The Battle of the Somme started on 1st July 1916. The day before, the Battle of the Boar’s Head took place, where 366 soldiers from Sussex perished.
30th June 1916 became known as ‘The Day Sussex Died’.
We must never forget the sacrifices made by those a century ago, giving their lives for our country and way of life.
The Battle of the Somme ended on 19th November 1916. In 141 days, British forces had advanced just seven miles.
I would encourage any local community groups interested in finding out more about the conflict of a hundred years ago to apply for funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s (HLF) ‘First World War: then and now’ scheme.
The HLF have made an additional £4 million available for communities to investigate and explore the local heritage of the conflict.
Grants are available of amounts ranging from £3,000 to £10,000 to put together community schemes.
There are 1,520 First World War projects taking place across the UK, as a result of more than £77 million of investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Examples of how this funding has been used to encourage young people in particular to look into the war, include using social media to retell the stories of local soldiers on Tyneside, and young women in Birmingham researching the experiences of women who worked in an arms factory in the city.
Additionally, a project in London has helped people there look into their family history, to discover if any of their relatives fought for our country during the conflict.
The First World War shaped future events in Britain, across Europe and around the world for decades to come.
If you are interested in setting up such a project, or if you would like further information, please visit: www.hlf.org.uk