Thousands of fallen soldiers from the Battle of the Somme are being honoured in a new walkway of ceramic tiles in Manchester.

Path of the Remembered at Heaton Park, where many of the region's soldiers trained before going to the World War One battle 100 years ago, tells the stories of those on the frontline.

The 5,000 memory squares which stretch 60m (197ft) will form the centrepiece of a concert of remembrance at the park for the centenary of the first day of the Somme in which 19,240 soldiers died.

History of World War One

At 3.00pm, realising that efforts to make a decisive breakthrough on the Somme had been in vain, General Rawlinson sent the order through to stand the cavalry down and direct them back to base.

Find out about the role horses played in WW1

Image source, Getty Images

Prince Charles has said that the "sacrifice and suffering" of those who fought in the Battle of the Somme "will never be forgotten". 

Writing in the programme for Friday's commemoration event at Thiepval, he said: 

Along with the other members of the Royal Family present, Prince Charles wore a poppy and a cornflower brooch - the cornflower having the same symbolism of remembrance in France as the poppy does in the UK. 

History of World War One

Family members describe their responses on reading the diaries of their relatives who fought in WW1.    

Image source, Barbara McClune

Jim Maultsaid, like tens of thousands of others, was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The private in the 36th Ulster Division kept a diary of his experiences throughout the war.

After the war, this small pocket book, and his sketch books, formed the basis of a series extraordinary journals.

These included notes and descriptions of battle as well as dramatic comic-book style illustrations.

Read more.

BBC Radio Scotland

How much did generals know of the unfolding disaster by this point in the day? With only telephone lines and runners to rely on from the front, when those fail, the answer is not a lot.  

Actor Brian Cox narrates the sixth short episode about the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Events are continuing across Lancashire to commemorate 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.

A total of 19,240 British soldiers lost their lives on the first day of action and it was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army.

On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, at least 584 of the 720 troops who took part were killed, wounded or missing.  

At the going down of the sun - BBC Radio Lancashire remembers them.

Image source, Veterans' Foundation/PA

Images were beamed onto the White Cliffs of Dover last night to mark the start of the Battle of the Somme. 

The words "Lest We Forget" and "Battle of the Somme" were displayed. 

The event was also staged to help launch the Veterans' Lottery, a new scheme aimed at raising £1m to help veterans who are experiencing difficulties. 

History of World War One

At 2.30pm the first of several British offensives resumed in an effort to take German positions they had failed to capture in the morning.

Men of the 7th Division, formed of four Manchester Pals battalions and two regular army battalions, resumed their assault on Mametz village. After fierce hand to hand combat, they captured the village.

Image source, Getty

Image source, PA

A ceremony has been taking place to remember the thousands of Ulstermen who died at the Somme 100 years ago. 

The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Stormont's First Minister Arlene Foster were among those at the Ulster Memorial Tower service in northern France.

Almost a tenth of the British troops who died that first day were from the 36th Ulster Division. 

Retired Major Alan McFarland, chairman of Northern Ireland's Somme Association, said: "Today we remember the soldiers from all nations who died here during the First World War, but particularly the courage and sacrifice of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 36th Ulster Division." 

Read more.

BBC One

Hear first hand accounts from soldiers who were on the front line on 1 July 1916. 

History of World War One

Everyone in the UK has at least one war grave within three miles of their front door. Today the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is launching the Living Memory Project, external to reconnect people with the war dead buried in their own communities.

Image source, Hulton Archive

Among the battalions of British volunteers who fought at the Battle of the Somme, one name often attracts greater attention - the Accrington Pals. But why are they so well known?

Following a rallying cry by War Secretary Lord Kitchener, battalions were formed across the country, including in the east Lancashire town of Accrington, where about 1,000 men signed up.

"It's gone down as being the smallest town or borough in Britain to raise a complete battalion," explains local historian Andrew Jackson.

Read more, from BBC News journalist Rumeana Jahangir.

BBC Radio 4

Listen again on Radio 4 (and also at the top of this page) to first-hand accounts drawn from the sound archives of the IWM and the BBC of the first catastrophic 10 minutes of the Battle of the Somme. 

Some of the men recall the orders they were given, the reality on the ground as it became clear the German wire hadn't been cut by the British bombardment and their memory of those around them being mown down by machine gun fire as they attempted to cross No Man's Land. 

More episodes from Voices of the First World War

BBC Radio 3

Live now on Radio 3 (and at the top of this page) Ian Skelly introduces a concert given by the BBC Singers conducted by Paul Brough, live from St Paul's, Knightsbridge, followed by a performance of Bliss's commemorative choral work Morning Heroes.  

Ahead of the centenary events in Manchester, the outside of the Imperial War Museum North in the city was lit up by projections of images in memory of the soldiers who died at the Somme.

Image source, IWM North/PA

History of World War One

Was a relative of yours at the Somme?  Have you always wanted to know how to navigate historical archives? Do you have a "death penny" in your loft?  BBC presenter Matt Baker goes in search of his great-grandfather, and explains how you can find out what your family did in World War One.

Find out what your family did in WW1

History of World War One

Image source, IWM

The Ulster Division was made up of men from the northern counties of Ireland (now Northern Ireland).

The soldiers went over the top at 07.30, smashed through the wood, and under fierce fire, captured a heavily defended network of German trenches, Schwaben Redoubt.

By mid-afternoon – the Ulster Division were in dire straits; the soldiers had advanced almost a mile into enemy territory but were pinned down by German fire and under attack from three sides.

As ammunition and water ran low, the West Yorkshire division tried to come to their aid. But they came under heavy fire and were forced to retreat.  The Ulsters had to hold on until dusk.

In total they suffered more than 4,900 casualties, around a third of the men deployed. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded to the officers and men from 36th Division - two of them posthumously.

Image source, Getty Images

The next major event in the Somme commemorations is getting under way in Manchester. A wreath laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in St Peter's Square will be followed by a parade past the city's town hall featuring military personnel and descendants of those who fought at the Somme. A service of commemoration will also be held at Manchester Cathedral.