On the 1 July 1916, the piercing sound of whistles filled the air as men climbed from their trenches. And so began 141 days of the bloodiest battle of the FIrst World War. 

Those soldiers were surrounded by comrades and driven forward by determination, duty and fear. Whole waves of men fell to the storm of oncoming fire which spread across the battlefield. By nightfall, 21,000 lay dead and 35,000 more would have been wounded in the first day on the Somme.

Many had answered the call to join Lord Kitchener’s new army to fight alongside neighbours and colleagues. My own town of Barnsley raised two whole battalions.

It was a story of patriotism and adventure retold across the country and Empire as men from all backgrounds joined together; trained together; went to war together; and ultimately, many of them died together that day. Of the 16,000 towns and villages across Britain in 1914, only 40 ‘thankful’ parishes would see the return by 1918 of all who had left for the conflict.

[quote]“It is a measure of our common humanity that we must ensure it never happens again.”[/quote]

I recently travelled to Northern France to pay my respects to those soldiers. I imagined the terror they must have experienced and walked the ground over which they had fought. I knelt in front of their graves. It felt like they were a long way from home.

Their memory can help bring us closer to understanding ourselves. In many ways the First World War marked the true beginning of the 20th century, setting events in motion that would shape generations to come and the lives we lead today. We live in peace and enjoy freedom because of what they and others did for us - teaching us in our own lives to always strive to do more to help others and build a better world through our actions. 

A hundred summers on from the Battle of the Somme we should remember that sacrifice and reflect on how it changed our society then and shaped Britain today. In doing so we recognise it is a measure of our common humanity that we must ensure it never happens again.

[Editor's note: HLF has funding available for projects exploring aspects of the First World War. Our First World War: then and now programme provides grants of £3,000–£10,000 for community projects which explore, conserve and share the heritage of the First World War and will be open for applications until 2019.]