THE unfolding horror of the First World War is explored in a new project which charts the impact of the conflict on Epping through the pages of the West Essex Gazette.

John Duffell, 57, of Clover Leas spent hundreds of hours leafing through wartime back issues of the Epping Forest Guardian’s predecessor.

His research charts the devastating loss of life suffered by the men who were called up from the town but it also provides a fascinating look at wartime life on the home front.

As war broke out in 1914, the Gazette reported on prayers for peace which were said at churches and chapels across the area.

In September 1914, the paper records the first of a succession of local casualties when it reports that Second Engineer Thomas Maynard from Epping is presumed drowned while serving on the steam trawler Nelson in the Mercantile Marine.

He is the first of 113 men from Epping to lose their lives in the war but a year into the conflict there are those in the town who seem not to have grasped its enormity.

In June 1915, the paper publishes a letter from an unnamed woman who says: “You can take it from me that the present war will be over in a fortnight. My old man joined the Army today. He has never stuck a job more than a fortnight!”

Meanwhile the paper carries an increasing number of reports on activities at Wintry Park which was used as a military base.

Mr Duffell said: “It’s remarkable really, there are reports naming the regiments who were based there, details of troop numbers, everything.

“It’s the kind of sensitive information which would never make it into papers during the Second World War, but clearly media blackouts were yet to come into force at this time.”

The paper carries reports of Christmas collections to send parcels of food to the troops, and many letters from local soldiers are published.

In one sent in January 1916, Private G. Creagh writes: "It makes me feel good to know that I am remembered in Epping's thoughts and prayers.

"Such kindness has a wonderful spirit-keeping power behind it.

"It made me sing 'Home sweet Home' in a muddy, leaky, dugout."

But while the paper devoted plenty of column inches to the war there were still reports on everyday events in the town.

The formation of the Epping & District branch of the Women’s Institute is covered in September 1917 and considerable column inches are devoted to a controversial plan to change Epping market day from Friday to Monday.

In an editorial, the paper encourages people to send soldiers copies of the Gazette.

“Nothing pleases the boys in the trenches more than to receive news from home,” it says. “Every item of local news interests them doubly, now that they are far away.”

Mr Duffell has compiled reports and photographs from the paper on a CD which he is selling for £5 to raise money for the British Legion’s poppy appeal.

To find out how to buy a copy email johnduffell@live.co.uk