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Presbyterian Moderator Dr Alastair Dunlop will be in France this weekend to preach at a service to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
The service, organised by the Somme Association, will be held at the Ulster Memorial Tower at Thiepval at 3.30pm this Sunday, 1st July. Earlier on Sunday the Moderator will attend a Commonwealth Memorial Ceremony at the Imperial War Memorial to the Missing also at Thiepval and after the service at the Ulster Tower will be present at a wreath laying ceremony at the 16th (Irish) Division Memorial at Guillemont.
During his three day visit to the Western Front the Moderator will visit other memorials in France and Belgium including the Ulster Peace Tower. He will also attend a Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate.
For Dr Dunlop this will be his first visit to the battlefields of France and Belgium. 'It is right and proper that we pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives all those years ago and I hope that the courage and commitment of those who served particularly in the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) Divisions will never be forgotten. History is of value when we learn from our mistakes and as we look round our world today it is sad at times to reflect on how little we seemed to have learned from the lessons of the past.'
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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