A London author, who has written novels and plays about the First World War, needs help to sort out his own Kentish connections to the Great War.

Robert Fanshawe, author of The Cellist's Friend, said his interest in the First World War was sparked by the history of his uncle, Leighton Dalrymple Fanshawe, who had been a pupil at Tonbridge School.

Lt Fanshawe was in command of a machine gun company when he was killed in action at Ypres on August 2, 1917, aged just 21.

At the time his Commanding Officer wrote: "I would pay to his memory the greatest tribute, that he was a friend, a soldier, and a gentleman."

Leighton Fanshawe was a pupil at Tonbridge from 1910 till 1913. He was in Park House, and a house praeposter (or prefect) and had been a Lance-Corporal in the school's Officer Training Corps.

His family at the time were living in Reading, but his grandmother hailed from Maidstone. She was born Marianne Ellen Fremlin and was a relative of Ralph Fremlin who founded the county town's famous brewery.

Mr Fanshawe explained: "I've visited the Menin Gate Memorial several times where Leighton's name is inscribed. The last time was with friends and family and we tried to find out more about him, visiting the battlefield where he died and searching the internet."

What they discovered was that the only photograph that the family had of Leighton appeared to show a different man to that which Tonbridge School has in its archives.

In addition the school archives record that Lt Fanshawe was buried at Perth Cemetery near Ypres. Yet the Menin Gate specifically records the names of those whose bodies were never recovered.

Mr Fanshawe said: "Leighton had a younger brother, Bradford Fanshawe, who was also at Tonbridge and who also served in the Army, but he never went to France and survived the war.

"Has the school archives mixed up the two brothers? Or is it the photo that we always thought was my uncle the one that is wrong?"

Anyone who can throw any light on the matter of the Fanshawe brothers can contact Alan Smith on 01622 695666 or email ajsmith@thekmgroup.co.uk