French village's tribute to Oswestry's Wilfred Owen
He is the Shropshire-born poet who brought the horror of the trenches to the awareness of millions.
And today, to mark Armistice Day, a Frenchman and his village are to be recognised for helping to honour his name.
Jacky Duminy is the mayor of Ors, the village close to where Wilfred Owen died on November 4 ,1918, during the crossing of the Sambre–Oise Canal, a week before the Great War ended.
Today it was revealed Mr Duminy is to receive the British Empire Medal for his role in keeping the memory of Owen alive.
Wilfred Owen was born in Oswestry and grew up in Shropshire. He saw action in the trenches as a soldier and was awarded the Military Cross.
Mr Duminy said he was "delighted" to have been awarded the honour and will be travelling to Paris to receive it on behalf of the people of Ors.
Helen McPhail, former chairman of The Wilfred Owen Association in Shrewsbury, said the village had whole-heartedly embraced the memory of the soldier.
She said: "About 25 years ago I asked people in the village if they knew why so many English cars were seen going to the nearby military cemetery.
"And since the village learned of the presence in the cemetery of this important British poet they have wholeheartedly adopted him as part of their own history."
The poet's grave is in a British military section in the communal Ors cemetery, not far from the canal where he was killed in the last major battle of the war.
The new primary School in the French village is now named after Wilfred Owen.
