A TAXI driver has taken on a second career as a writer after publishing a book about the First World War.

Marc Alexander, 34, decided to research the stories behind the names on Chigwell war memorial. His book, ‘Marching off to War’ provides an insight into the lives of those who might otherwise have just been a name inscribed on a stone.

Mr Alexander said: “I was driving through Chigwell one day and I saw the memorial and stopped to take a closer look. A lot of the records on these men were destroyed. They were kept in a workhouse which was bombed. I started finding out who they were, where they lived and what they did for a living. Some of it was very interesting.

“One guy had the wrong initials on the memorial. The initials were NJ Clark but his name was HJ Clark. I was looking him up and found everything matched other than the initials, so I managed to get it changed. Another guy was the son of the vicar of St Mary’s Church in Chigwell. He died in 1915, two days after arriving in France.”

The book took him seven years to write and has had an initial print run of 200 copies, but more will be produced if it proves popular.

l To order a copy of the book call Mr Alexander on 07956 269 606.