大象传媒

By the time the Armistice was signed in November 1918, the Great War had claimed the lives of more than 100 men from Charlton Kings, on the outskirts of Cheltenham.

Among them were FIFTEEN sets of brothers.

Today as part of their GCSE history studies teenagers at Balcarras School in Charlton Kings learn about the sacrifice made by young men from their own neighbourhood - some only a year or so older than they are now.

History teacher Elizabeth Gill said: "There are 112 victims of the First World War on the parish war memorial and pupils choose one name and find out more about them, how old they were when they joined up, and when and where they died."

'It brings history to life'

Dominic Burke, the school's head of history said: "If you talk to students about millions of people dying in that conflict it's a figure so huge it's almost meaningless.

The names on the war memorial

"But to find the story of someone who perhaps lived on your street, or maybe even in your house, and learn about them, their family, and their life, that really means something.

That's what we're trying to do with the history of the men of Charlton Kings who went to the war. It brings history to life."

Fourteen-year-old Fabio agreed. "They all lived so close, just down the road from us. So many people from Charlton Kings died so tragically. That's what shocked me most."