WINCHAM men who gave their lives in service of their country in The First and Second World Wars are to be remembered in a new book.

The book is being put together by local resident Helen Green, who has been researching the stories of local men who died in the conflicts as part of plans for a Wincham war memorial.

“There are 23 men who died during The First World War and four who were killed in The Second World War,” said Helen.

“They were all born and grew up in Wincham or lived here for many years. As well as those who died, many men returned safely, although some would have been wounded.

“There were some men from Wincham who were awarded medals for gallantry, and there were happy occasions in the village when a soldier returned home on leave to marry.

“I will be publishing a book so the stories of all these men can be more widely known – it is the very least they deserve.”

One man whose name will appear on the war memorial is Edward Cook, who lived in Timperley Cottages in Wincham Lane.

He enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment in December 1914, and went on active service in France the following August.

He remained on active service until 1918, when he was seriously injured. He was treated at a hospital in France before being transferred to a military hospital in England.

He died of his wounds on May 25, 1918, and was buried in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church, Great Budworth.

Another soldier from Wincham who is buried locally is Private Thomas Buckley of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, who was killed on May 28, 1942.

He is buried in St Helen’s churchyard, and his grave, like Edward Cook’s, is marked with a stone of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Thomas was the son of Joseph and Margaret Buckley and the younger brother of James Buckley, who will also be on the Wincham war memorial.

They lived in Hall Lane, and Thomas married Eileen Moore at St Helen’s Church in Northwich in 1938.