A SALISBURY teenager was given a special opportunity to honour his great great uncle who was killed on the battlefields of the Western Front during the First World War.

Aidan Grant, who is a Year 10 student at Burgate School and Sixth Form in Fordingbridge, was selected to represent his school in the First World War Centenary Battlefields Tour Programme.

The programme aims to help pupils understand the scale of the conflict and the lives lost.

The 15-year-old, who is studying GCSE History, was aware his great great grandfather's younger brother Joseph had been killed shortly after reaching the Western Front in 1915 and hoped he would be able to find out more about his death during his visit.

He had been intrigued about Joseph since his father, Philip, loaned him a bronze commemorative death plaque for a school project when he was at primary school. The plaque had been given to Joseph's parents Joseph and Tryphena Grant of Odstock, following his death.

Joseph served in the 2nd Battalion the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) and was killed at Aubers Ridge on May 9, 1915 after only a months service in France, having enlisted in December 1914. His body was never found and identified.

Discussions took place with the tour organisers to see if any more information could be found during the visit. And Aidan was stunned to find out that not only had they found the location of the memorial marking Joseph's sacrifice, but they also intended to visit it with his tour party.

On arrival at Le Touret Memorial in France, Aidan was overwhelmed to learn that an act of remembrance had been planned for him to pay tribute to Joseph in front of the plaque listing his name.

Aidan said: "I felt so honoured that I was able to take part in such a personal act of remembrance to mark Joseph's sacrifice and others who also lost their lives.

"Seeing his name on the memorial completed the story which first began when I borrowed Joseph's Death Plaque, which was given to his parents upon his death, Joseph and Tryphena Grant, for a primary school project.

"The First World War Centenary Battlefields Tour Programme has highlighted to me the magnitude of the conflict and the awful conditions which Joseph and others would have fought in.

"My gratitude goes to the Equity Tour representatives who made all this possible for me."

Aidan will be sharing his experience with others as part of the Legacy 110 project, which forms part of the tour programme and encourages pupils to share their knowledge with at least 110 people within their local community.