A cross-party delegation from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, led by Mayor Alderman Amanda Grehan, has concluded a poignant visit to France and Belgium to take part in a series of memorial events marking the Battle of the Somme and honouring those who served and fell during the First World War.
The visit began in northern France with a solemn visit to Martinsart Cemetery, where the delegation paid tribute to ten men from Hillsborough who lost their lives on 28 June 1916. The soldiers’ position was struck by German artillery as they prepared to travel to the front lines for the impending Battle of the Somme, planned for 1st July.
Following this, the Mayor and Louise Moore, Director of Leisure & Community Wellbeing, laid a wreath at the Thiepval Memorial, which bears the names of 72,337 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Somme sector between 1915 and 1918 and have no known grave.
The council delegation, which included Councillor Brian Higginson, Councillor Gary Hynds and Councillor Pat Catney, also attended remembrance services with the Somme Association at two significant memorials: the Ulster Tower Memorial near Thiepval and the 16th (Irish) Division Memorial in Guillemont.
The Ulster Tower, a replica of Helen’s Tower at Clandeboye, commemorates the 36th (Ulster) Division, many of whom trained at the original tower before being deployed to the Western Front. The memorial honours the 2,000 soldiers who were killed and the 5,000 wounded during the Battle of the Somme, as well as other Ulstermen who served in the war.
At Guillemont, the delegation reflected on the sacrifices made by the 16th (Irish) Division, which sustained over 4,000 casualties during the capture of Guillemont and Ginchy.
On the final day of the commemorative visit, the delegation visited Thiepval Wood, where they were given a guided tour of preserved trenches. This experience, delivered in partnership with the Somme Association, offered a powerful and educational insight into the daily realities faced by soldiers on the front lines.
The group then travelled to Belgium, where they visited the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Messines, a site dedicated to the memory of all Irishmen who died, were wounded, or went missing in the First World War. The park is a symbol of reconciliation and shared remembrance.
The visit concluded by laying a wreath at the Menin Gate Remembrance Service in Ypres, in tribute to the 54,389 soldiers of the Commonwealth forces who were killed in the Ypres Salient before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave.
Reflecting on the visit, Mayor Grehan said: “It was an honour to represent the people of Lisburn & Castlereagh at these deeply moving commemorations. This visit was a powerful reminder of the immense sacrifice made by so many from across our communities during the First World War. We will continue to remember them, and it is our duty to ensure that future generations never forget the cost of war and the value of peace.”