Somme wreath laid to remember fallen

A WREATH was laid at the Accrington Pals Memorial on Church Street, Accrington, on Wednesday morning, July 1, to mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, in the presence of a limited number of representatives from the Royal British Legion, The Mayor, Coun June Harrison, the MP Sara Britcliffe and council leader, Coun Miles Parkinson OBE.

On 1 July 1916, on that fateful first day of the Battle of the Somme, the Accrington Pals suffered severe losses and more than 600 casualties, leaving the community back home shattered and hardly anyone untouched, with so many losing husbands, sons, brothers, uncles, friends and neighbours.

The usual full commemorative service was unable to go ahead due to the pandemic.