SOMBRE reflection tinged with hope for the future will be the theme of dozens of events taking place in East Lancashire this weekend to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

Across the country a two-minute silence was being held at 7.28am today to mark the moment thousands of men went over the top 100 years ago.

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The anniversary is particularly poignant in Hyndburn due to the losses incurred by the Accrington Pals, the 11th (Service) Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment.

Formed by the mayor of Accrington, Capt John Harwood, in just 10 days, men joined from the towns and surrounding villages in Accrington, Blackburn, Burnley and Chorley.

In total, 720 Accrington Pals took part in the attack. Of them, 584 were killed, wounded or missing.

Events are planned to mark the Pals going over the top, starting with a civic commemoration at the Pals Memorial, in Accrington. A roll call for the Accrington Pals will then run from 8am to mid-afternoon in Accrington town centre.

A four-day visit to the Western Front is also planned which will look at the role of the Accrington Pals in the First World War, and pay tribute to all the fallen. The mayor and mayoress, Cllr Tim O’Kane and his sister Melanie Storey, will be part of the trip, and presentations will be made to the mayors of Puisieux and Bapaume, in France, of specially bound books of honour with the names of the battalion.

In Blackburn, the commemorations will today focus on the Everyman Remembered statue outside the town hall in King William Street.

The brass sculpture of a soldier is based on the Unknown Soldier, and he stands on a block made from limestone sourced from the Somme, in a Perspex obelisk with poppies around his feet and in his arms. Every five minutes, poppies will be blown in the air around him inside the casing.

A freedom parade will also take place on Sunday from 1.30pm when The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment will parade after a regimental commemorative ceremony at Blackburn Cathedral.

Starting at the cathedral, the regiment will parade around the town centre, finishing at King George’s Hall.

It will be followed by a military music concert by The King’s Division Band in the Cathedral Quarter from 2.30pm to 4pm.

In Burnley, relatives of those who served and died in the Battle of the Somme will join ex-servicemen and others to mark the centenary.

More than 100 soldiers from the town were among the 57,000 British Army casualties suffered on the first day of the battle alone.

A memorial service will take place at the Cenotaph in Towneley Park at 7.30am this morning, the exact moment in 1916 the whistle went and soldiers left the trenches.

The mayor of Burnley, Cllr Jeff Sumner, said: “The boys and men from Burnley and East Lancashire who gave their life, or who were injured and maimed, on that bloody first day of battle deserve to be remembered.

“This service gives today’s generation the opportunity to pay their respects and commemorate the sacrifice of those who travelled from the comfort of their home to the horrors of the trenches.”

Children from Rosewood Primary School, Burnley, are set to lay crosses and wreaths at the Cenotaph.

The horrific events of a century ago will be marked with a public dawn-to-dusk vigil at Clitheroe Castle. It will be led by Ribble Valley mayor Joyce Holgate, whose father, Thomas Henry Lawless, fought at the Somme with the 1st East Lancashire Regiment.

Participants at the vigil will pose on a plinth in the stance of Clitheroe Castle’s Unknown Soldier, who occupies a prominent position overlooking the town, his head bowed in the direction of Flanders.

Chris Henig, Lancashire County Council’s lead member for libraries and cultural services, said: “This vigil is a way residents can pay their respects and commemorate those who paid the ultimate price. We will pay a special tribute to what they did.”

In Nelson, two minutes’ silence will take place at the town’s cenotaph at noon today.

Tomorrow there will be a parade of uniformed groups at Brierfield (11am) followed by a short service of remembrance.

As part of the commemorations in partnership with the Royal British Legion, Veterans in Communities last night opened its centre in Bury Road, Haslingden for an all-night vigil.

In Colne, a day commemorating the Home Front in Colne during the Battle of the Somme will take place tomorrow in the town centre. Planned events include a parade and a memorial service.

SOMBRE reflection tinged with hope for the future will be the theme of dozens of events taking place in East Lancashire this weekend to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

Across the country a two minute silence was due to be held at 7.28am today to mark the moment thousands of men went over the top 100 years ago.

The anniversary is particularly poignant in Hyndburn due to the losses incurred by the ‘Accrington Pals’, the 11th (Service) Battalion of the East Lancashire regiment.

Formed by the Mayor of of Accrington, Captain John Harwood in just 10 days, men joined from the towns and surrounding villages in Accrington, Blackburn, Burnley and Chorley.

In total 720 ‘Accrington Pals’ took part in the attack. Of them, 584 were killed, wounded or missing.

A number of events are planned to mark the Pals going ‘over the top’ starting with a Civic Commemoration at the Pals Memorial, in Accrington.

A roll call for the Accrington Pals will then run from 8am to mid-afternoon in Accrington town centre.

A four day visit to the Western Front is also planned which will look at the role of the Accrington Pals in the Great War, and pay tribute to all the fallen. The Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Tim O’Kane and his sister Melanie Storey, will be part of the trip, and presentations will be made to the French Mayors of Puisieux and Bapaume of specially-bound Books of Honour with the names of the Battalion.

In Blackburn, the commemorations will today focus on the Everyman Remembered statue outside the town hall in King William Street.

The brass sculpture of a soldier is based on the Unknown Soldier, and he stands on a block made from limestone sourced from the Somme, in a Perspex obelisk with poppies around his feet and in his arms.

Every five minutes, poppies will be blown in the air around him inside the casing.

A Freedom Parade will also take place on Sunday from 1.30pm when The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment will parade after a regimental commemorative ceremony at Blackburn Cathedral.

Starting at the cathedral, the regiment will parade around the town centre, finishing at King George’s Hall.

It will be followed by a military music concert by The King’s Division Band in the Cathedral Quarter from 2.30pm to 4pm.

On Armed Forces Day tomorrow, (Saturday, June 25) the bandstand in Accrington’s Oakhill Park will host the first ever ‘Accrington Pals Prom’.

There will be a day of family activities in the park starting at 11am, followed later by the ‘Pals Prom’, featuring performances by the East Lancashire Concert Band at 6pm.

In Burnley relatives of those who served and died in the Battle of the Somme will join ex-servicemen and others to mark the centenary.

More than 100 soldiers from the town were among the 57,000 British Army casualties suffered on the first day of the battle alone.

A memorial service will take place at the Cenotaph in Towneley Park at 7.30am this morning, the exact moment the whistle went and soldiers left the trenches.

The Mayor of Burnley, Councillor Jeff Sumner, said: “The boys and men from Burnley and East Lancashire who gave their lives, or who were injured and maimed, on that bloody first day of battle deserve to be remembered.

“This service gives today’s generation the opportunity to pay their respects and commemorate the sacrifice of those who travelled from the comfort of their homes to the horrors of the trenches.”

Children from Rosewood Primary School, Burnley, are set to lay crosses and wreaths at the Cenotaph.

The horrific events of a century ago will be marked with a public dawn-to-dusk vigil at Clitheroe Castle.

It will be led by Ribble Valley Mayor Joyce Holgate, whose father, Thomas Henry Lawless, fought at the Somme with the 1st East Lancashire Regiment.

Participants at the vigil will pose on a plinth in the stance of Clitheroe Castle’s Unknown Soldier, who occupies a prominent position overlooking the town, his head bowed in the direction of Flanders.

Chris Henig, Lancashire County Council’s lead member for libraries and cultural services, said: “This vigil is a way in which residents can pay their respects and commemorate those who paid the ultimate price. In this centenary year, we will pay a special tribute to what they did.”

In Nelson a two minutes’ silence will take place at the town’s cenotaph at noon today.

Tomorrow there will be a parade of uniformed groups at Brierfield at 11am followed by a short service of remembrance.

As part of the commemorations in partnership with The Royal British Legion, Veterans in Communities last night opened its centre in Bury Road, Haslingden for an all night vigil.

In Colne, a day commemorating the Home Front in Colne during the Battle of the Somme will take place tomorrow (sat) in the town centre. The planned events include a parade and a brief memorial service.

Numerous other events are also planned throughout East Lancashire.