On Friday 1 July 2016, in London, I witnessed and was part of one of the most incredible events I have ever seen.

The day marked 100 years since the start of the Battle of the Somme - the bloodiest battle in British military history with 19,240 men dying on the first day alone.

To mark the Somme centenary, 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, commissioned Turner-prize winning artist Jeremy Deller to create a modern memorial to commemorate the occasion. In collaboration with the National Theatre’s director, Rufus Norris, some 1400 volunteers (men aged 16-52) took part in the UK-wide ‘we’re here because we’re here’ event. They volunteers marched across the UK dressed as WWI soldiers in historically accurate uniforms. They represented the 15 regiments that saw loss of life that day.