A SPECIAL exhibition marking the end of the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago is to be held in Redditch.
The battle, which started on July 1, 1916, was one of the bloodiest of the First World War and claimed the lives of thousands of British troops.
It officially came to an end on November 18, 1916, bogged down by mud, exhaustion, endless casualties and atrocious weather but only after more than one million soldiers on all sides were killed or wounded.
As regular readers of the Standard will know, many of those who lost their lives or became casualties were from Redditch, their young lives cut short by the horrors of war.
Now the son of one of those combatants, Philip Jarvis has organised an exhibition to pay tribute to the local soldiers and their comrades from across the country who took part in the conflict.
“It will include those Redditch soldiers who gave their lives during the battle and those who survived and came home to their families,” said Philip whose father was one of those who fought at the Somme.
“I knew he’d taken part but he never spoke of his experiences, all I know is that he was invalided home before returning to join the army of occupation in Cologne.”
The exhibition will feature displays and models plus photographs of some of the soldiers who fought in the battle and there will also be a special screening of the pioneering documentary film The Battle of the Somme, which was released in 1916.
The exhibition will also cover the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland = which effectively settled the naval conflict in the war and also the 75 anniversary of the sinkings of HMS Hood and the Bismarck in the Second World War.
It’s at St Philip’s Church, Webheath from November 12-19 from 10.30am most days with the film screening on November 17 at 7.30pm and a vigil / prayer service at 4pm on November 18.
For more details contact Philip on 01527 544068.
