A SERVICE at St Mary’s Church in Bramshott has been dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

It was led jointly by lay ministers Alan Geddes and Vivien Chamberlain.

The service opened with the hymn Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation, during which the Royal British Legion standard was trooped through the church by Andrew Lucas.

Vivien spoke of the human cost of the battle which was fought between July and November 1916, when more than one million soldiers were wounded, killed or went missing on both sides of the battlefield.

The date of July 1, 1916, to this day remains the deadliest day in the history of the British Army, with almost 60,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers killed or wounded in the first 24 hours.

Following the second hymn, O God of Bethel by Whose Hand, Bohunt student Tom Yerdley read from Isaiah chapter two, speaking of turning swords into ploughshares.

The sermon was given by Alan Geddes, who wore his grandfather Benjamin’s seven medals.

A candle had been lit by the altar before the service and he pointed out this should be a light of thankfulness, a light to lead future generations.

He spoke of the disparity between the initial press reports of the battle claiming major advances by British and French troops on the first morning of the battle and the actuality of the loss of 20,000 allied troops with no territory gained.

Alan also talked of visiting a building site as a child near Perth in Scotland, where German prisoners of war were engaged in construction work and how he realised to his surprise that these people were no different to anyone else.

The roll of honour of the 10 parish residents killed on the Somme was read by John Beard after which Colonel Jamie Jack of the Liphook branch of the Royal British Legion laid a wreath on the altar.

Only six of the names are already listed on the Bramshott war memorial, and it is hoped to add the other names as well.

Nigel Still gave a moving account of the grim reality of the battle by reading from several of his grandfather’s letters, Brigadier General Frank Maxwell of the 27th Scottish Brigade, which he sent back from the front to his wife during 1916. The service concluded with the National Anthem and the playing of the Last Post by Churcher’s College student Peter Hudson.

Roll of Honour – Battle of the Somme 1916 (names listed on the Bramshott War Memorial):

July 1, 1916: Lance Corporal Horace Wicker, 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment

July 3, 1916: Private Henry Newland, 6th Battalion The Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment

July 9, 1916: Private Walter Oliver, 10th Battalion Gloucester Regiment

July 22, 1916: Sergeant Archibald Robertson, 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry

September 15, 1916: Private William Harwood, 15th Battalion Hampshire Regiment

October 7, 1916: 2nd Lieutenant Lewis John Rowley Atterbury, 4th Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)

Names at present not on the Bramshott War Memorial:

July 13, 1916: Private Frank Stacey, 2nd Battalion Hampshire Regiment

September 3, 1916: Lance Corporal Charles Bulpitt, 14th Battalion Hampshire Regiment

October 6, 1916: Private Cass Buckler, 15th Battalion Hampshire Regiment

October 18, 1916: Lance Corporal William Cresswell, 2nd Battalion Hampshire Regiment