A rededication service has been held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Epping war memorial.

Wreaths were laid and the names of the fallen who are remembered on plaques on the memorial on the Town Green were read at Saturday's service.

Epping Forest Guardian:

John Duffell, a town councillor and Royal British Legion Remembrance Day organiser, said: "At the end of the First World War the people of Epping looked for a suitable way to commemorate the young men from the town who had given their lives for their country.

"After much discussion a cross bearing the names of the Fallen was chosen. It was originally going to be erected in the market place, but it was decided that the town green offered a more prominent position."

Epping Forest Guardian:

The £600 cost was raised by public subscription.

A notice was placed in the then West Essex Gazette inviting people to submit names of relatives for inclusion on the Roll of Honour.

The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday, May 8, 1921.

Mr Duffell said: "Despite the fact it was raining, it was estimated that half the population of Epping attended the ceremony.

"Sadly it was necessary to add more names after the Second World War. Two new tablets were fixed to the memorial and these were unveiled in November 1948.

"In 2004, it was discovered that some names from the First World War were not included and these were added. More from the Second World War were added in 2009.

"Another name, added in 2009, was that of Georgie Sparks who had lost his life in Afghanistan the previous year."

Epping Forest Guardian:

Mr Duffell added: "This memorial is now the focal point for Remembrance in Epping.

"There are 150 men from the town listed on the memorial. They fought and died in some of the most famous battles in history - Ypres, Loos, Gallipoli, Jutland, the Somme, Passchendaele and Arras in the First World War, and Dunkirk, El Alamein, Normandy, the crossing of the Rhine and Burma in the Second World War.

"They are buried or commemorated in countries across the globe but on here they are all together."

Epping Forest Guardian:

The service was taken by Rev'd Lee Batson with the names of those remembered on the memorial read by Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Essex Hugh Pegrum, Epping Forest MP Dame Eleanor Laing, Town Mayor councillor Michael Wright, Deputy Town Mayor councillor Barbara Scruton, and councillors Jon Whitehouse,Mari-Louise Whitbread, Grahame Scruton and Cherry McCredie on behalf of Epping Town Council.

Wreaths were laid by Mr Pegrum, Mr Wright, Mr Duffell, Freemen of Epping Ruth Benjamin and John Batchelor, and Epping Town Council's Young Townspeople of the Year Julie Turrell and George Sack.

The service included a two-minute silence.