THERE’S a long, long trail a-winding from the World War One battlefield in France where Herefordshire-born Lance Corporal Allan Lewis died in gallant efforts to save his men during intense enemy bombardment nearly 100 years ago.

Next year marks the centenary of the 23-year-old railway worker’s death, who was never to return to home.

He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Rossnoy in France during the Battle of Epehy in September 1918 and remains the only county-born recipient of this ultimate award for bravery.

A heartfelt campaign to erect a life-size statue dedicated to the young soldier is gathering momentum, and on Friday, December 1 from 7.30pm, he will be remembered with honour in Whitney-on-Wye where he was born.

A celebration event is planned at the Boat Inn at Whitney, an evening which promises a mixture of emotions with a history of his life, a display of his medals all set against a backdrop of songs dating back from the 1914 – 1918 conflict.

There will be a free buffet and an open invitation to all.

The restaurant at the inn is to be named after the young soldier who has no known grave but is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial in France and the war memorial at Whitney.

His father, a carpenter, carved a memorial to his lost son at Whitney and at Brilley church where the family also lived.

Lance Corporal Lewis’s grieving parents were presented with their son’s VC medal by King George V at Buckingham Palace in April 1919.

Just weeks before the end of the war, he had been in command of a section during a push against the German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line, when he crawled forward along and successfully bombed two guns with grenades, he continued the attack with rifle fire and made the machine gun nests surrender.

Three days later, he was killed when he rushed his company through an enemy barrage, but was killed while getting his men under cover from heavy machine-gun fire.

“We are bringing the lad home,” said Robert Taylor, an Eardisley Parish Group councillor, who owns the Boat inn. “We are organising an evening in honour of a hero and to give a boost to the fundraising to reach the £50,000 target needed for the statue in Hereford city centre.

It’s earnestly hoped that the project will be completed in time to mark the centenary of Lance Corporal’s death next year.

His great-niece Dawn Lewis has led the campaign for the bronze statue in honour of her uncle, and a sculptor has already been commissioned.

Sponsored by the Boat Inn, the Whitney event is open to all, and will number relatives, friends and supporters.

A lecture will be given by Gareth Pugh and the Last Post played by Kelvin Jenkins.

Lance Corporal Lewis’s medals will remain on display at the Boat inn.

Mr Pugh said:“The Boat is busy with tourists and canoeists so a lot of people will see his medals there and we shall be naming a restaurant in honour of A.L. Lewis.”

He continued: “We are approaching everybody we can to invite them to the event which is open to all and will be a celebration of this man. We will make him a focal point of Whitney.”

A special ‘Whitney Walk’ plaque will be unveiled on the evening showing walkers the trail from the pub car park and on to Brilley where the Lewis family moved.

“It’s about five or six miles long and links up the two villages where Lance Corporal Lewis lived,” said Mr XXX.

He hopes the celebration evening will serve to highlight the man and to give a final push for funds to make the statue a reality.

“If he was from Hereford, there would already be a lasting memorial in the city. He was awarded the highest honour in the land and remains the only person born in the county to have been awarded the VC.”

*Anyone wanting to donate to the fund can go to the A L Lewis VC Memorial Fund on the JustGiving site