Mystery of plaque honouring war heroes

Nov 8 2006

A BRASS plaque honouring three war heroes has been discovered by workmen refurbishing a building in Birmingham city centre.

Now developers are trying to trace relatives of the First World War soldiers for a special Remembrance Day service for the trio.

Workmen found the memorial to Thomas Brigden and William Daniels, of Birmingham, and Frank Ernest Lucy, of Worcester, during work on the Samuel Booth & Co building in Bradford Street, Digbeth.

"This tablet records the names of those brave men who died for their country in the Great War, having previously worked here," the inscription read.

The plaque now takes pride of place in a corner of the courtyard of an apartment development.

The owners now plan to dedicate a bench to the trio, and with just days to go until Remembrance Sunday, they have launched a public appeal for help in tracing the men's relatives.

Pte Thomas Brigden, of the King's Royal Rifles, was born in Moseley, Birmingham, and was fatally wounded in the battle of Delville Wood, northern France, part of the Battle of the Somme, in August 1916.

Pte Brigden has no known grave but is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial near the Somme. He was posthumously awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal 1914-18 and the Allied Victory Medal 1914-19.

Pte Daniels was born in Aston, Bitrmingham, and volunteered with the 5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

He was killed on August 19, 1916, during the Battle of Pozieres, in France.

Pte Daniels has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

He was posthumously awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal 1914-18 and the Allied Victory Medal 1914-1919.

Pte Lucy enlisted with the 1st Worcestershire Regiment in 1916 and was killed in France on October 31, 1917, aged 25.

Buried eight miles south of Ypres, Pte Lucy was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-18 and the Allied Victory Medal 1914-19.

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