Northlew: Village Commemorates WW1

30 June 2014, 05:58 | Updated: 30 June 2014, 08:10

A 3D light show, parades and a fly-past marked Northlew's commemorations of the men who lost their lives in World War 1.

The village has the sad distinction of losing a quarter of it's men during the 1914-1918 conflict – That's the highest proportion of men anywhere in the UK. 

The names of 22 of the 26 killed appear on the war memorial in the church grounds. 

Saturday marked the 100th anniversary of the assassination of the of Archduke Franz Ferdinand which led to the outbreak of the First World War. 

Hundreds turned out to pay respects including a distant family member of one of the soldiers killed in battle, who had travelled from Australia specially to be there. 

Unfortunately a 20-mile poppy avenue – the longest in the world – failed to bloom in time, but villagers have promised that while they may be the smallest place to have commemorations they will have the longest and will be sowing more Sutton Seeds adding to the 300 million already planted.