However, the German troops turned out to be well prepared for the attack, and instead of a decisive break-through, the Battle of the Somme became a protracted slaughter. What do the events commemorate?Īfter two years of relative stalemate on the Western Front, in 1916 Allied forces decided to make a 'big push' to break the German lines. A Somme Centenary Challenge Run will also be held under the White Cliffs of Dover. The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire will stage an evening of music and drama accompanied by a special light and sound installation. Later, the Royal Festival Hall in London will screen a UNESCO-listed historical film, with a live accompaniment from the BBC Concert Orchestra.
One such account tells of a British soldier's compassion to a dying German asking for water and his mother. In the UK, the Imperial War Museum is marking the anniversary by releasing harrowing accounts of hundreds of veterans of the battle, which were collected in the 1960s. Battle of the Somme: Five of the most celebrated First World War poetsīishop James Newcome, the Royal British Legion's national chaplain, will lead today's service, with Lord Llewellyn of Steep, Britain's ambassador to France, among the guests.
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