Royals and relatives mark centennial of WWI battle of Passchendaele
Britain's Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles, Prince William and Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Theresa May attend commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Yves Herman
PASSCHENDAELE, Belgium (Reuters) - Relatives read letters and diary excerpts from soldiers who died in the World War One battle of Passchendaele when they gathered on Monday for a ceremony to mark 100 years since the start of one of the war's bloodiest offensives.
Politicians and royalty joined relatives of the dead for the centenary of the 103-day battle in western Belgium in which more than half a million Allied and German troops were killed or wounded.
Britain's Catherine Duchess of Cambridge prepares to lay flowers with Prince William during commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Tim Rooke/Pool
The brutal clash, which became a symbol of the horrors of the war, began on July 31, 1917 when Britain launched an assault against German forces who were holding the plateau overlooking the Belgium city of Ypres.
Hit by heavy rain, the campaign transformed the Flanders lowlands into a mud-churned swamp rendering tanks immobile and virtually paralyzing the infantry.
Some 4,000 relatives of the soldiers who fought there gathered at the Tyne Cot Cemetery near Ypres, where nearly 12,000 Commonwealth dead are buried.
Britain's Prince Charles visits Artillery Wood Cemetery during commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Staples
They were joined by Britain's Prince Charles, Prince William, his wife Kate, Prime Minister Theresa May, and Belgian King and Queen Philippe and Mathilde.
At the service, Prince Charles honored the "courage and bravery" of those killed and said the gathering was "to promise we will never forget."
Military personnel and descendants read out letters and diary excerpts penned by many of those who died. The ceremony concluded with a fly-past by the Belgian air force in a "missing man" formation.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to lay a wreath during the official commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele at Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium July 30, 2017. REUTERS/Andrew Matthews/Pool
Prince William paid tribute on Sunday at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres to those "who sacrificed everything for the lives we live today."
As he spoke, thousands of paper poppies were dropped from the roof of the gate, which is engraved with the names of 54,391 British soldiers who have no known grave.
Britain's Catherine Duchess of Cambridge lays flowers during commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Tim Rooke/Pool
(Writing by Fanny Potkin; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
King Philippe of Belgium and Britain's Prince Charles stand next to the pupprt from War Horse during commemorations to mark the centenary of Passchendaele, The Third Battle of Ypres, in Belgium July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Jackson/PoolBritain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Prince William attend commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Geoff Pugh/PoolBritain's Prince Charles greets Prime Minister Theresa May as he arrives at Tyne Cot cemetery for commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren StaplesBritain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Geoff Pugh/PoolGuardsmen walk between gravestones of World War One soldiers at the Tyne Cot cemetery ahead of a commemoration to mark the centenary of Passchendaele, The Third Battle of Ypres, in Zonnebeke, Belgium July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Yves HermanBritain's Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge and Belgium's Queen Mathilde attend commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Doppagne/PoolA soldier walks past a field of tribute poppies at the Tyne Cot cemetery ahead of a commemoration to mark the centenary of Passchendaele. REUTERS/Yves HermanA field of tribute poppies is seen at the Tyne Cot cemetery ahead of a commemoration to mark the centenary of Passchendaele. REUTERS/Yves HermanBritain's Prince Charles greets Belgium's Queen Mathilde during commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at the Passchendaele Landscape exhibition near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren StaplesBritain's Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles, Prince William and Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Theresa May attend commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Yves HermanBritain's Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge walk to lays flowers at a soldier's grave during commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Yves HermanBuglers participate in commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren StaplesBelgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and Britain's Prince Charles, Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prime Minister Theresa May attend commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren StaplesBritain's Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Tyne Cot cemetery for commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren StaplesBritain's Prime Minister Theresa May greets Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge as she arrives at Tyne Cot cemetery for commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Staples
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