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'Legendary' Irish Troops At Somme Remembered

The Northern Ireland Secretary will pay tribute to the courage and sacrifices of Irish troops at the Battle of the Somme later.

In a speech marking the centenary of the battle, she will say the efforts of the 36th Ulster Division on the first day have "passed into legend".

She will say: "We have seen all too well how history can divide.

"Our ambitious goal throughout this decade is seek to use history to unite.

"To build on the political progress that has been made here.

"To strengthen further the strong bilateral relationship that exists between the United Kingdom and Ireland ... a relationship that will endure long beyond the UK's exit from the EU."

Beginning on 1 July 1916, the Battle of the Somme was intended to achieve a decisive victory for the British and French against Germany's forces.

But there were more than 57,000 British casualties on the first day alone and by the time it ended on 18 November, 419, 654 were officially listed as dead, missing or wounded.

The total number of casualties on both sides was approximately 1.3 million, making it one of the bloodiest battles in history.

Carol Walker, director of the Somme Museum in Northern Ireland, had a great-grandfather who fought at the Somme and World War One.

"He went through every single battle that the Ulster Division did," she said.

"He went over the top on the 1st of July 1916. He was at Messines with the 16th Irish Division. He was through all the major battles.

"Sadly, two weeks before the end of the Second World War, he was liberating villages up in Belgium and he was mustard gassed and died."

A serving soldier has helped recreate the trenches so visitors to the museum can experience the conditions for his forbearers on the frontline in France.

Colour Sergeant Trevor Ross, Royal Irish Regiment, said: "It's hard to get away from the fact that soldiers fought, died and were wounded in the location that we are now working 100 years later.

"To bring that to life with the reconstruction of the trenches is a great honour for myself and the team involved in recreating and reconstructing the trenches that they served in."

The 36th Ulster Division had been formed from the Ulster Volunteer Force, a militant unionist faction opposed to Home Rule in Ireland.

Four members of the Division were awarded the Victoria Cross for valour but 5,500 were killed injured or recorded "missing in action".

Thousands of sons of Ulster had fought and died for their King and country and unionists demanded that their sacrifice be acknowledged.

Cue the end of the Home Rule crisis and cue the creation of Northern Ireland, which came into existence just five years later.

In the words of King George V, "the men of Ulster" had proven "how nobly they fight and die".