France and Britain mark the 100th anniversary of the deadliest battle of WWI – Battle of the Somme
One week after Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, British Prime Minister David Cameron and members of the royal family were standing side-by-side with France’s president to celebrate their historic alliance at the centenary of the deadliest battle of World War I.
More than 1 million people were killed, wounded or went missing in the Battle of the Somme in northern France, pitting British and French troops against German ones from July 1 to Nov. 18, 1916.
Britain held a moment of silence Friday morning to mark 100 years since the bloodiest day of British military history ? about 20,000 British soldiers alone were killed on the first day of battle.
The main ceremony started with the sound of cannon shots shortly after noon Friday at the monumental Memorial of Thiepval in northern France with the participation of 600 British and French children. Each of them laid a flower crown on the 600 British and French graves of the cemetery.
See the look back: 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme >>>
See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr
