The Duke of Cambridge will attend commemorations for the
Battle of Messines Ridge
Wednesday 7th June, 2017
The Duke of Cambridge will attend commemorations for the Battle of Messines Ridge in Belgium on Wednesday 7th June. The visit is being undertaken at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Northern Ireland Office.
The Duke of Cambridge and The Taoiseach Enda Kenny will firstly attend a commemorative ceremony at the Island of Ireland Peace Park, jointly organised by the UK and Irish Governments, in partnership with the Mayor of Messines.
Around 500 guests will attend this shared commemoration, which will includes an Act of Remembrance, readings by members of the Royal Irish Regiment and the Irish Defence Forces, and musical interludes performed by the Royal Band of the Belgian Navy. The Duke will lay a wreath at the foot of the Round Tower in the Peace Park, before meeting invited guests, including descendants of those who fought at the battle.
His Royal Highness will then travel to the Wytschaete Cemetery, where over 1,000 servicemen of the First World War are buried or commemorated, including many from the Battle of Messines Ridge. The Duke will pay his respects at a small ceremony at the 16th Irish Division Memorial Cross, also attended by The Taoiseach. His Royal Highness will then meet family members of servicemen buried in Wytschaete Cemetery and hear more about their individual stories of the First World War.
The Battle of Messines Ridge has particular historic and symbolic significance for Ireland and Northern Ireland, as it was the first time that the 16th (Irish) and 36th (Ulster) Divisions fought alongside each other during the First World War. These joint ceremonies are an opportunity to remember those who lost their lives in the Battle, and reflect on the shared history between the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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