Wirral marked the centenary of the Battle of the Somme with a poignant early morning vigil at the War Memorial, Grange Hill, West Kirby.
The War Memorial, which stands high above the peninsula looking out to Wales and across Liverpool Bay, is a fitting site for the vigil.
It was designed by Charles Sargeant Jagger, the son of a miner, who gave up a scholarship in Rome and Venice to join the Army when war broke out in 1914.
His experience of war, including service on both on the Western Front and Gallipoli, along with being wounded three times and receiving the Military Cross for gallantry, has influenced much of his work.
The Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Pat Hackett, led the vigil which started at 7.30am on Friday, July 1. This is exactly the time that soldiers began going ‘over the top’ at the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago.
The Service was taken by the Bishop of Birkenhead, the Right Reverend Keith Sinclair, and will include a reading by Nicola Chavasse, from West Kirby, the great great niece of Captain Noel Chavasse – one of only three men to have twice received the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry, and the most decorated soldier in WW1.
In total, more than one million men were wounded or killed, including many from Wirral.
