WEST Berkshire residents joined people across Europe to pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in a memorial service to commemorate the start of the Battle of the Somme.

Exactly 100 years after the start of the infamous battle, on July 1, a short service of remembrance was held at Newbury’s war memorial and a wreath was laid by the mayor, Julian Swift-Hook.

Events were also held across Europe as people remembered the start of what was to become the bloodiest battle in the history of the British Army.

More than one million men died in the battle, which lasted 142 days, with 19,240 British soldiers killed on the first day alone.

Attending the short service was Newbury’s MP Richard Benyon; members of the Royal British Legion; the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, James Puxley; the High Sheriff of Berkshire, Victoria Fishburn; the chairman of West Berkshire Council, Quentin Webb; Commanding Officer at Denison Barracks, Hermitage, Lt Col Mark Kingston; and Major William Wunschel, representative of the American forces at RAF Welford.

Mr Swift-Hook, said: “I think it is really important that Newbury remembers what happened 100 years ago so the mistakes are not repeated, particularly given the challenging political situation we find ourselves in following the referendum.”

He also read a passage from the bible at the service, which began at midday, after a short procession through the town.

The Last Post was sounded before a two minute silence was observed.

Sir Max Hastings later gave a talk at the Town Hall, as part of a series of events to commemorate the centenary of World War I.

Tomorrow (Friday) Philip Wood will give a talk entitled The Battle of the Somme – Disaster or Victory?

The remaining talks in the summer series will be given by Peter Hart, on Douglas Haig; Jane Burrell, on Poets of the Somme; and Dr David Peacock, on World War I stained glass around Newbury.

All the talks will be held in the Town Hall at 7pm. Tickets, which cost £5, are available from Newbury Town Hall. All proceeds will go to the Mayor’s Charities and the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.