ONE hundred years ago, acorns from a First World War battlefield were brought home to Herefordshire.

At Pembridge the well-known Verdun Oak, grown from an acorn salvaged during one of the longest battles on the Western Front, has long been a landmark in the village where 25 men were lost.

Though last month’s centenary Armistice commemorations have played out, efforts in the village are ongoing to keep their memories rooted in the community.

Thanks to an initiative launched by farmer and Pembridge tree warden, Tony Norman and Lyonshall tree warden Dr David Griffith, 25 oak saplings have been grown from the original oak planted a century ago.

Beneath a leaden sky with scudding rain, descendants of those men named on the war memorial gathered for a solemn ceremony to plant what is a living memorial alongside the ‘straight mile’ on the outskirts of Pembridge.

Representatives from local community groups also took part including Pembridge Parish Council and Parochial Church Council, Royal British Legion, Pride in Pembridge, Businesses in Pembridge, the village’s poppy knitting group and Herefordshire Council.

Children from Pembridge Primary School also took their turn to plant a sapling.

The silence was broken only by wind soughing through the branches of mature oaks as RBL branch chairman Lt Col Bridget Rose delivered the exhortation.

“The atmosphere is appropriate for planting these trees in memory of those who did not come home to Pembridge,” she said.

“The trees will represent the 25 names on the war memorial.”

Research has revealed a further six names which will be added.

Pembridge has done its utmost to remember the sacrifice of so many men with spectacular displays of knitted poppies adorning the village.

One poppy has been planted with each of the Verdun saplings.

Mr Norman said this was a “very positive and natural memorial”, and said there would eventually be further plantings to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Second World War.

Olga Duggan planted a sapling in memory of her grandfather, George Lilwall who died in action in France, leaving a wife and four children in Pembridge.

“Alice, his wife worked at the New Inn where she scrubbed the stone floors,” said his granddaughter.

Relatives of Stanley Pinches, who left his home at Townsend Farm to join the war never to return, dedicated a young oak to him, while Keith Watson and his family travelled from Leeds to plant a tree in memory of William Thomas.

A Kings Own Shropshire Light Infantry soldier, he was married in November 1916, but died six months later while on sentry duty in France.

His young widow, Janet never remarried.

Members of the Snead-Cox family from Broxwood Court attended the tree planting in memory of three sons who all perished.

After the deaths of 16-year-old Herbert’s brothers, there was some doubt about the young midshipman serving in the war, though his mother, Mary insisted that he must do his duty.

He was lost when his ship, HMS Indefatigable was sunk during the Battle of Jutland.

His relatives, Richard Snead-Cox and his sister, Anne with her husband Michael Allen attended the ceremony.

Mr Allen explained that the terrible losses for the family followed an earlier tragedy for their mother.

An American, Mary Porteous had lived in New Orleans, but while at boarding school, a virulent cholera epidemic wiped out her entire family back at home.