SOLDIERS who died on the French battlefields of the Somme were remembered by fellow residents of a border town.

David Webb, Captain Lyndon Davies and Kelvyn Jenkins travelled to the battlefields last week to remember the 11 serviceman from Hay-on-Wye who lost their lives in the battle.

Mr Jenkins whose uncle Philip Jenkins also fought at the Somme played the 'Last Post' on the bugle at their graves. He also played on the steps of the old church in the village Mailly Malliet at 7.28am to mark the moment when the battle commenced.

He said: "With the village being a casualty clearing station during the Battle of the Somme, it was very poignant for me as those medics would have been stretched to the limit shortly afterwards with vast unimaginable numbers of casualties and many thousands to lose their lives.

"It was an amazing experience to play the Last Post as the men would have been going over the top.

"I played in the presence of villagers and members of the re-enactment groups who were camping there."

The trio also gathered for a short ceremony and to lay a wreath at the grave of Henry Norman Grant, aged 23, from Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, who died on the first day of the battle.

The names of the other 10 men who were killed in the battle are inscribed in a moment at Thiepval where the trio also visited.

Mr Jenkins added: "I got to play the bugle to all of the 11 soldiers from Hay-on-Wye who lost their lives which was a massive honour."

Mr Jenkins who himself is an ex-Irish Guards Band member was invited to play the 'Last Post' at various remembrance events while in France and to thousands of visitors during the Irish Division commemorations.

He added: "It was unbelievable playing to tens of thousands of people. I was standing on the steps shaking as I didn't want to mess it up in front of all those people."

Hay British Legion also remembered the soldiers killed in the battle at a special service at Hay St Mary's Church.

The men plan to return to the Somme in November, 2018, to mark the hundredth anniversary of the end of World War One.