Battle of the Somme marked by Goldthorpe children

Next Thursday, children from Hill and Gooseacre Primary Academies in Goldthorpe, will gather at Thurnscoe Park at 10.30am and read out the names of the 26 local men who lost their lives at the Battle, which began on July 1, 1916.

Thurnscoe History Group and the local branch of the Royal British Legion have organised a short service of remembrance to mark the centenary of the bloody battle.

The local history group has also created a display commemorating the Somme at Thurnscoe Library, which will be on show until July 29.

Commemoration events will also take place in Doncaster and Barnsley.

A civic event will be taking place outside the front of Barnsley Town Hall tomorrow (1) at 1pm.

The 40-minute event will remember the 296 local men who lost their lives during the first day of the devastating battle, shattering the communities from where they came.  

There will be two minutes’ silence, readings, music and the launch of a temporary piece of public art created by artists Musson + Retallick, alongside local schools.

In Doncaster, the Civic Mayor, Cllr David Nevett will lead the tributes during a special public service and Commemoration Day at Doncaster Minster, with the help of local schoolchildren and history societies.

The service begins at 10.30am and there will be displays on show from 9.30am until 3pm.

Art group Right up Our Street is holding screening of The Battle of the Somme, the original 1916 documentary that shook the world, at Mexborough, Balby and other locations from July 12 until November and a new exhibition, From Don to Somme: The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at War, is now open at the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum in Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery.

For a full event listing or more details, visit www.doncaster1914-18.org.uk.