A SPECIAL peal rung out on the centenary of the death of a young soldier from Yate was listened to by members of his family from far and wide.

The peal was in memory of Sapper Joseph Thomas Warner, who was killed in action in Gallipoli on August 22, 1915 whilst serving with 66th Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers.

The 19-year-old was a bell ringer at St Mary’s Church in Yate and was the first of 18 bell ringers from the Wotton-under-Edge branch of the Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association of Church Bell Ringers to be lost in the Great War.

To mark the 100th anniversary of their deaths, the association is organising special peals to be rung at all of their home churches over the next few years.

Last Saturday (August 22) was the turn of Joseph and members of his family, including Tony May from Westerleigh, were in St Mary’s Church to hear it.

Other descendants travelled from Devon for the peal.

Organiser Ian Unsworth said “The quarter peal at Yate was successful.

“Members of the church craft group placed crocheted poppies to mark the 100th anniversary of Yate soldiers on the World War One memorial in the church Lych gate.

“Wotton branch bell ringers have also placed a poppy cross there in memory of Sapper Joseph Warner.”