Men dressed as soldiers from the First World War have appeared at various stations and landmarks across the UK to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
The soldiers mixed with commuters this morning, only breaking the eerie silence to hand out business cards to those expressing an interest with the name and details of a soldier that lost his life in the battle on 1 July 1916.
Some of the soldiers broke into song, singing “We’re here because we’re here” to the tune of Auld Lang Syne.
The soldiers are part of the #WeAreHere campaign to remember the thousands of men that died for their country in the most deadly day for the British Army in history.
19,240 men lost their lives on the first day of the Somme as they charged over the top towards German machine guns, including many form so-called “pals” battalions – volunteer units where all members came from the same town or village.
At a memorial event in France on Friday, the Duke of Cambridge said:
“It was in many ways the saddest day in the long story of our nation.”
In total, the British and French militaries lost nearly 800,000 men at the Somme, in a battle that lasted between July and November 1916.
London
Quite a thing to catch on a morning commute #wearehere pic.twitter.com/U1tJ4NoSve
— Joe Blythe (@weegiejoe) July 1, 2016
Waterloo station 08.30am #wearehere pic.twitter.com/nYsC6zQLec
— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) July 1, 2016
Moving silent tribute to the fallen of the #Somme at Waterloo Stn this morn. #wearehere pic.twitter.com/xgAgROPWhw
— John Moylan (@JohnMoylanBBC) July 1, 2016
So this is currently happening in Waterloo… #wearehere pic.twitter.com/FgnWB0M7xZ
— Kate Naylor (@katenaylor191) July 1, 2016
Thank you to whoever has organised the #wearehere squaddies at @NetworkRailPAD I filled up when they sang pic.twitter.com/bAeqc6EfNU
— Mark Russell (@markrusselluk) July 1, 2016
Spotted at King's Cross station: WWI soldiers #wearehere #Somme100 pic.twitter.com/L5ssyWCfrr
— Art Fund (@artfund) July 1, 2016
Waterloo. #wearehere pic.twitter.com/L3cOdZRow5
— Robert Peston (@Peston) July 1, 2016
Waterloo. #wearehere pic.twitter.com/L3cOdZRow5
— Robert Peston (@Peston) July 1, 2016
Perspective, never a bad thing. #WeAreHere pic.twitter.com/DcAvE4whIT
— Darren Jeffries (@DarrenJeffries1) July 1, 2016
Glasgow
#wearehere. Men of the Gordon Highlanders on the Glasgow Subway. Died 1st July 1916. pic.twitter.com/Nc02pbGXND
— Ian Sharman (@emmotive) July 1, 2016
Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art #wearehere pic.twitter.com/sx01Qktdc9
— dawn taylor (@dawn_rebecca) July 1, 2016
#wearehere powerful and deeply moving scenes in Glasgow today pic.twitter.com/rYJNLdPWuq
— Gemma Swallow (@swallow_gemma) July 1, 2016
Edinburgh
Forgot – bumped into these guys on my way into the office this morning from #Edinburgh #wearehere pic.twitter.com/VvKXbCzd9M
— E S Sandberg (@eriksandberg82) July 1, 2016
Manchester
The soldiers, young and old, move around, saying nothing. #wearehere #somme100 pic.twitter.com/Mpl2DLvWQ9
— Tim Peach (@TimPeachBBC) July 1, 2016
#WeAreHere #Manchester Serjeant Herbert Pickup – B Company, 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. Died: 27yrs. pic.twitter.com/18SOOSldCV
— StardotGez (@overthewire) July 1, 2016
Birmingham
Moving scenes at Birmingham New Street & Moor Street this morning #wearehere #Somme100 #ww1 pic.twitter.com/dzSzXneoRF
— Verity Milligan (@Vemsteroo) July 1, 2016
#wearehere #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/cfX27vMp5p
— Muireann Quigley (@profmq) July 1, 2016
Some further images from this morning's deeply moving tribute. #WeAreHere #Somme100 #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/7vDagT5dGo
— Verity Milligan (@Vemsteroo) July 1, 2016
Some further images from this morning's deeply moving tribute. #WeAreHere #Somme100 #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/7vDagT5dGo
— Verity Milligan (@Vemsteroo) July 1, 2016
Newcastle
With all that is happening in the country right now, this really puts things into perspective #wearehere #Newcastle pic.twitter.com/fFN65JksqC
— MandyCharlton (@MandyCharlton) July 1, 2016
The soldiers are singing now #wearehere #newcastle pic.twitter.com/5xPuNlRQQl
— MandyCharlton (@MandyCharlton) July 1, 2016
Sheffield
More inspirational scenes here in Sheffield this morning #wearehere #Somme100 pic.twitter.com/MLUKKvJV7N
— Darren Henley (@HENLEYDARREN) July 1, 2016
Leicester
#wearehere #Somme100 Leicester pic.twitter.com/Iq9YOYf8CM
— NIKOLAI FOSTER (@NikolaiFoster) July 1, 2016
Bristol
A tribute to the Somme 100 years ago (I assume), on Queen Square, Bristol. See #wearehere for more. pic.twitter.com/5wFDnRzXQ0
— Alastair Campbell (@alastc) July 1, 2016
Belfast
#wearehere @Victoria_Square pic.twitter.com/QsE6uzviCl
— cian smyth (@ciansmyth) July 1, 2016
#wearehere Belfast pic.twitter.com/5dsDge2ZwQ
— Pauline McKay (@paulinemckay01) July 1, 2016
Great Victoria Street, Belfast. For the 36th Ulster and 16th Irish Divisions #wearehere #Somme100 pic.twitter.com/muAsHScU6I
— willy sharpe (@willy_sharpe) July 1, 2016
Great Victoria Street, Belfast. For the 36th Ulster and 16th Irish Divisions #wearehere #Somme100 pic.twitter.com/muAsHScU6I
— willy sharpe (@willy_sharpe) July 1, 2016
Moving scenes in #Belfast today remembering the #Somme – #WW1 soldiers marching throughout the city. #WeAreHere pic.twitter.com/SkZhRkNaDy
— Ryan T Crown (@RyanTCrown) July 1, 2016
