A SOUTH Lakeland quarrying firm has been chosen to help design and manufacture a memorial to men involved in tunneling activities in the First World War.

Kirkstone Quarries will provide Kirkstone Green and Brathay Black slate for the two-metre tall memorial that will be put up in Givenchy, Flanders.

The memorial, which commemorates men who dug tunnels under ‘no-mans’ land’ during the conflict, will be positioned near the resting place of William Hackett - who was buried alive when he stayed in a collapsing tunnel with an injured comrade.

Peter Barton, of the All Party Parliamentary War Graves and Battlefields Heritage Group, said: “William Hackett’s courage exemplified the tunnellers’ work. The memorial will stand in celebration not only of him, but all his military mining comrades from around the world.

“With Kirkstone’s contribution and the sensitive use of their robust and durable materials, we will soon have a fitting memorial that will stand the passage of time and be a lasting tribute to these extraordinarily brave men, of which many were no doubt Cumbrians.”

Different surface finishes will be hand worked onto the memorial to represent the surface and end grain of wooden timbers which represent the tunnellers frame and set. Two large panels of honed slate will be inscribed to commemorate all the men of all nations who served underground.

Nick Fecit, managing director of Kirkstone Quarries, said: “We are delighted to be part of this project because we are providing a lasting tribute to those men that recognises the wonderful work they were doing for our country at that time.”