June the 1st, 2016, was the 100th Anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme.
The Event was marked with a morning service at the Redcar War Memorial in Coatham.
It began at 7.30am, the exact time the fighting erupted 100 years ago today.
Three whistles, identical to those that signalled the beginning of the battle, were blown to start the service.
Following the whistle, a service of Remembrance was held with readings by the Rev. Canon Rachel Harrison and Rev Rebecca Haughty.
As part of the service, the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Cllr Barry Hunt, Redcar MP Anna Turley and Alan Frankland, the President of the Redcar Branch of the Royal British Legion read letters from those who fought in the battle to highlight the human impact the battle had on soldiers across the country.
In addition to this, poems were read out and hymns were sung with veterans joined by members of the Cadet Forces and others who want to commemorate what was the start of one of war's bloodiest battles.
Matthew Dark, one of the branch’s youngest members, finished the service by reading a poem.
The whistle then sounded again to signify the end of the service.
