Musical tribute to the fallen in Great War

Soul singer Joss Stone and guitar veteran Jeff Beck have announced they have teamed up to record the official poppy appeal single for this year.

The duo have recorded a revamped version of the song No Man’s Land (Green Fields Of France), originally written by Scottish folk musician Eric Bogle in 1976. It will be released on November 3, in the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday.

The song is a reflection on the grave of a young man, Willie McBride, whose death occurred during the First World War, which began in 1914.

Ms Stone said: “When we started looking into who Willie was, we found no less than three men that it could have been. Then we realised that finding him was not actually as important as what he and this song stand for - peace and the sacrifice made by so many.”

The song, which includes a gospel choir, has been given a classic twist, with Ms Stone and Mr Beck due to perform the track in front at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on November 8 and attended by the Queen.

A video for the single has been filmed outside the Tower of London, amid an installation of hundreds of thousands of ceramic poppies created to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the conflict.

Charles Byrne, the director of fundraising for the Royal British Legion which is behind the poppy campaign, said: “The poppy is more than just a sign of remembrance, it is a symbol of inspiration and hope.

“We are thrilled that it has inspired two of our country’s greatest musical talents to produce such a wonderful tribute to the memory of the fallen and help us raise funds for the future of the living.”