POIGNANT services and events are being held in and around Worcester today (Friday) to commemorate one of World War One's bloodiest battles.

A hundred years ago today, The Battle of the Somme began and would continue to rage for five months, with more than a million soldiers killed and wounded on both sides.

Thousands of men from the Worcestershire Regiment were killed, wounded or went missing, and on the first day alone, the British Army suffered nearly 60,000 casualties - including 19,240 men killed.

At 7.28am this (Friday) morning, Worcester City Councillor Adrian Gregson blew a whistle - the sound which summoned soldiers onto the battlefield at that exact time in 1916 - to begin the day's memorial events at Worcester Cathedral.

The cathedral bells rang out during the morning in tribute to those who died and a special service was held for residents during the afternoon.

Elsewhere in the city, an exhibition of the county's men who died at The Battle of the Somme went on display at The Hive.

The display, which runs until Friday, November 18, tells the personal stories behind the men who were killed in the battle, including five soldiers from Worcester and dozens of others from across the county.

Sue Vale, acting project officer for Worcestershire World War 100, said: "Today, people are talking a lot about the numbers of people that died on the first day and in the battle as a whole, but this gives it a personal element because we are looking at each person individually. We are looking at them, and what life was like beforehand.

"It is to make people actually think about the people who died, the casualties and the people who survived and came home - a lot of them with quite horrific injuries, whether physical or mental."

For the past six months, staff from libraries across the county, in partnership with local communities, have been busy researching men from their area who died during the battle.

Exhibitions have gone on display at 21 libraries around the county, including Droitwich, Warndon and Malvern.

Worcester News:

(Picture: James Roberston, manager at Warndon Library, Worcester)

Meanwhile, The Mercian Regiment Museum has opened a display in the Worcestershire Soldier Gallery, at the Worcester City Museum and Art Gallery on Foregate Street to mark the centenary.

Dr John Paddock, curator of the Mercian Regiment Museum, said: "One hopes it will mark the sacrifice of the young men of Worcestershire.

"It is really to both recognise the sacrifice and the bravery of the men of our county. Most of the men fighting were 18, 19, 20 years old. I'm hoping people will realise what these men sacrificed for our future."

In the village of White Ladies Aston, near Worcester, around 40 residents gathered at St John the Baptist Church for a short memorial service this morning.

The church was decorated with poppies, whistles were blown at 7.28am and there was a two minutes silence to remember the fallen.

Paul Hayward, who organised the event with his wife, said: "People can't imagine the number of people that actually died on that one particular day - it is just horrific really.

"We need to remember what went on in the battle and the sacrifice that people made and to remember those who took part."

For more information about the Worcester World War 100 project visit ww1worcestershire.co.uk

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