Shropshire Star

Video and pictures: Youngsters join parade to honour Shropshire's heroes of the Somme

More than 200 youngsters gathered in Telford to take part in a remembrance event commemorating local soldiers killed during the bloody Battle of the Somme.

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Children from 14 different schools were present at Southwater yesterday afternoon – exactly 100 years since the Battle of Bazentin Ridge during World War One.

Tribute was paid in particular to members of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry who lost their lives in the battle.

Soldiers from across the area – Wellington, Shrewsbury, Clive, Madeley, Dawley, Ketley, Tibberton, Lilleshall, Newport, Lawley, Oakengates, Coalbrookdale, Priorslee – are being commemorated.

It was the worst single day, in terms of military losses, in the regiment's history.

The event was jointly organised by Historic England and Telford & Wrekin Council.

The idea for the event came from teachers who had attended a day's training course on the Battle of the Somme, delivered to schools by Martin Phillips of Historic England.

Some schools involved whole classes, after school clubs or even whole year groups.

A range of year groups from Year 3 to Year 9 were involved in the project.

Mr Phillips said the idea was the highlight the "special military significance" of July 14 to Shropshire and the impact the battle had on its communities.

"The response has been brilliant and the staff and pupils have shown tremendous enthusiasm for the project, for researching and for remembering the sacrifices made by local soldiers," he said.

"It demonstrated that the tradition of remembrance is safe in the hands of young people across Shropshire.

"This commemoration was organised because the teachers and pupils have a huge interest in the soldiers of the First World War, who lived near their schools and lost their lives on the Somme.

"There is a passionate enthusiasm for remembering these men creatively, publicly and formally.

"The project has given me great confidence that the future of Remembrance, in Shropshire, is safe in the hands of our young people."

Teachers and pupils, with the help of Historic England, have been researching the lives of the fallen soldiers.

Several of those who died had lived no more than a few hundred yards from the schools where pupils were studying what happened to them.

Having undergone training delivered by a freelance textiles artist Katy Whitehouse, teachers helped pupils to decorate about 50 hessian banners.

Each represented an individual local soldier who died on the Somme, in most cases on July 14, 1916.

The event started at 4pm where pupils marched in formation from Southwater.

They paraded their banners around the lake at Southwater to the Arena in Telford Town Park.

There was then a formal ceremony, with music from the Langley and Old Park school bands.

An address was made by Lt Col Andrew Trelawny of the Rifles, poetry was read and wreaths were laid before the playing of the Last Post and two minutes silence.

Councillors and council officials, and members of local veteran associations received invites to attend the commemoration.

The event was organised with input several organisations.

They included Telford and Wrekin Music Service, Telford & Wrekin Creative Development Team and Telford & Wrekin Co-operative Community Participation Team.

Backing was also given by Telford Libraries and King's Shropshire Light infantry Regimental Museum.

Support also came from the Rifles Association and local branch members of the Royal British Legion.

Both youngsters and teachers said the whole project had been a valuable experience and helped to reinforce the message of Remembrance.

Charlotte Maxwell, 11, from St George's Primary School in Shrewsbury, said: "We have been learning a bit about World War One in school.

"I think I have learned a lot.

"It is important that we keep the tradition going."

Helen Johnson, history coordinator at St Patrick's Primary School in Wellington, said it was great to be part of the event that brought schools from across the county together.

She said: "It has been such a big local event."

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