"Horror" and "sadness" has been expressed over the vandalism of Oxford's first war memorial. 

The Tirah Memorial in Bonn Square was spray-painted last week, with the word ’thives’ [sic] scrawled and the inscription defaced on.

Duncan Taylor, who reported the crime, said it was "particularly concerning" with it being just a few weeks until Remembrance Day. 

The vandalism has since been cleared, however the remains of the spray paint can still be seen. 

The war memorial after the vandalism The war memorial after the vandalism (Image: Newsquest) Terry Roper MBE, chairman of the Oxford Branch of The Royal Green Jackets Association, described the vandalism as a "heinous criminal act".

"It was with horror, anger and great sadness that I learnt that the Tirah Memorial proudly sitting on Bonn Square has been desecrated," he told the Oxford Mail.

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"I would point out to the person or persons that carried out this heinous criminal act have insulted the memory of those whose names are listed on the memorial.

"They are all from the Oxfordshire Regiment at the time and many would still have relatives and connections to our city and county.

"It has caused a lot of distress and anger amongst the veterans I know.

"The spelling of the word scratched across the memorial shows it was from someone of little education."

The Tirah Memorial was unveiled in 1900, making it Oxford's first war memorial.

The monument was erected to commemorate the 64 men of the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire Light Infantry who died in the 1897 - 98 Tirah Expedition and Punjab Frontier Campaign to suppress rebel tribes on the north-west frontier of British India.

The Tirah Region is what is now north-west Pakistan on the Afghanistan border.

"The problem with all these war memorials is that sometimes people relate them to dark periods," Mr Roper said.

"It was different times, different values. They are not glorifying conflict.

"It was commissioned and paid for by the Ranks of the Regiment in memory of their comrades. The ground it sits on was donated by the then Oxford City Corporation."

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He added: "It really upsets me.

"I think the people who do this should be educated and stand back and read exactly what it's all about. 

The Tirah Memorial in Bonn SquareThe Tirah Memorial in Bonn Square (Image: Newsquest)"I do think it's a lack of respect and it is a lack of understanding."

He believes it is a "concern" for other memorials in Oxfordshire and around the country if the issue is not "stamped on". 

"I think it's something that should be dealt with by the courts and dealt with thoroughly by the police," Mr Roper added.

Thames Valley Police and Oxford City Council have been contacted for comment.