WATCH: Tears and smiles at Cannock First World War memorial services

It was the first time since the end of the conflict that the names of the fallen from the old mining village of Chadsmoor have been listed in the same place. Around 100 of the names have never been recorded on any war memorials in the area.

The Portland stone, with plaques on each side, now has pride of place at the corner of Burns Street and Cannock Road.

Campaigners and relatives of some of those named on it, many of whom had been miners, raised £12,000 towards the 4ft-high memorial. Two benches will also be placed at the site.

All the men who died lived in Chadsmoor village and worked at one of the 17 pits that formed the Cannock Chase coalfield at the time of the Great War.

The stone was dedicated by the Bishop of Wolverhampton the Rt Rev Clive Gregory.

Members of the Cannock Ex-Servicemen's Choir led singing and performed a medley of songs from the time of the Great War, including It's a Long Way to Tipperary.

Wreaths were also laid by civic dignitaries and representatives from military groups that serve the community, such as Hednesford Army Cadets.

Chairman of the memorial fund, Councillor Derek Davis, said it had been a wonderful occasion, with the outdoor ceremony followed by a church service at nearby St Chad's Church.

He told the gathering that initially it was thought only 26 men from the village had died.

There were wall plaques in Bethany Baptist Church where nine of the names were recorded, while Chadsmoor Methodist Church had 15.

Councillor Davis said: "After substantial research we found 160 men had died from Chadsmoor, far more than we had ever thought. Nearly every one of the 160 were miners, or belonged to that industry.

"There were five collieries within 300 yards of this very spot and many were forced to join the Staffordshire Regiment and several joined the Royal Engineers."

The church service led by vicar the Rev Jane Nash included a reading of the 160 names by pupils from the Staffordshire University Academy.

Much of the research has been carried out by Penkridge historian Paul Bedford with support from groups including the Royal British Legion, Staffordshire Regimental Association, Community 1st Project, and Cannock Chase Council.

Among relatives at the event were descendants of Sapper Daniel Hollingmode, of the now 125 (Staffordshire) Field Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers) who was killed in Belgium on March 3, 1916. The married father of six was shot twice in the chest by the enemy. He was buried at Ypres.

His grandson James Hollingmode, aged 80, of Brooklands Road, was at the service.

He said: "My grand-dad's name had only appeared on a little plaque at Littleton Colliery, but when the pit closed that was it.

"It is just a nice thing to have a commemoration in the village where they all came from." Snowden Road resident Anthony Gooch, 77, said: "I think it is a marvellous event considering what they fought for. I just hope that in some ways the world is a better place now and God rest their souls."

The new website on which all of the 160 names appear is www.chadsmoorhis tory.org.uk