A story in The News Extra has led to another person discovering a missing piece of their family history.

Yvonne Jemmett, who lives in Sittingbourne, read an article in April about a brother and sister who found out their grandfather is featured in a book of remembrance compiled by the Newington History Group.

Siblings Dulcie Mepham and Don Kiff were sent a link to an online article about the First World War book and learned Bertie Kiff died fighting in the 1914-18 conflict.

The duo then made an emotional pilgrimage from their home in East Sussex to find out more about the petty officer who was among 600 men who died when the battleship HMS Formidable was torpedoed by a German submarine in the Channel.

Like them Mrs Jemmett also contacted the Newington History Group because she knew her great-uncle’s name appeared on a war memorial cross in the village. The 80-year-old was then visited at home by the co-author of the book, Thelma Dudley, who revealed her relative Arthur William Seager had fought in the war.

He was at home in Newington on leave in September 1918 before returning to France 13 days before the end of the war was officially declared.

Two days after Armistice Day he was admitted to hospital with flu and died at the end of November 1918, aged just 19.

Mrs Jemmett said of hearing her great-uncle’s story: “I had always seen photos of him.

“But when you’re young and the people that knew him are alive, you don’t always ask half as much as I wish I had.”

For more details about the history group or its book Newington Remembers, call Thelma Dudley on 01795 842711 or email thelma@newingtonhistory.co.uk