A WAR memorial in Oxfordshire has been awarded Grade II listed status.

The memorial in Brize Norton was erected as a testament to the 18 men from the parish who died in the First World War.

Following the Second World War, a further inscription was added to commemorate a victim of that particular war.

Now, the memorial has received special protection following work by the parish council.

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Claire Stewart, a councillor who also serves at RAF Brize Norton as an air loadmaster, said: “It’s been a council-led initiative, we identified it as something really important to the community.

“We utilise the memorial on Remembrance Day and the children make poppies every year – it’s so important to remember those from the parish.

“There’s connections to the men and boys on the memorial in the community even to this day, and a huge connection with the RAF base and military community we have.

“It’s taken six to eight months to get to this point – we did research, applied to Historic England, and we’ve been in touch with the Imperial War Museum as well.

“We’re very proud as a council of this – it’s nice to have a bit of good news for the community, and the memorial is now listed as it should be.”

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Following the First World War, tens of thousands of memorials were created across the country.

In Brize Norton, the memorial was erected by Messrs Knowles and Son of Oxford between 1919 and 1920.

Two of the 18 Brize parishioners who died in the First World War – Frank Lock and Thomas Powell – also have private monuments in the extension to the St Britius Church yard.

In November 2014, a row of 18 poplar trees were planted at the Brize Norton recreation ground, alongside a memorial plaque.

The plaque in Brize Norton and poplar trees to commemorate war victims

The plaque in Brize Norton and poplar trees to commemorate war victims

The same 18 leant their surnames to the streets of the Brize Meadow housing development.

“With the listed status, we wanted to maintain a sense of community with the development at Brize Meadow and the parish,” said Mrs Stewart.

Outlining reasons why the memorial has been granted Grade II listed status, Historic England said architecturally, it is a ‘good quality example of a popular form of war memorial with detailed, ornamental stone carving’.