THE proud moment a Taunton couple announced their engagement almost 100 years ago is captured forever in this photo.

But it was one of the last pictures taken of Douglas Aplin before he became one of the 103 soldiers whose deaths in the First World War is marked on the war memorial at St James’ Church.

As the centenary of the start of the conflict in 1914 approaches, a group at the church is researching the men who made the ultimate sacrifice, who were aged from their teens to their late 30s and mostly lived in the Priory and North Town area.

Jenny Wakefield, from St James’s, said: “We want to put more meaning into the time-honoured annual pledge to ‘remember them’.

“From information in the public domain, we’ve already been able to build up profiles of many of the men, including some photographs, and they are beginning to appear on the website at http://www.tauntonstjameswarmemorial.org.uk/"

The photo of Douglas Aplin, who died in 1917, was supplied by family member Neal Aplin and other families have also provided information.

Anyone with any information, photos, stories or other material should e-mail Nic Tall at info@tauntonstjameswarmemorial.org.uk or by post to War Memorial Project, St James’ Church Office, St James’ Street, Taunton, TA1 1JS.