Graveside ceremony to honour Great War hero

Now, 100 years on, Private James Reginald Plevin is being honoured again with a graveside service at St Michael's churchyard extension, Lilleshall.

He had served in the 1st Battalion of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and was seriously injured in 1917, and subsequently died on April 21, 1919 – six months after the Armistice.

Julie Hartridge, who is a member of St John's Church at Muxton – sister church to St Michael's – and has researched Private Plevin's story, said: "He was one of the last KSLI servicemen to die as a result of World War One.

"The Royal British Legion will be organising a short graveside service with the incumbent vicar, Matthew Lefroy. Lilleshall bell ringers are intending to honour the occasion with a quarter peal on the bells. I am one of the bellringers.

"Some years ago I researched all the servicemen commemorated on the Roll of Honour at St Michael's, James being one of them. At the time, I spoke to a very elderly resident of Muxton called Ted Pugh, who has since died, and who was seven years old when James died.

"He recalled attending the funeral, which he says made local headline news, as the crowds were three deep on the pavement lining the way to the church.

"James was symbolic of all the young men who died in the conflict – his own brother had died at the start, but so few bodies were repatriated. Ted said that Lilleshall and the surrounding villages turned out for the funeral in droves, because many had not had the opportunity to lay their own sons to rest.

"Ted was 97 when we chatted but his mind was sharp as a knife and he recalled the occasion with remarkable vividness."

Lilleshall

Curiously, despite the late Ted's recollections, so far no contemporary mention of Private Plevin's death or funeral has been found in the local papers.

Julie's research show that he was born in Lilleshall, with the family living at Lilleshall Grange, Honnington.

When he signed up he was a gamekeeper, and his address was given as Dohonow Lodge, Builth Wells, with the next of kin recorded as his mother Jane Plevin, living then at 64 Donnington Road, Newport. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website describes him as the son of John and Jane Plevin living in 1917 at 3 School Road, Donnington.

Private Plevin was posted to France in August 1915, and Julie thinks it is likely that he sustained his injuries in an enemy bombardment on the night of July 7, 1917, while the battalion was serving on the front line south west of Hulluch, France.

He was the youngest of four sons, his brother Fred being killed in action on February 25, 1915.