People wanting to attend the Somme Centenary ceremony at Lochnagar Crater in 2016 are invited to apply for tickets on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
Admission to the event on July 1st will be ticket-only and numbers are limited to 5,000, organisers have confirmed.
Applications must be made by post. Full details of how to apply can be found on the Lochnagar Crater website.
The French authorities have limited admission for safety reasons, in particular the limited space available at the crater.
There’s also a warning of probable traffic restrictions and road closures in the Somme. The nearby Thiepval Memorial will be the setting for major Anglo-French commemorations the same day.
Poppy wreaths laid at Lochnagar Crater Memorial, July 1st 2014 (Photo: Centenary News)
Lochnagar Crater was left by one of the massive mine explosions under the German lines which signalled the start of the British attack on the Somme.
A remembrance service is organised annually by Richard Dunning, owner of the site, and volunteers from the Friends of Lochnagar.
It takes place at 7.28 am – the exact time of the blast on the morning of July 1st 1916.
Admission to the 2016 ceremony will still be free, but the Friends of Lochnagar ask ticket applicants to consider making a donation to help with substantial extra costs in the centenary year. Applicants are also reminded to bear in mind the likely travel restrictions in the Somme region.
Tickets will be posted in May 2016.
Lochnagar Crater, near the village of La Boisselle, is privately-owned by Richard Dunning and maintained with the support of volunteers belonging to the ‘Friends of Lochnagar’. It is dedicated to peace, fellowship and reconciliation between all nations who fought on the Western Front during the First World War.
Also in Centenary News:
The UK and Ireland ticket ballot to attend the Thiepval Memorial commemorations closes on November 18th 2015.
Source: The Friends of Lochnagar
Images: Centenary News
Posted by: Peter Alhadeff Centenary News