AN author and youth leader has written a book aimed at young adult readers to commemorate the First World War.

Adrian Beckingham, of North Allington near Bridport, has self-published ‘War Pigeons 1:WP & Me’ and it will launch on Armistice Day (November 11).

This is Mr Beckingham’s fifth book but the first he has published himself.

It tells the story of a London family during the war and two teenage brothers who, despite being underage, decide to join volunteer army the ‘Kitchener’s Army’ to fight on the Western Front.

Older brother Tommy gets through and communicates home through a series of letters, which depict life in the trenches.

The younger brother, nicknamed Pigeon, is initially turned away by army recruitment and his story tells the reader what life in 1914 London was like for young people and the many changes as a result of the war.

He goes on to train war pigeons and is sent as an underage soldier to be a member of the Signals Corps and use his pigeons on the Western Front.

Mr Beckingham said:

“I was not born at the time so have immersed myself in war letters written by Western Front soldiers to their families as well as photographs, video footage and other written testimonies about the war.

“Almost every family at the time lost loved ones, so to bring this emotion home to me, I made the difficult decision of putting some dear friends in my life into the book. They are all people who have passed on.

I also dedicate the book to all unknown warriors who lost their lives.”

Mr Beckingham was awarded the national Help the Aged Millennium Award in 2000 for a youth work project he set up between west Dorset youth clubs and friends of the Help the Aged in Bridport, Beaminster and Chard.

Through his book he is encouraging everyone to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives in the First World War.

The book launches on November 11 at Forest Hill Library in London.