Events

Friday 1st July 2016

Service to commemorate the Battle of the Somme

The event is to be held on 1 July 2016 at 10am in the city’s cathedral recognising contributions from across the Commonwealth, and will feature special prayers, readings and music concluding with a two minute silence and a poppy drop.

Colonel Murray Colville TD DL, Chairman of East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA), and also Chairman of the Leicestershire World War One Reference Group, said: “The Battle of the Somme was fought at such a terrible cost. It was the largest battle of World War One on the Western Front; with more than one million men being wounded or killed. We are set to gather at Leicester Cathedral to remember those who died during one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

“As a former serviceman, I believe it is very important that we mark this special anniversary, remembering particularly that Leicestershire lost more than 2,000 service personnel.

“As a mark of respect, the cathedral’s bells will be half-muffled on 1 July and will ring following the commemorative service.”