National Day of Commemoration to mark the Centenary of Britain's entry into the First World War
Tuesday 22 July 2014
Details of a national day of commemoration to mark the centenary of Britain's entry into the First World War have been released.
Solemn services of remembrance in London and Glasgow and a commemorative event in Belgium will be attended by members of the Royal Family and senior politicians from Britain, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, and the Commonwealth built around the themes of remembrance, youth and education.
A Service for the Commonwealth at Glasgow Cathedral (10.00am to 10.50am)
The service, led by Dr Laurence Whitley and organised in partnership with Glasgow City Council, will honour the present-day Commonwealth's contribution to the war. HRH The Prince of Wales (known as The Duke of Rothesay in Scotland) will attend.
It will be followed by a procession toCenotaph in George Square for a wreath-laying service and march-past at 11.30am. The event will finish at 12.15pm The Cathedral service will be shown live in George's Square, which will be open for ticketed public access.
While the event at Glasgow Cathedral is by invitation only, the ceremony in George Square is open to members of the public. Tickets for the event, which will be on a first come basis, are available on a specially dedicated ticket line - 0141 287 7999. The line is open daily from 9am to on Monday 7 July. Some 4000 tickets will be available to the general public.
The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Sadie Docherty, said: "It is a great honour for Glasgow to host the UK and Commonwealth service to mark the start of the First World War on the 4 August.
"Around 200,000 Glaswegian men volunteered to go to war, 18,000 of which never returned. Glasgow women also left our city to work in front line hospitals across European and beyond as doctors, nurses, orderlies and cooks helping to treat the many soldiers wounded or seriously injured in the fighting.
"On the home front, other Glaswegian women took over the jobs the men left behind, building ships and munitions for the war effort, as well as driving trams, fire engines and ambulances.
"This event gives Glasgow an opportunity to reflect on our city's great contribution and how at the end of four years of war the lives of everyone who lived through that time was changed forever.
"For these reasons it is essential to commemorate, remember and learn from and about the lives of Glaswegians during 1914-1918 and we hope that the centenary commemorations on the 4 August will encourage people to investigate their own family and community war stories."
Further information on the First World War Centenary events happening in Belgium and London can be found here.
