Salford residents are being urged to draw, write, photograph and honour the men who died in the Battle of the Somme.
The public can help create memory squares for the national Somme commemoration event in Heaton Park, Manchester on 1 July, the 100th anniversary of the battle.
SalfordOnline.com will be reporting the history of the event in detail in the lead up to 1 July, with its popular ‘100 years ago in Salford’ series.
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The first 5000 squares uploaded will be turned into ceramic tiles and used to create a temporary path at the event, called The Path of the Remembered.
The deadline for submissions is 17 June.
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Salford City Council has submitted a square on behalf of the city.
Full details of the Path of the Remembered and how to upload contributions can be found here: https://www.1418now.org.uk/somme100
City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “1 July 1916 was the day that broke every heart in Salford because of the huge loss of life.
“Over 650 Salford men died that day, the first day of the Somme battle, fighting near Thiepval village and for many years after 1 July was remembered as Thiepval Day in Salford.
“Salford is planning its own tributes on 1 July but it would be wonderful to see some of the Salford men who died in the battle honoured as part of the national commemoration.”
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On Friday July 1 there will be church services, a memorial event at Salford Civic Centre at 11am and musical performances at Salford University, including the world premier of ‘God’s Own Caught in No Man’s Land’, a new composition to commemorate the Salford PALS and other soldiers who fell at The Somme.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery will be open all day screening the original 1916 record of The Battle of the Somme, courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, alongside a small display of World War One objects.
On Sunday July 3, the Salford Armed Forces Veterans Network will hold two services – one in the morning at St Clement’s Church, Ordsall which houses memorials to those who fell in the Somme and the second in the afternoon at the Royal British Legion, Pendleton.
For full details and how to get tickets for the concerts please see: http://ww1.salford.gov.uk/
