“The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.”

The remark by British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey to his friend John Spender, editor of the Westminster Gazette, on the eve of the First World War may not have been strictly true, but it accurately conveyed the extent of the calamity that was about to descend on the world with Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on August 4, 1914.

Of course, the war left its impact on communities across the country, and many are doing their bit to remember those fallen heroes as the centenary of the outbreak of war approaches.

In Goudhurst, there will be a candle-lit service on August 4 to mark the 100 years, with the candles all extinguished at 11pm to reflect Sir Edward’s chilling prediction.

Sixty villagers lost their lives in the 1914-18 war – 10 times as many as died in the Second World War.

Ahead of the anniversary, the village has just completed a two-year project to spruce up its war memorial.

The stonework has been cleaned; the plaques containing the names of the fallen from both conflicts have been renewed and original spelling mistakes corrected, and lighting has been installed which in future will light up the memorial on the anniversary of each serviceman’s death.

The £11,000 cost was met by public subscription from the villagers and a £200 grant from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Peter Rollington, one of the organisers behind the project, said: “Some people made very generous donations, but one boy gave us all his pocket money.”