PEOPLE are being invited to attend an event to commemorate the sacrifice made by 10,000 Wiltshire soldiers during the First World War.

The Wiltshire Council and Ministry of Defence-organised First World War Commemoration Event, which takes place on July 30 at 10am at Tidworth Military Cemetery, will give communities the opportunity to remember the fallen soldiers in a fitting way.

Each fallen soldier will be represented on a named cross which will be placed on a wall of remembrance to provide the focus for the service. The crosses have been made by thousands of local schoolchildren across the county with each soldier’s name meticulously researched.

Anyone can attend the service and reflect on the huge sacrifice made by so many from Wiltshire.

Tidworth Military Cemetery, which has graves of solldiers from both the First and Second World Wars, was directly connected with training grounds on, or near, Salisbury Plain. There are 417 First World War graves, many of them Australian or New Zealand servicemen, 106 Second World War graves and 40 war graves of other nationalities.

Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott said: “Thousands of soldiers from our county made a huge sacrifice for all of us and it is only right that we mark this significant period in our history appropriately.

“We can only imagine what those soldiers went through so this event will be an opportunity for people to reflect on the loss their communities experienced and pay their respects.”

Parking will be in a field adjacent to the cemetery and will be clearly signposted on the day.

For more information, call 01225 713152 or email events@wiltshire.gov.uk More information can also be found at: heritagein wiltshire.wordpress.com/.