A GREAT-NEPHEW of the first soldier to be shot for desertion during the First World War has renewed appeals for a parish council to honour his uncle.

Terence Highgate was speaking after it was revealed another executed soldier is to have his name carved on a memorial in his home town.

Private Harry Farr is to be recognised on a monument in Wealdstone, north-west London.

Like Mr Highgate's great-uncle, Private Thomas Highgate, Pte Farr was one of 306 men executed for desertion during the First World War.

Last November, the Government decided to give all the men posthumous pardons.

Mr Highgate wants Shoreham Village to remember his great-uncle by placing his name on its war memorial.

When the village's war memorial was refurbished in 2000, councillors stated if Pte Highgate was ever pardoned, his name would be added.

Pte Highgate, who was found hiding in a barn and wearing civilian clothes after fleeing from the Battle of Mons in Belgium, was found guilty of desertion at a court martial and shot at dawn on September 18, 1914.

Mr Highgate, of Northumberland Park, Erith, said: "I'm pleased it has gone through.

"I hope his name will be included on the memorial.

"The memorial has a space with a plaque on it for his name if he was ever pardoned.

"I don't want to cause a fuss, I just want him to be honoured in an appropriate way."

The decision to place Pte Highgate's name on the Memorial in Shoreham is a joint matter for the British Legion and Shoreham Parish Council to discuss.

Mr Highgate, 67, added: "Harry Farr's name is going to be added to the village of his birth's war memorial.

"This will hopefully have a reaction so it will happen to Tom. It is up to the council now."

Shoreham Parish Council and the British Legion were unavailable for comment.