MEMBERS of the Wiveliscombe branch of the Royal British Legion will meet at the memorial in the local Memorial Recreation Ground at 7.30am on Friday, July 1, to remember and honour all those men who went ‘over the top’ 100 years ago at the start of the Battle of the Somme.

When the whistles blew three sharp bursts to announce the attack men climbed out of their trenches and advanced on the German lines. By the end of that day 19,240 men had died – in a casualty list totalling 57,470; the highest day’s casualties in the history of the British Army.

When the Somme action ended on November 18, 1916, it had achieved nothing.

Legion members will replicate the whistle blowing.