One hundred years ago, the Third Battle of Ypres, often called Passchendaele, began on 31 July 1917.
The fighting conditions were terrible, and heavy losses were sustained on both sides – over 320,000 casualties in the Allies, while German losses were between 260,000 and 400,000.
National commemorations begin today, and in Marlow, the event was marked on the Causeway, with an opening talk by the mayor. There were exhibits including memorabilia, information on the role of Marlow men in the battle, old photos of troops in and around Marlow, and a list of Marlow residents who died in the First World War.
There were also free guided walks around Marlow starting from the Causeway, visiting local sites associated with the First World War.
There is more information generally on Marlow/WW1 can be found on the website of the “Marlow Remembers World War One Association” http://marlowww1.org.uk/
