THE Queen attended a service at Westminster Abbey last night as the nation began commemorating the Battle of the Somme at events in the UK and France.
The monarch, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prime Minister David Cameron joined the congregation for an evening commemoration – on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the start of the battle.
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An overnight vigil also took place at the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle.
And in France the Earl and Countess of Strathearn and Prince Harry attended a vigil in memory of the fallen.
The services marked the beginning of events across the UK and France marking the start of the battle on July 1, 1916, a day that became the bloodiest in British military history with almost 20,000 dead.
By the end of the four-month offensive, more than a million soldiers had been killed or wounded on both sides.
During the Abbey service prayers were said for the First World War dead and hymns were sung by the congregation, who included descendants of the men who fought at the Somme.
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The Queen symbolically touched a wreath that was placed at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior and the first watch took up its place.
Their numbers were drawn throughout the all-night vigil from UK and Commonwealth military personnel and members of community groups representing those involved in the battle.
During the service the Last Post was played with a bugle used at the Somme.
READ MORE: SNP grandee accuses French President of disrespecting Scottish war dead after Sturgeon snub
Mr Cameron will today join dignitaries including French President Francois Hollande and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry at the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in northern France.
In Edinburgh Castle, people paid their respects at at a vigil with a service then conducted by Reverend Neil Gardner of Canongate Kirk. It was attended by service veterans and the Castle was floodlit red from dusk.
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