Art / News
Poignant memorial to Somme dead on College Green
By
Martin Booth
Friday Nov 11, 2016
On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 19,240 British servicemen lost their lives.
It is a number that is difficult to comprehend, but an art installation now in place on College Green gives some sense of the scale of the tragedy.
EatDrink24/7 Launch Party is back on July 8 2026!
Exclusive collabs from Bristol’s favourite food vendors, available for one night only. Be first to grab your free copy of the EatDrink24/7 guide – plus every ticket comes with a free limited-edition beer can.
Shrouds of the Somme was created by Somerset artist Rob Heard who wrapped and bound 19,240 figures in a hand-stitched shroud, crossing the name of every soldier who fell off a list sourced from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The installation was first on display in Exeter and is in Bristol until November 18. At 11am on Friday, November 11, Armistice Day will be commemorated within the memorial, with all members of the public able to attend.
Shrouds of the Somme marks the centenary of one of the bloodiest battles in history and remembering all 127,751 British soldiers who lost their lives
“The Shrouds, along with the Poppies at the Tower, are perhaps the most memorable WWI commemorations this country has ever seen,” says project manager Mel Bradley
Donations from the exhibition will be donated to the Bristol branch of the SSAFA, supporting servicemen, veterans and their families in times of need
All of the names of the fallen soldiers from the first day of the Battle of the Somme are on display in a tent on College Green
For more information, visit www.thesomme19240.co.uk
Read more: An old statue, a new statue and tiny statues
