THE Ledbury community will have three chances this November to pay respects to the town's fallen of the First World War, in what is a significant anniversary year.

In particular, the local fallen of the Battle of Somme will be remembered, thanks in part to the researches of a local historian.

A century ago, soldiers from Ledbury were engaged in the Battle of the Somme, and this will be a theme of the commemorations.

Firstly, Armistice Day will be marked with an act of remembrance at the town centre war memorial, from 10.55am on Friday, November 11; then there will be a Remembrance Sunday parade by the war memorial, from 10.45am on November 13, followed by a service in St Michael and All Angels Church.

Finally, there will be Ledbury Town Commemoration of the Battle of the Somme, which took the lives of 54 soldiers from Herefordshire, including two from Ledbury.

This commemoration will take place in St Michael and All Angels Church, on Friday November 18, from 6.30pm, to be followed by another commemoration at the war memorial.

Local historian, Jennifer Harrison, who unearthed the records of the 85 servicemen of the town who fought and died in the First World War, and who compiled two detailed books of commemoration for the parish church, said of the Battle of the Somme commemoration: "There will be a muffled quarter peal rung before the service; David Evan Owens, who died that day, one hundred years ago was a bell ringer. "He died along with Ledbury man Frank Tarbath and 52 others from Herefordshire who had been drafted to 11 Border Regiment. They died at Redan Ridge."

Mrs Harrison, of Browning Road said: "There will be a short service in St Michael’s at 6.30pm which would have been the time the men would be returning to their lines. "Following the short service we will go down to the War Memorial with sprigs of rosemary for remembrance."