Every community in Britain urged by culture chief to remember the Somme

- Every town, city and village in Britain was Tuesday urged to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, one of the deadliest encounters of World War One.

The call was made by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, with the government and the Royal British Legion working together to encourage communities across the country to mark the battle in their own way.

Events are likely to be vigils at sundown on June 30, the eve of the battle, or during July 1 when the fighting started at 7:30 a.m., or at any time until Nov. 18 when the 141 day battle finally ended.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: "The ambition is for villages, towns and cities across the UK to gather at a meaningful place or in their home, to light a candle, read a poem, listen to music, share a photo of a family member who fought at the Somme."

To help local communities host remembrance events, the Royal British Legion has launched a special toolkit -- Remember the Battle of the Somme 1916--2016, which features everything needed to host a Somme event.

Whittingdale said: "The Battle of the Somme left a deep mark on millions of families 100 years ago. I encourage communities across the country to come together to pay tribute to those who lost so much at the Somme and at home. It is important that we never forget what happened on the battlefields and honor their memory and bravery for generations to come."

The Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, Head of Remembrance at The Royal British Legion, said: "We are asking communities to host or take part in events to commemorate those who fell at the Battle of the Somme, which has come to symbolise the tragic scale and futility of modern industrialised warfare. Their collective sacrifice is as relevant today as ever but in this centenary year we pay special tribute to their service." Endit