton.

Prayers will be said for that generation of men, women and children who were embroiled in the war. They will visit a number of the plaques and tell the stories of the men and their families they commemorate.

The plaques will also form part of the children’s Remembrance Service in November and the legion will produce a WW1 trail leaflet when all the plaques are in place.