PENSIONER Dennis Mayo fought back tears as he honoured his uncle killed in the First World War.

The 84-year-old from Old Marston was one of a number of people attending the Turning of the Pages ceremony on Saturday.

It sees the names of 20 men killed in the First and Second World Wars read out.

The tradition has been recognised on alternate months for the past 15 years, but this is only the second time names have been published in the Oxford Mail in advance of the service.

The move allows people – such as Mr Mayo – to come forward to pay their respects to their predecessors.

The pensioner said: “My uncle, Francis Mayo, was killed in 1916 when he was only about 18 or 19.

“That’s all I know about him.

“My father always said he was missing, but it wasn’t until we contacted the War Graves Commission that we discovered he was buried in France.”

He added: “My father didn’t really mention it.

“But he should be remembered. They all should.”

Once every two months, the small ceremony in the military chapel at Christ Church Cathedral is attended by past and present members of the armed forces, the Royal British Legion and the Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force.

The names of five soldiers from the Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars killed in each of the two wars are read out, followed by five from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

The Waters family from near Thame also saw a name on the list they recognised.

They phoned the Oxford Mail to see if Ernest Waters, who died in August 1917, was their uncle. The private, who was 19 when he died, was indeed the same Ernest.

His nephew Peter said: “It’s brilliant to know it’s the same one.

“We thought there could be other Waters in the Oxford area and we’ve tried to find some.

“Maybe this could even lead to finding other relations.”

The Waters were unable to attend Saturday’s ceremony but said they were pleased to see Ernest remembered.

The next service will be held at 11am on Saturday, May 5.