THE last fortnight has been so poignant and memorable for me that I must write and publicly thank those who have made it possible.

On Saturday, September 17, I was at Helmsley in North Yorkshire to honour the 21st Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifles Corps (KRRC), The Yeoman Rifles. This “Pals”

battalion was raised by the 2nd Earl of Feversham from North Yorkshire and County Durham. The Earl himself was killed on September 15, 1916, at Flers on the Somme and his body was recovered by Anthony Eden (later Prime Minister) who was an officer in the regiment.

The Feversham family organised a special day to commemorate the events of 1916.

On Monday, September 19, I was very privileged to assist in the unveiling of a memorial bench for the 18th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry, the Durham “Pals” battalion, close to the Thiepval memorial on the Somme. Sharing the day with DLI veterans, descendants of 18 DLI, Durham County Council leaders and French dignitaries will live long in the memory.

Then, on Wednesday, September 21, on the banks of the River Wear by the Racecourse in Durham – where those brave souls had paraded before they set off to war – we unveiled a similar memorial bench to 18DLI (D&S Times, Sept 23).

This amazing outpouring of remembrance is very special and reflects the scale of the selfless sacrifice in 1916 during that truly awful Somme offensive. These events do not just happen and I want to sincerely thank those who worked so hard and gave so much to create these lasting memorials.

Durham County Council has masterminded the DLI memorials and deserves the highest praise.

If you visit the Thiepval memorial, and I hope you do, you will not fail to be impressed by the bench and its superb location – it will fill you with pride.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. So many people donated in so many ways.

This imitative has achieved so much in enabling us to recognise the endeavours of our forebears, pay our respects and show our gratitude. As chairman of the DLI Trustees and as Colonel North for The Rifles (the successors to the DLI and the KRRC), I salute you.

James Ramsbotham, Durham