A story on our website that was read by a New Zealand woman led to a brother and sister discovering a missing piece of their family history.

Theresa Kiff came across an article that originally appeared in the News Extra last September about a First World War book of remembrance compiled by the Newington History Group.

She was researching her family tree and knew that some of her relatives were from the Sittingbourne area.

On the off-chance that her surname appeared somewhere in the book, she contacted the history group and was amazed when she was told her great-grandfather Bertie Kiff died fighting in the 1914-1918 conflict.

She immediately called her aunt and uncle Dulcie Mepham and Don Kiff, who both live in Bexhill, East Sussex, to tell them about the remarkable discovery.

The siblings, who knew nothing about their grandfather Bertie, made an emotional pilgrimage to Newington earlier this month 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.

Mrs Mepham, 70, said: “I think it’s amazing. Now he and the memories will live on.

“I didn’t know he had any connection with the village.

“I didn’t know much about him at all. It’s so sad that the family didn’t talk about these things when we were growing up.”

For more details about the history group or to get a copy of the book, Newington Remembers, which includes a social and military history of all the villagers who fought in the conflict, call Thelma Dudley on 01795 842711 or email thelma@newingtonhistory.co.uk