A KEEN historian that has painstakingly researched into the history of all the names on the Dinas Powys war memorial has discovered two local men that were originally missed off it.

Derek Brushett, working in conjunction with the Dinas Powys Royal British Legion, has produced a booklet charting the lives of all the names on the war memorial on the village square.

The two men that were missed off the war memorial, John Spear and Griffith Edwin Rhys Thomas, are now set to have names engraved on bronze plaques.

Both were discovered by Mr Brushett as he was researching into the other names on the memorial.

“It’s like doing a jigsaw, as researching into some names leads to other names,” he said.

“I came across them by accident whilst looking for others.”

After contacting the Dinas Powys Royal British Legion they confirmed his discovery and agreed to place their names on the memorial.

Mr Brushett, who has been researching the booklet since January, has also visited the graves of where the soldiers were buried and included pictures of them in the booklet.

He said that he began researching as he was always curious about the lives led by the soldiers that came from Dinas Powys and Michaelston-le-Pit.

“For years we have had those names read out and nobody knows who they were,” he said.

“I have always wondered who they were, their regiments and where they lived.

“I didn’t appeal for information, I simply went on the internet and researched into them.

“Since it’s been published people have started coming forward with more information too.”

He has managed to unearth where they lived in Dinas Powys and what regiments they served in, as well as where they fought, died and were buried.

200 copies of the booklet have now been produced, with the possibility of more being printed if it proves to be popular.

The 50-page illustrated booklet costs £4.99, of which £2.50 from each is donated to the Royal British Legion and to Help for Heroes.

The booklet, ‘Lest we Forget 1914-1918 – The stories of the men from Dinas Powys and Michaelston-le-Pit who gave their lives in the First World War’, is available from post offices and shops in Dinas Powys from Friday, July 18.

To arrange for a copy to be delivered email dabsearch@icloud.com

Dinas Powys Voluntary Concern community club, which is held in the Lee Hall on Monday afternoons, is set to host a talk by Derek Brushett on the newly launched booklet on Monday, August 4 at 2pm. The talk is open to all – as is the club – and will be a follow-up to the service being held at the War Memorial at 11am.