What commenced as a task to explore a village's part in the First World War - and hopefully raise money to repair the church roof - has become an all consuming passion for Mike Leeming.

It began with an aim to chart what happened to the men of Kirkby Malham who came back from the mud of Flanders and the heat and dust of the lesser-known campaigns in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

It has since snowballed to include the Great War connections of families who have made their homes in Mahamdale since the First World War broke out 100 years ago.

"What started as a relatively small thing has just snowballed," said Mike, who lives in Airton and is a retired head of art at Skipton Girls' High School.

"I became so engaged with the story of these men and women that it just got bigger.

"I've taken photographs, reproduced photographs delved into the history of the men and also learned about my own family's involvement, especially by two grandfathers. It has extended my knowledge so much."

It has also led to him being invited to present his findings to the children at Kirkby Malham primary school.

What he discovered in his research was that as well as heroism coming out of the carnage, happiness also emerged from the horror.

Featured in the 42-panel exhibition, which will be on display at Kirkby Malham church on the weekend of August 2 and 3, the anniversary of Britain's entry in the 1914-18 conflict, is the story of Lieutenant John Arnold Jackson, who first enlisted in the 1st/8th battalion Manchester Regiment later transferring to the Kings Liverpool Regiment.

Lt Jackson, who was the grandfather of Kirkby Malham vicar the Rev Michael Jackson, was wounded on the western front in 1918 at the battle of Cambrai, the first time tanks were used in the war. He came home to be treated in hospital and married his nurse, Helen McArthur.

"At the time, nurses were told not to fraternise with the men, but of course it couldn't be stopped," said Mike.

The war brought immense emancipation for women especially in the workplace.

Both married and single woman got paid employment , up to two million of them replacing the men who had gone to war.

"They took on traditional male-dominated jobs such as engineering and by 1918 they were earning higher wages and in better conditions than they would have had in the domestic work.

"Sadly, after the war rates of pay for women fell back to pre-war levels and many married women came under pressure to relinquish their jobs in favour of returning soldiers," said Mike.

Among the Tommies are Mike's grandfathers, Private Joshua Ainsworth, a signaller in the Kings Liverpool Regiment, and on his father's side Private John Leeming, who was with the 11th battalion Scottish Rifles, the Cameronians. John was wounded three times and suffered malaria.

Both men survived the war but misfortune followed in their wake. Many years later, their medals the 1914-15 Star, two British Medals and two Victory medals were stolen from Mike's home. "I tried to get copies, but by then they had stopped re-issuing them," he said.

"People have been very helpful and keen to get involved. They've supplied photographs and medals, and war records which have been essential in telling the story."

Among the survivors was Lance Corporal George Basil Parsons, a soldier in the Royal Signals, who is the uncle of former Skipton magistrate Shirley Rycroft.

He enlisted just after his 18th birthday and soon found himself serving in the Russian Expeditionary Force and supporting the White Russians around the ports of Archangel and Murmansk.

When William Sharp returned from the front, where he had served as a sergeant in the 25th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, he went on to run a large poultry farm at Skellands with his two sons.

His service had seen him sent to east Africa, in modern-day Tanzania, then part of German East Africa.

"It has been a fascinating journey of discovery and interesting to dispel the idea that the war was just a relentless slaughter. Something like nine out of ten men came back, " said Mike.

He is hoping that his exhibition and research will help raise money towards the church roof repairs - the costs stand at £90,000 - and that it also inspire others to look into their family history.