Council commemorates the Battle of the Somme and First World War fallen in France and Belgium

The visit began in northern France with a solemn visit to Martinsart Cemetery, where the delegation paid tribute to ten men from Hillsborough who lost their lives on June 28, 1916.

Following this, the Mayor and Louise Moore, Director of Leisure & Community Wellbeing, laid a wreath at the Thiepval Memorial, which bears the names of 72,337 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Somme sector between 1915 and 1918 and have no known grave.

The council delegation, which included Councillor Brian Higginson, Councillor Gary Hynds and Councillor Pat Catney, also attended remembrance services with the Somme Association at two significant memorials: the Ulster Tower Memorial near Thiepval and the 16th (Irish) Division Memorial in Guillemont.

On the final day of the commemorative visit, the delegation visited Thiepval Wood, where they were given a guided tour of preserved trenches.

The group then travelled to Belgium, where they visited the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Messines, a site dedicated to the memory of all Irishmen who died, were wounded, or went missing in the First World War.

The visit concluded by laying a wreath at the Menin Gate Remembrance Service in Ypres, in tribute to the 54,389 soldiers of the Commonwealth forces who were killed in the Ypres Salient before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave.

Reflecting on the visit, Mayor Grehan said: “It was an honour to represent the people of Lisburn & Castlereagh at these deeply moving commemorations. "This visit was a powerful reminder of the immense sacrifice made by so many from across our communities during the First World War.

"We will continue to remember them, and it is our duty to ensure that future generations never forget the cost of war and the value of peace.”