RYEDALE Family History Group has launched the latest in a series of books that commemorate the lives of local soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“Rillington War Memorial” has taken more than a year to research and compile by local member Ana Richards and includes 25 mini biographies of soldiers who died during both world wars, who are listed on the memorial in the village’s St Andrew’s Church.

Ana said: “It has been a fascinating year and a very worthwhile project. It has given me a much greater appreciation and insight to life in Rillington during both world wars and the lives of these young men who volunteered to fight, many straight from the farms, the horrors they must have faced is unimaginable.”

Other war memorial books researched by Ryedale Family History Group include Helmsley, Hovingham, Nunnington, Thornton-le-Dale, Castle Howard Estate and Sheriff Hutton.

The project has been funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Moving Forward Looking Back, which has enabled volunteers to work either alone or as a team to research the lives of the local men who did not return home. Group chairman Peter Braithwaite said: “I am delighted by the amount of research by our dedicated volunteers and the high standard that’s been achieved.

“The books make excellent reading and are particularly poignant if you have a relative mentioned on one of the memorials.”

Rillington War Memorial is available from the village shop, with owner Andrew Molloy donating sales commission to village hall funds.

The book is also available to buy from Ryedale Family History Group research rooms in Hovingham, which is open on Thursdays from 10am to 3pm and also through the website at ryedalefamilyhistory.org Proceeds from all the books in the series will be used to continue research into other memorials in Ryedale.

Anyone who is interested in joining and researching their own local memorial should email Peter at secretary@ryedalefamilyhistory.org or phone 01653 628132.