THE family of a North-East soldier who made the supreme sacrifice during the First World War, have spoken of their gratitude to a group of students whose work has ensured his name will finally appear on a memorial in France.

Private Nicholas Robson was serving with the 6th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, the Green Howards, when he was killed in action during an unsuccessful night-time raid on enemy positions near Vermelles, in 1918.

Either because of a clerical error or because records were lost, his name was never included on a roll of honour when the fighting was over.

However, as an exercise in research, part-time lecturer Bill Hunt encouraged history students at Bishop Grossteste College in Lincoln to trawl the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's on-line archive for information to compare with death certificates and Army records.

The class of 2002 discovered the discrepancy and, after contacting the War Graves Commission with their findings, it has been confirmed that Private Robson's name will be added to the memorial which commemorates those who died at Loos, in France.

"It's marvellous after all these years," said his nephew Roger Robson, a retired miner of Shotton Colliery in County Durham.

"I don't remember my uncle, as he died long before I was born, but my dad sometimes used to speak about his brother who was killed in the Great War, telling us he was a lovely fellow.

"My uncle was actually on his way home on leave just before he died, but the Germans broke through the line and he was sent from the ship to help drive them back.

"He was killed shortly after that."

Mr Robson said chest problems contracted after years as a miner make travelling difficult and he doubted he would be able to make the journey across the Channel to visit the Loos Memorial himself.

"But I think it's grand my uncle's name is going to go up," he added.

Pte Robson's brother, Jim, also fought with the Durham Light Infantry during the First World War, and was one of the lucky ones to make it home.

His other four brothers - Frank, Jack, Bill and Matt - were all to become miners