A WALL in Tidworth featuring the names of 10,000 Wiltshire people who gave their lives during the Great War is to be the focal point of the county’s opening commemorations of the conflict.

Each name will have its own cross made by a child from one of the county’s primary schools.

After the commemoration ceremony at Tidworth Military Cemetery on 30 July the wall will go on tour around the county.

The idea was revealed to Tidworth area board on Monday evening, when communities revealed how they will commemorate the event.

In Collingbourne Ducis, historian and parish councillor David Paterson revealed that the village of 800 people saw 122 people take part in the fighting with 11 men killed – a memorial orchard is planned.

In Ludgershall Alison Prescott said there will be an exhibition at the Memorial Hall in the community where 10 per cent of the population was killed. They are also planning for a collage to be made and housed near the Millennium Tapestry.

In Everleigh Denis Bottomley from the parish council said it will provide all 233 villagers with a locally designed commemorative mug, and they plan to erect a modest memorial opposite the bus shelter on the A342.

In the small communities of Chute 14 people died in the Great War. The village will theme its fete around the war over the next four years and will look at the idea of erecting plaques – with owners’ consent – on homes where the deceased used to live.

Tidworth’s Melody Marsh said an exhibit is planned in the Community Centre and a designated war memorial for Tidworth will be investigated.