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| Queen attends WWI battle memorial | Queen attends WWI battle memorial |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Allied soldiers killed in one of the bloodiest battles of World War I have been remembered by the Queen during an official visit to Belgium. | Allied soldiers killed in one of the bloodiest battles of World War I have been remembered by the Queen during an official visit to Belgium. |
| The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a commemoration service marking the 90th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele. | The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a commemoration service marking the 90th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele. |
| The service at Tyne Cot cemetery, near Ypres, was also attended by Belgium's Queen Paola and around 4,000 locals. | The service at Tyne Cot cemetery, near Ypres, was also attended by Belgium's Queen Paola and around 4,000 locals. |
| Almost 11,000 servicemen are buried in the Commonwealth war cemetery. | Almost 11,000 servicemen are buried in the Commonwealth war cemetery. |
| Fly-past | Fly-past |
| The cemetery at Tyne Cot at Ypres, which is the French name for the southern Belgian town of Ieper, is the largest Commonwealth military burial site in the world. | The cemetery at Tyne Cot at Ypres, which is the French name for the southern Belgian town of Ieper, is the largest Commonwealth military burial site in the world. |
| It is a couple of miles from the village of Passchendaele, which gave its name to one of the last battles of WWI. | It is a couple of miles from the village of Passchendaele, which gave its name to one of the last battles of WWI. |
| Tens of thousands of troops were killed or injured in the fighting amid water-filled shell holes. | |
| Peace in Flanders field | |
| Readings from some of the great-great grandchildren of servicemen who fought in the conflict, prayers and hymns featured in the service. | Readings from some of the great-great grandchildren of servicemen who fought in the conflict, prayers and hymns featured in the service. |
| One of the most poignant moments came when a vintage bi-plane appeared overhead and dropped poppies - a symbol of the Great War - over the dignitaries. | One of the most poignant moments came when a vintage bi-plane appeared overhead and dropped poppies - a symbol of the Great War - over the dignitaries. |
| Last Post | Last Post |
| Peter Cleminson, the Royal British Legion's national chairman, attended the service along with Defence Secretary Des Browne and senior representatives from countries who fought alongside Britain. | Peter Cleminson, the Royal British Legion's national chairman, attended the service along with Defence Secretary Des Browne and senior representatives from countries who fought alongside Britain. |
| He said: "On behalf of The Royal British Legion I would particularly like to thank the people of Ieper, Zonnebeke-Passchendaele and countless other towns in the region who have never forgotten - not for a single day - the hundreds of thousands of men who made the ultimate sacrifice. | He said: "On behalf of The Royal British Legion I would particularly like to thank the people of Ieper, Zonnebeke-Passchendaele and countless other towns in the region who have never forgotten - not for a single day - the hundreds of thousands of men who made the ultimate sacrifice. |
| Crowds gathered near the Menin Gate ahead of the ceremony | Crowds gathered near the Menin Gate ahead of the ceremony |
| "Today we have stood shoulder to shoulder with counterparts from many countries in silence and what I hope was a united spirit of 'never again'." | "Today we have stood shoulder to shoulder with counterparts from many countries in silence and what I hope was a united spirit of 'never again'." |
| Rupert Forrester, 18, from Leeds, whose descendants fought near Tyne Cot, said the anniversary had led him to discover a lot about his family ties to Passchendaele. | Rupert Forrester, 18, from Leeds, whose descendants fought near Tyne Cot, said the anniversary had led him to discover a lot about his family ties to Passchendaele. |
| "My great great grandfather Harry and Ronald, his son, both died on the same day. | "My great great grandfather Harry and Ronald, his son, both died on the same day. |
| "We found the story of how they died and it has meant a lot more to us now." | "We found the story of how they died and it has meant a lot more to us now." |
| The men were listed as missing but are both commemorated on Tyne Cot's wall of memorial. | The men were listed as missing but are both commemorated on Tyne Cot's wall of memorial. |
| The Queen, dressed in a purple coat and hat, also opened a new visitors' centre at the cemetery. | The Queen, dressed in a purple coat and hat, also opened a new visitors' centre at the cemetery. |
| There are 12,000 graves and 35,000 names of missing people engraved on memorial walls at Tyne Cot. | There are 12,000 graves and 35,000 names of missing people engraved on memorial walls at Tyne Cot. |
| Before the Tyne Cot ceremony, the Queen laid a wreath at the Menin Gate war memorial, near Ypres, while buglers played the Last Post. | Before the Tyne Cot ceremony, the Queen laid a wreath at the Menin Gate war memorial, near Ypres, while buglers played the Last Post. |
| Menin Gate has 55,000 names of missing soldiers engraved on its walls. | Menin Gate has 55,000 names of missing soldiers engraved on its walls. |