THE fascinating diary of a First World War officer is to be launched at Central Library next week.

The St Helens Pals project will draw to a conclusion after four years when the book is released on Monday, February 22.

The project had already seen the release of the 'St Helens Pals' book in September 2014 – which chronicles the stories of the 3,000 men who went to fight in the Great War from the area.

The diary of A.T. Champion tells the story of a major who was sent to St Helens in 1914 at the start of the war – and survived the conflict.

Military historian Dave Risley has put the book together with many hours spent transcribing the handwriting of the original diary.

"I came across it when I was researching for the Pals book, "explains Dave, from Windle.

"I spent a lot of time at the Lancashire Infantry Museum at Fulwood barracks, a major Doug Farrington came up to me and said have you seen this and produced the diary.

"They knew it was an officer's but they didn't know which officer had written them but they worked out who it was.

"It's about 90 per cent transcribed, I had some success but it's been quite a struggle. He wrote the diary from the day he came to St Helens in 1914 to when he was demobbed in June 1919.

"He commanded a company and his older brother had another one. On the first day of the Somme he listed the casualties which is really unusual.

"He's not what you normally perceive of the upper-class leader. He knew the names of everybody and doesn't just say 'the sergeant'. He was obviously interested in them.

"He even put drawings and little maps of where his billet was and we have tried to clean the up as much as we can," added Dave, 63.

The major's family came from London and he lived in the Lancashire village of Silverdale.

"He actually patented the motor system for the World War Two air raid system," added Dave.

"He was quite a character when you read the book."

The event at the library will also see another book including biographies of the 3,000 men from St Helens who fought in the war, which tells known information about each.

A free copy of the diary can be collected at the library on the day with a limited number of 'The St Helens Pals Personnel' to be given out to relatives of those who served. The event will start at 12pm with an introduction from Dave at 12.30pm.