Around 200 people attended a memorial service in Maidstone’s Brenchley Gardens this morning to mark the centenary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme during the First World War.

Mayor Peter White (Retired) of the Queen’s Own Buffs reminded the congregation of the enormous sacrifice of British and Commonwealth troops with nearly 20,000 dying within the first few hours of the whistle to go “over the top” being blown on July 1,1916.

The battle went on for nearly five months.

Cllr Dan Daley read For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon. The Rev Ian Parrish, vicar at All Saints, led the prayers, and Cllr Fran Wilson, leader of Maidstone council, read in Flanders Field by John McCrae.

After the laying of wreaths at the cenotaph, led by the Mayor Cllr Derek Butler, bearers from the Royal British Legion lowered their standards while Kevin Ashdown blew the Last Post on a bugle that had been used during the First World War.

After reveille, the Mayor raised the Union Flag, before thanking everyone for attending.

*Maidstone Museum will host an exhibition on the Great War, entitled “Coming Home: Conflict and Care in 1916” from September 24 to January 7, 2017.