Kings Langley and Abbots Langley have joined forces to celebrate the centenary of the First World War.

With less than a year to go until the 100th anniversary of the start of the Great War, the two villages have teamed up on the "Back to the Front" project.

With the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First Word War in 2014, the project organisers have plans for commemorating the part played by those from Kings Langley and Abbots Langley.

The intention is to produce a living record which can be used for on-going research and remembrance in the form of a book and website. There will also be various events taking place over the next few years.

Chairman of the Abbots Langley History Society, Roger Yapp, has already spent years researching men and women from Abbots Langley and Kings Langley who served in the war.

The project aims to bring together a number of organisations within the villages to co-ordinate and plan the commemorations.

Julie Barton, Kings Langley project leader, said: "We already have the names and many details for those who died, but we are looking to trace more information relating to those who survived the war, and sometimes it is far harder to research those that lived through the conflict. We already have some information on Abbots Langley but not so much for Kings Langley."

The project aims to record and include something about every person on the Roll of Honour, which is a memorial list of names of people who have died in the military or police services. Currently, for some on the Roll of Honour there is already a lot known, but for others there may only be a name, a rank, and a number.

To enhance the factual information the project is seeking personal records such as photographs, letters, Christmas Cards, recollections of family members, or diaries.

Ms Barton added: "We want to know what life was like in the area between 1914 and 1918 - did people’s ancestors pass down any stories?"

The "Back to the Front" project is enlisting the help of people from the local area. Many of the names of those on the Roll of Honour are names of families who still live in Kings Langley and the surrounding area.

Ms Barton said: "We would really like to hear from anyone who can help develop the story we are trying to tell."

Anyone with information or who would like to assist with the research can contact the Abbots Langley Project Leader Roger Yapp at backtothefront@hotmail.co.uk or 01923 677507, or Julie Barton for Kings Langley at backtothefront@btinternet.com or 01923 270160.