COMMUNITIES across Gwent came together to honour those who died in the Battle of the Somme on the 100th anniversary of the bloodiest day in British Military history.

People from across Blaenau Gwent attended a memorial service led by AM Alun Davies and Rev Geoff Waggett in the grounds of Bedwellty House, Tredegar, on Friday. Members of the borough’s branches of the Royal British Legion, town and borough councillors, the Mayor Barrie Sutton and many representatives from local groups gathered to take part in the service.

Tredegar Town Councillor Alyson Tippings read a poem by John Howells from Nantyglo called The Ghosts of Mametz Wood before standard bearers took their positions for the last post, played by Sam Prowl. Guests then went back to Bedwellty House for an exhibition to mark the re-launch of the Blaenau Gwent Remembers website which was set up to honour those from the borough who served by collecting stories, photographs and documents to form an online archive.

The exhibition had a specific focus on the Battle of Mametz Wood, where the 38th (Welsh) Division of the British Army sustained significant loses of young men from Blaenau Gwent. Mr Davies said: “The service at Bedwellty was an opportunity for all those who have contributed to this project to gather and pay their respects on a very significant anniversary in our history.

“The Battle of Mametz Wood in particular saw hundreds of people from Blaenau Gwent perish and it is important that we continue to remember what those brave men went through for the freedom we enjoy today.”

The blowing of the whistle service was held at the cenotaph in Blaenavon to commemorate the start of the battle and Revd Canon Mark Soady led a service at St Priory’s Church in Abergavenny which was attended by ex-servicemen and women, the choir of St Mary’s and by members of the congregation.