RE Sharon Griffiths’ article, “Putting flesh to long-lost bones”, about John Gentry and Chris Wiper Gentry who have traced the lives of those listed on the war memorial at Middleton Tyas, near Richmond (Echo, Nov 5).

The idea of looking behind the names on war memorials has become more prevalent in recent times. About ten years ago I visited the church in the Cotswolds village of Chipping Camden which had a book on display with a page dedicated to each of the fallen from the world wars, giving details of their lives.

A few years back, the village of Grantchester, near Cambridge, famous for its connections with the war poet Rupert Brooke, was featured on TV with a similar project on its war dead.

My impression is that interest in this subject was stimulated by the Millennium, which saw many towns and villages take a look back at the major events of the 20th Century. Few events loomed larger, or with a higher cost, than the world wars.

It seems to me that keeping alive the memory, in whatever form, of our war dead is the very least we can do for them.

After all, our servicemen and women are still paying the ultimate sacrifice on almost a daily basis.

Martin Birtle, Billingham.