ONE hundred years ago, a tailor's assistant from Blackburn died at the other end of the country, six months after joining up for the First World War.

Warren Kirkham was taken ill during training on the south coast and was buried at Seaford cemetery - and though he may be a long way from home, local historians gathered at this grave to commemorate the centenary of his death.

Born in Spring Hill, Darwen in 1891 to Robert and Ann Kirkham, Warren was 24 when he walked into the Blackburn army recruiting office and joined up 'for the duration'. His number was R/15310.

According to the 1911 census Warren lived in lodgings at 1, Cranbourne Terrace, Blackburn and worked at a clothes shop, though he described himself as a tailor’s assistant.

He was also a member of the Montague Street Baptist Church.

He joined the 2nd Company of the 14th Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps as a rifleman on August 29, 1915 and a month later had started his training at Winchester.

By 1916 he had been promoted to Lance Corporal and had moved to Seaford camp.

However, he became ill and died on February 26, 1916.

He was just one of the thousands of WWI soldiers who were sent to the town for training in advance of being sent across the Channel to the front.

Men arrived there from all over the country, indeed, the world and Seaford cemetery contains more than 250 Commonwealth War Graves for men from as far afield as the Caribbean and Canada.

Local Seaford historian Kevin Gordon is currently researching the war graves in the cemetery and asked Bygones' readers if they have any more information about the young soldier.

He said: "The people of Seaford have an annual ceremony to specifically remember the fallen buried at the cemetery and I have also been commemorating each of these men on the 100th anniversary of their death.

"It is always interesting to know more about these young lads who now lie such a long way from home, but the people of Blackburn and Darwen can be assured that Warren will not be forgotten."