Somme centenary marked with mobile multimedia package

The Royal British Legion has partnered with historian Dan Snow to create a free application with over 250 pieces of multimedia to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

The app includes information on the 36th (Ulster) Division’s involvement at Schwaben Redoubt on the first day of the battle and a focus on the five ‘Pals Battalions’ raised from Belfast

The free mobile and tablet application is now available from iTunes and Google Play and includes first-hand audio accounts from the time with film and photo archives.

Mr Snow said: “This partnership with the Royal British Legion is important because never before has information about the Battle of the Somme been collated in an app like this. I am passionate that technology can and should be used to give history a contemporary edge and make it relevant for new generations.

“The app brings to life the experiences of soldiers in the trenches, explains the reasons for the battle and helps people explore its historical and political consequences in a new way.”

During the 141-day Somme commemoration – from June 30 to November 18 – the Legion is also encouraging communities throughout the country to download or order its free commemorative toolkit which is designed to help people hold their own Somme commemoration.