On Friday Andrew attended a service at Goole Cenotaph to mark 100 years since the start of the Battle of the Somme.
Fighting at the Battle of the Somme began on the 1st July 1916 and lasted for 139 days (four and a half months), until the 18th November 1916. In total, 60 nations from across the British Empire and Europe were involved in the fighting.
The Battle of the Somme claimed a million casualties in total; 430,000 from Commonwealth countries, with a third of this number killed. The first day of fighting recorded a staggering 57,470 casualties, 19,240 of whom were killed.
Andrew says, “This was a very moving service commemorating this horrendous and bloody battle during the First World War. Over 19,000 men lost their lives on that first day alone, in what remains the bloodiest day of battle in our nation's history.
Occasions like this serve as an important reminder of the sacrifices made and that for many, war sadly remains a very real thing. We must continue to work to end conflict wherever it is.
I would like to thank the Royal British Legion for organising this service and for bringing our community together in remembrance of the sacrifice of so many for our freedom.”
You can learn more about the Battle of the Somme here: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/ww1-centenary/somme-100/somme-100-daily-services/
