With their thick woollen suits, rifles and hobnailed boots they could have stepped out of the pages of a history book.

But John Aston and Pete Knight are members of the Old Contemptibles, which is a group of First World War enthusiasts based in the Midlands.

“We are not re-enactors but we want to perpetuate the memories of World War One,” says John Aston, aged 49, of Marston Green in Birmingham. “The aim of the group is to honour the memories of those who fought and fell in the Great War. “It reminds us of the futility of war, even though we still haven’t learned our lesson.”

On October 4 and 5 the Black Country Living Museum is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

Around 50 members of the Old Contemptibles, who can be seen in the most recent Hovis television advert, will be staging a Great War recruitment drive in the museum’s village and allowing visitors to see the uniforms and equipment.

The Old Contemptibles was the name of the men who were professional soldiers and the first wave to enter The Great War in 1914.

They were the first to go and formed the bedrock for the expansion of the army.

“Both our grandfathers fought in the Great War and, for us, this is about honouring their memory,” says Pete Knight, aged 43, from Tamworth.

“My grandfather’s commanding officer was the war poet Siegfried Sassoon.

“At the World War One anniversary weekend we will be remembering those local men who fought.

“Among those remembered next weekend will be Corporal Joseph Davies VC who served with the 10th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers.

“He was born in Tipton in April 1889 and was serving in India when the First World War broke out in 1914.”

Joseph Davies was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery at Delville Wood in France on July 20, 1916.

“On that day, prior to an attack on the enemy, he became separated with eight men from the rest of his company,” says Pete.

“When the enemy delivered their second counter-attack his party was completely surrounded but he got them into a shell hole and, by throwing bombs and opening rapid fire, succeeded in stopping them.

“Not content with this he followed them up in their retreat and bayoneted several of them.

“He received shrapnel wounds and was promoted to Corporal.

“One of the latest additions to the memorial site at Delville Wood in France is a plaque, which was put in place in May 2001 to commemorate Corporal Joseph Davies.

“The citation reads ‘Magnificent example of pluck and determination’. He was also awarded the Russian Order of St. George (First Class) by Tsar Nicholas II.”

By Cathy Spencer.