Event to be held to mark Somme centenary

AN EVENT will be held in Barnsley to commemorate 100 years since the Battle of the Somme, and to remember the 296 local men who lost their lives during its first day.

To mark the occasion at the Town Hall at 1pm on July 1, there will be a two minute silence, readings, music and the launch of a temporary piece of public art created by artists Musson + Retallick, alongside local schools.

The event is expected to last approximately 40 minutes.

Phillip Spurr, Service Director, Culture, Housing & Regulation said: “It is important that we remember those brave soldiers who fell in battle. During the event we will get an insight into the challenges of war and the men who died fighting for their beliefs. The public art celebrates their lives and is a tribute to their brave actions.”