This peeling and battered oak memorial is a stark reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by hundreds of Wearsiders during World War One.

The names of 161 Monkwearmouth war dead are hand-painted on the board, which was displayed at the Venerable Bede Church, in Monk Street, until its demolition in the 1960s.

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Now, after being rescued from storage at All Saints' Church in Fulwell Road, the memorial is to be spruced up and put on display for the first time in over 40 years.

"We want to have the board restored to its former glory, and there will be no compromise. These people deserve only the best," said councillor Graham Hall, who helped in the rescue.

"But we also need the people of Sunderland to play their part too, by helping us discover the stories behind the names and help us keep memories of these people alive."

Most of those commemorated on the board died at sea or in the trenches, while fighting for their King and country during the First World War.

But several of those named, including the only woman on the list – Gertrude Ann Patrick – were civilians killed during a Zeppelin attack on Monkwearmouth on April 1, 1916.

"There will be tragic stories behind all of these names, and we are hoping to build up a record for each and every one of those listed," said ex-Army man Graham.

"The idea is to complete an A to Z catalogue, to place on display alongside the board, detailing the war records and stories of those killed.

"I have just started going through the list, but it would be wonderful if the relatives of anyone listed could come forward and help us out too.

"The biggest problem is that not all First World War records are available – many were destroyed in bombing during the Second World War."

It is believed that the parishioners of Venerable Bede originally paid for the memorial out of their own pockets following the end of the war in 1919.

But, when the church was pulled down in the 1960s, it was placed into storage at All Saints, where it remained tucked away, and almost forgotten, until very recently.

"A former council colleague of mine, Shirley Leadbitter, was alerted to its presence by a descendent of one of the men listed," said Graham, who represents St Peter's ward. She passed the details on to me, knowing I'm interested in local and military history, with a view to getting it recovered and put back on public display.

"The churchwarden, Stuart Campbell, worked tirelessly to have the memorial released into our care by the Church Commissioners, and now we can get on with its renovation."

Specialist conservation contractors have been drafted in to study the memorial and provide quotes for the work, which will use materials echoing the original design.

"We want the gold-leaf background, edging and decor, as well as the hand-painted lettering and wooden board, to all be restored to their former glory," said Graham.

"We know this will all cost money, but we will just have to find it. It is only fitting that we commemorate the people who put themselves in jeopardy to protect us in the past."

A new home for the memorial – at Monkwearmouth Library – has already been found, where it will be placed on display later this year.

And it will also be on show at Sunderland History Fair on June 5, when visitors will be urged take a close look at the list of names and help out.

"Many of those listed suffered a living nightmare during the war, especially if they were fighting in the trenches, surrounded by rats, corpses and disease," said Graham.

"But, by restoring the memorial, we can ensure their sacrifice is not forgotten. It will also become a registered monument with the War Memorial Trust too.

"I just feel this is something we have to do. These guys should not be hidden away for any longer. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren should be able to view their names with pride."

* If you recognise a name on the board, or would like to make a contribution towards the restoration of the memorial, contact Graham on 0771 118 4444 or by email at grahamhall60@hotmail.com

Memorial names
THE memorial to the fallen reads: "Remember ye with Thanksgiving and with all honour before God and men those soldiers and sailors who gave their lives for their country in the Great War 1914-1919, especially those of this congregation and parish to whose memory the Altar and Reredos of this Church are dedicated and their names are recorded here."

John R. Adamson
Lancelot Adamson
Henry Armstrong
Thomas Armstrong
Andrew Atkinson
William Attley
John T. Bailes
John W. Baker
Charles Ball
John R. Baxter
William Beavers
William Bell
Henry W. Bellam
John W. Benn
George Booth
William Boys
Frank Brack
John Bradley
William Brown
William Buckley
William Burns
Samuel Cable
Charles F. Carter
John W. Chapman
Frederick Clark
William Colling
Ernest Cooper
Joseph Cooper
Thomas Cooper
John Cowper
James W. Crawford
William H. Crinall
Henry G. Cutter
James Cutter
Robert A. Davison
Edward P. Dennis
Stanley Dennis
William S. Derby
Thomas Dixon
Thomas H. Dobbs
William G. Dobson
William C. Dorans
George Dorward
Wallace Dorward
David Dryden
Herbert Egar
John G. Feeney
Simon Fenwick
James Forsyth
George Foster
James Foster
George B. Foulkes
James Foulkes
Ralph R. Galley
Ralph Gardiner
Thomas Gardiner
George E. Gibbon
James E. Graham
Joseph Gray
James Grieveson
David S. Hall
Ernest M. Hall
William Hamilton
Robert Hanson
William Harris
Richard Harding
Robert Herdman
Percy Hills
Thomas Hope
Stanley Hopper
William J. Hornsby
Frederick C. Hull
Robert Hull
John W. Humphrey
Joseph W. Hunter
John L. Kennard
William S. Kinnair
Robert W. Knox
Clifford Landrath
Ernest Landrath
William Landrath
James M. Laws
Richard H. Leach
Norman Lilly
Joseph Madden
Joseph Marsh
Arthur McBryde
William McDermot
William McDonald
James McRoy
John G. McRoy
Adolphus Miller
James Miller
Thomas B. Morrison
George E. Noble
Herbert Noble
William A. Oliver
Hugh F. Orchard
George B. Parrington
John W. Parkington
Gertrude A. Patrick
Henry Patrick
Alfred Pratt
James Preshaw
Henry S. Proctor
Ralph S. Ramsey
William Reed
Frederick Reeve
Edward Reeves
James Richardson
John T. Richardson
William Roberts
Hugh Robinson
John Robson
Lockie Robson
Edward Rosscamp
Stephen W. Routledge
James W. Rutherford
James Sanderson
William Scourer
Andrew Scott
Archibald Scott
George Scott
Walter Scott
William F. N. Scott
John Sewell
Frederick W. Shaw
Sidney Shiel
Robert O. Shield
Gerald Skillet
Mason Sloan
Albert Smith
George Smith
John W. Smith
William Snowdon
Thomas Speed
John Spence
John W. Stobbart
James Storey
Thomas Straker
Thomas A. Stuart
William L. Sutherland
James E. Swinhoe
John T. Swinhoe
George W. Tate
Ernest A. Townsley
George Tulloch
David Urwin
John Vickerson
Richard Walters
James R. Walton
Walter J. Ward
William Wardle
James Watson
James Webster
Robert Wigham
John E. Woodger
John W. Yeo
Arthur Youern
William Youern
George C. Young