Lights will go out in Beer this evening (Friday) to mark 100 years since the end of the Battle of the Somme.
The Beer 2014 Group and the Royal British Legion have invited people to gather at the village’s war memorial at 6.15pm to listen to poetry and readings relating to World War One.
The battle lasted 141 days and resulted in half-a-million British casualties.
During the service, the names of eight men from Beer, known to have taken part in the battle, will be read out.
Among those serving was George Carslake, who was killed on July 15, 1916. Fellow serviceman Archie Gush won the military medal during the battle and survived the war, only to die six days after Armistice Day from influenza.
Other names to be read will be William Haymes; Herbert Northcott; James Potter; Herbert Westlake; Robert White and John Woodgate.
The event will also involve three ‘war horses’, with riders in World War One uniforms, and will end with the Last Post sounded by a bugler, followed by two minutes’ silence.
Richard Scott, chairman of the Beer 2014 Group, said: “There’s been a lot of interest in the village and we hope there will be a reasonably large turnout. Having the horses there we hope will add something special.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here