Memorial service for WWI veterans

Jul 26 2009

The sacrifices of the First World War generation are to be commemorated in a special national service, Gordon Brown has announced.

The memorial is likely to be held at Westminster Abbey and will be attended by the Prime Minister, Downing Street said.

It is understood that the Queen is also expected to attend.

Mr Brown announced the memorial following the death of Harry Patch, the last surviving British soldier from the First World War, at the age of 111.

A Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister had long held the view that there should be a national commemoration.

Mr Brown said he was "privileged" to have met Mr Patch, who fought in the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.

He went on: "I think it's right that we as a nation have a national memorial service to remember the sacrifice and all the work that was done by those people who served our country during World War One and to remember what we owe to that generation - our freedom, our liberties, the fact that we are a democracy in the world.

"Those men and women during World War One did a huge amount and it's right that we have a special commemoration of what they have done."