First World War memorials across the region have been Grade II listed to mark 100 years since the first Armistice Day silence.

Twenty-two memorials in Norfolk and Waveney have been assigned the prestigious status following recommendations from Historic England, with a total of 42 memorials listed in the East of England.

The aftermath of the Great War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration in history, with tens of thousands of memorials erected constructed across England.

Communities across the nation were coming to terms with the loss of 750,000 British lives, many of whom died in a foreign field and were never brought home.

As the centenary of the very first two-minute silence is remembered, the government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has taken Historic England's advice to list hundreds of these symbolic monuments.

Tony Calladine, regional director for Historic England in the East, said: "The first two-minute silence and the creation of permanent war memorials gave people across the world the opportunity to express their grief and honour those who lost their lives in this momentous conflict.

"One hundred years on, the stories of the people whose names are etched on these memorials still resonate with us as we commemorate the fallen in this time-honoured manner."

Of the 22 newly-listed memorials in our region, 20 are in Norfolk while another two - Beccles and Henstead with Hulver Street can be found in Waveney.

Heritage minister Helen Whately added: "War memorials have a special place in communities and remind us of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

"It is right that these monuments to the brave people who sadly never returned from the First World War will now be preserved and protected."

The newly-listed First World War memorials in Norfolk and Waveney are as follows:

- Beccles War Memorial

- East and West Runton War Memorial

- Henstead with Hulver Street War Memorial

- Hunstanton War Memorial

- Little Walsingham War Memorial

- Marsham War Memorial

- Mundford War Memorial

- Seething War Memorial

- Sutton War Memorial

- Thetford War Memorial

- Thurton War Memorial

- Thuxton with Garvestone War Memorial

- Upper Sheringham War Memorial

- Wellingham War Memorial

- Wereham War Memorial

- West Lynn War Memorial

- West Somerton War Memorial

- West Winch War Memorial

- Wiveton War Memorial

- Wramplingham War Memorial

- Wymondham War Memorial

- Yaxham War Memorial