It is not known exactly what criteria was to be used for the selection of names to be included in the Roll of Honour but the following report from Sidmouth in the Devon & Exeter Gazette of 16 September 1919 is maybe a guide:

The Urban Council has been asked by the Devon County War Memorial Committee, in connection with the Devon War Memorial, to compile a full list of Sidmouth men and women who lost their lives or died on service during the war, and to include those “missing” presumed dead. No one is to appear on the list who has not a genuine connection with Devon.

It is suggested that the only names included should be:

1. Householders
2. Men living with householders (either parents or employer) for some months previous to date of enlistment.
3. Sons of householders who, though they were not living with their parents, regard their parents houses as their home.

Men who were born in Devon but joined overseas contingents may be added.

How strictly these criteria were adhered to cannot be ascertained.

Further to this when the list of names for a specific parish are compared to the names on the local War Memorial for that parish there are many differences. This would appear to indicate that, for any specific Parish, selection criteria for the County Roll of Honour and the Local Memorial were different. It is also likely the criteria varied between Parishes.