FROM a distance of 100 years, when living memory of events no longer exists, it would be easy to argue that time heals all wounds and the past should be left where it is. The wounds, of course, are long healed but the need to understand the nightmare of the First World War is as important today as it was to the earth-shattering years from 1914 to 1918.

The Great War was dubbed "the war to end all wars". It wasn't – as the many wars being fought today and the terrifying prospect of further escalation in the Ukraine and the Middle East conflicts testify.

The senseless loss of life on a mind-boggling scale that characterised WW1 is a lasting indictment of man's stupidity that no-one should ever be allowed to forget. One of the most important ways to keep those messages alive is to remember the human, intimate and personal tragedies that made up the reality of one of history's most significant events.

Just about every family in Bradford and district – as in most of the rest of Britain – lost members either directly or closely related to them. When they went to the trenches to be flung hopelessly against the enemy lines in massive numbers, many of those who served were consoled by the fact that they were in the company of others from their home area.

They marched together, fought together, died together and were buried together.

Now, we believe, they should be honoured together in a much more significant and lasting way with a special memorial near their resting place in France to help keep alive the memory of their sacrifice as a lesson to all who come after. We hope all our readers will agree and support our appeal with as much or as little as you can give.