THE VIRTUAL CENOTAPH is the Express & Star's tribute to Wolverhampton's war dead, both military and civilian, of the 20th Century.

Wolverhampton is one of the few British towns not to have a cenotaph inscribed with the names of those who perished in the great conflicts of this century.

At the time when the council was planning its cenotaph in the 1920s, the borough was growing and changing. Unsure which boundaries to apply and which residents to include, councillors decided to have no names on the memorial.

Ever since, ex-service organisations have been lobbying for a full register of the town's war dead. Today at last, thanks to the miracle of the Internet, we have it.

The Express & Star Virtual Cenotaph, created with assistance from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is a permanent memorial in cyberspace, containing far more information than any carved-marble memorial could hope to display.

As we enter the 21st century, the Virtual Cenotaph is our tribute to those whose sacrifice brought the freedom, justice and prosperity that we enjoy today.

If you have any additions or corrections to The Virtual Cenotaph, please click here to e-mail us. The Virtual Cenoptaph is best viewed with a version 4.0 or higher browser. However for older browsers try this alternative link.

• Why not also visit Wolverhampton Remembers - a site devoted to the physical war memorials of Wolverhampton and environs?

Virtual Cenotaph: Concept - Peter Rhodes, Design - David Williams