My interest in WW1 history came about late in life. My great uncle John Arthur Veysey from Abercarn signed up along with thousands of other men from the valleys to 'do his bit' for King and Country. Going to France in November 1914, with the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment he was killed on February 2nd 1915. He has a headstone in his resting place at the Strand Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Belgium. It was after visiting his grave I became interested in the men and women from Risca. I found a lot of graves and memorials listing quite a few names but there isn't one central point where all these people are recorded. What started off as an idea to show a list of names at exhibitions in the local library has turned into the production of this book. At long last there is a place where all these soldiers, sailors, airmen, cooks, nurses and everyone else that make up our forces can finally be recognised for their sacrifices.