well, commemorative events this weekend began at menin gate with the playing of the last post, it isevery evening since 1928 and on menin gate more than 50,000 names are listed of the missing from the first world war stop tomorrow many of the british relatives who are here will go to a cemetery where thousands of british and allied war dead are buried as the commemorative events continue a century after the start of the battle of passchendaele, one of the bloodiest battles on human history. thank you. if you want to read more about the world war i battle of passchendaele, you can on our website. you can also find information about other commemorations which began this evening. thank you for watching. hello, it has been all or nothing today, some very big showers am a big downpours and northern ireland catching quite a few thundery downpours, reports of minor flooding in the country whereas towards the south—east of england, it has not been showery and a lovely end the day. we keep the showers for a while to the evening but overnight the heavy showers, thunderstorms will ease off, we

i think we can show you some life pictures now of menin gate.ffensive began onjuly 31, 1917. with the loss of more than half a million casualties on both sides, it lasted more than three months, but only five miles of territory was gained. it was a battle marked by not only muster gas but also months, liquid not, the cause of torrential rain fall. and some of the people who died, the soldiers who died in the bustle, drowned in the mud. let's talk to bridging your constant, from passchendaele, at home which is an organisation trying to get recognition and people to remember soldiers who were injuries at passchendaele and then taken back to britain to be treated for their injuries, but he dives back home in britain. that's right, it is a wonderful and very dignified commemoration of soldiers who died here. i know the bbc will be broadcasting from a cemetery which isa broadcasting from a cemetery which is a massive site and extremely moving. but many men were taken from the battlefields with their injuries, went through the dressing station and tra

attend a special service at the menin gate, which stands on the road taken by so many to the frontline. 100 years on, we still stand together, gathering, as so many do every night, in remembrance of that sacrifice. tonight, thousands watched on in the town of ypres, as the story of the battle was retold. also on tonight's programme... there's a show of strength from america in east asia, after another ballistic missile test by north korea. there's more violence in venezuela, during controversial elections for a new parliament to change the constitution. commentator: jody taylor for england! and england beat france 1—0 to reach the semi—finals of the women's euros. good evening from tyne cot cemetery in belgium, the final resting place for almost 12,000 allied soldiers who died in world war i. most of them were killed in the battle of passchendaele, which began here 100 years ago tomorrow. it was one of the bloodiest battles of the conflict. in all, half a million allied and german soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing, in just three months of fighting. this evening, the duke an

menin gate, the most famous memorial, commemorating people from australia, africa, india.se the worst of the first world war. the human cost of the single battle of passchendaele. give us an idea of the scale. it is hard to be precise but estimates suggest half a million men on both sides were killed or wounded in the battle. many lived with the scars physical and psychological for the rest of their lives and brought home strong memories of the battlefields around ypres. it's feared the memory of this battle into the consciousness of people in the uk and the world. that loss of life for a gain of five miles and the capture of the village of passchendaele. it is very hard to understand today and to avoid the idea of a futile war but that was not how it was seen at the time. the german army also suffered heavily in this battle and in events this evening and tomorrow, there will be reflection on the experience of all those who served on both sides of the line. thank you. glynn mentioned the line. thank you. glynn mentioned the events beginning this evening with the last post

in 1927 to the unveiling of the menin gate in1927 and to the unveiling of the menin gate in 1927opening ceremony the story goes he could not sleep that night, got up, went for a walk at midnight and had a vision of soldiers rising up and had a vision of soldiers rising up from the battlefield and that is what he painted. yes, this is the menin gate at midnight, huge canvas hang in the australian war memorial in canberra and was gifted to the australian nation as a sign of respect from the sacrifice of the australian and new zealand troops. he also went on to paint other paintings so this morning as a family went to visit a site of a famous canadian action in the first world war so, we felt it was an appropriate time to come out and bring my son. tell us how important is it, do you feel, for us to remember what happened at passchendaele100 years later? remember what happened at passchendaele 100 years later?|j remember what happened at passchendaele100 years later? i am a history addict myself so purely from that point of view it is fascinating. i suppose the main thing is to keep

the national anthem played at menin gate.er what happened here. it is crucial that no one forgets. we all those young men who gave up their futures, those families who gave up their husbands, fathers and sons, a huge debt of gratitude. it is an opportunity for us to think about war. we need to recognise the impact of war. by remembering our past, i think we can do that. thank you for being with us here in ypres. as we watch and listen to the beginning of the centenary commemorative events to mark the 100 year anniversary of the battle of passchendaele. as we we re the battle of passchendaele. as we were seeing, it caused some half a million casualties on both sides, the british, the allies and on the german side. the battle of passchendaele is being remembered here this evening in ypres. we will see images projected on to the cloth hall of the battle and its story this evening. and tomorrow at the cemetery, the huge cemetery were thousands of the dead are buried, there will be another ceremony. more from ben this evening. but

the duke of cambridge and the king of belgium and other dignitaries laid wreaths at the menin gate ines in remembrance of those who lost their lives in one of the bloodiest battles in human history. and coming up in half an hour — benjamin zand takes a rooftop bus trip around karachi in pakistan in the travel show. president trump says he's "very disappointed" with china, for not doing more to stop north korea's weapons programme. his comments, in a tweet, came after pyongyang launched its second intercontinental ballistic missile, in a month. the north koreans say it's a "stern warning" to washington, that the "entire us mainland" is now within striking distance. in response two us b—1 bombers, have conducted exercises over the korean peninsula. from seoul in south korea, karen allen reports. us b—1 bombers dominated the sky as tensions mount over the korean peninsula. escorted by fighterjets as part of a drill it was a direct response to what is being seen as an increasingly belligerent north korea. the us president is blaming china, pyongyang's biggest trading partner, for letting

the menin gate in ypres marking the centenary the menin gate in ypres marking the ce nte nary of they of the first world war battle. gathering there at passchendaele. "hammond we won't be a tax haven after brexit" britain will not cut that to undercut european rivals. it is a marked softening of tone as the chancellor is saying that there won't be these clashes between the eu as we leave the european union. front pages, this is about a documentary coming up this is about a documentary coming up in an interview with princess diana, it is being used on the front page of the mirror and the sun. what have you got? i have some news here. we have a picture of andy holt who has invested in his club. they've put a new drain in so fans who go to the toilet at half—time can wash their hands. and they can flush the toilets too. the plumbing was that bad? yes. if the sprinklers were on the water would cut off everywhere else. the water system will work 110w. else. the water system will work now. i'm sure many fans will be grateful for that now. progress. talking a bit this morning about crackdow

over the next couple of days, under the menin gate where the names of more than 54,000 of the missing ypres, commemorations to remember all of those who fell during the campaign to capture the high ground and the village of poelkapelle. —— passchendaele. they call it the zonnebeke. debbie constantly appearing on the service from under the flanders clay. i went to visit those still clearing up 100 years after the battles. drie, twee, een. this is a corner of europe where first world war shells explode every working day. the belgian bomb disposal team is based in poelkapelle deal with at least 200 tonnes of unexploded munitions each year. you may think that after 100 years this iron harvest would be reducing. it's simply not true. during the first world war, along the western front, 1.5 billion shells were fired and of those, one in three failed to explode. that left 500 million still in the ground. a few miles from poelkapelle, another call. a farmer has left several unidentified shells for the squad to collect. this is a 4.5 inch british. if we look at the length and the fuse, this is

at menin gate thousands of paper poppies were released into the evening sky. the evening sky. you were in charge of that and each one representing one of the missing at menin gate listed on the wall. that is right. that is something we been have doing for a number of years. every year on november the 11th we doa every year on november the 11th we do a poppy drop. it is a very emotional moment for everybody, one p°ppy emotional moment for everybody, one poppy representing emotional moment for everybody, one peppy representing each emotional moment for everybody, one poppy representing each name listed on the menin gate. why is it so important 100 years on to remember the sacrifice that there was at the battle of passchendaele where, as i was saying, half a million casualties on both sides, such an enormous loss of life. i think people learn from history. it is releva nt people learn from history. it is relevant today with wars going on around the world, that we look back and see one of the biggest wars in the history of our country. there are millions of visito

over the next couple of days, this evening, the duke and duchess of cambridge underneath the menin gateere that the soldiers would have marched to the trenches on. the families and the vips will watch the last post ceremony. it is the town's way of remembering the fallen traditionally. a procession down towards the main market square in ypres. you might be able to see the tower in the distance. the whole of ypres was rebuilt. winston churchill wa nted ypres was rebuilt. winston churchill wanted it left in ruins but the belgians wanted to read build it, not having as a memorial. it looked much as did before the war. a ceremony, a mixed media ceremony with music, poetry, and the words of those who fought in the battles that raged north of the town. you can watch that on bbc two at 7pm tonight. during the day, ben brown will be bringing you up to date about other events and seven you more about what will happen in ypres and around the city today and tomorrow. we will be watching. for the time being, many thanks. police in germany have reported two people have been killed and several injure

at menin gate thousands of paper poppies were released into the evening sky and you were in charge ofng one of that, each one representing one of the missing there at menin gate. that is right, that is something we have been doing for a number of yea rs have been doing for a number of years now. on the 11th of november every year we do a poppy dropped through the three holes. it is an emotional moment for everybody. 0ne p°ppy emotional moment for everybody. 0ne poppy leaf representing each name of the missing on the menin gate. why is it so important, do you think, 100 years on, to remember the sacrifice at the battle of passchendaele, where there were half a million casualties on both sides? i think people still relate to that time. people learn from history. it is relevant today with wars going on around the world. we look back on one of the biggest wars in the history of our country. there are millions of visitors who come through here every year. they are looking for some kind of peace and some kind of explanation of what happened and we try and give them some resting surroundings

the duke of cambridge and the king of belgium and other dignitaries laid wreaths at the menin gate in who lost their lives in one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

the menin gate has over 5a,000 names carved into its stone, remembering those who have no known graves where troops marched when heading to the battlefields. the duke and duchess of cambridge attended a ceremony of remembrance there, together with the prime minister. with the sounding of this bugle call, the 250,000 british and commonwealth soldiers who were killed on the ypres salient during the first world war are remembered. the defence of the city at such great cost meant that it became hallowed ground. today's commemorations will continue with a special service at tyne cot cemetery, where thousands are buried. such was the slaughter, the majority of the graves remain unmarked. jane frances kelly, bbc news. here at tyne cot cemetery, as the military band strikes up, let's talk to the defence secretary and also the chief of the general staff. thank you both forjoining me. michael fallon, how important is it that today's generation remember what happened 100 years ago?m that today's generation remember what happened 100 years ago? it is vital because there are no survivors left who

stay tuned. attend a special service at the menin gate, which stands on the road taken by so many toathering, as so many do every night, in remembrance of that sacrifice. tonight, thousands watched on in the town of ypres, as the story of the battle was retold. also on tonight's programme...

then came to be unveiling of the menin gate in 1927. had a vision of soldiers rising up and had a vision of soldiers rising up from the battlefields. about 40 painted. this is called the menin gate at midnight. a huge canvas. it is hanging in the australian war memorial at canberra. it was purchased and gifted to the australian nation as a sign of respect and a former sacrifice. he then also went on to paint other paintings. as a family this morning we went to visit the newbridge, another site of the game is canadian action in the first world war. we felt it was an appropriate time to come out. just tell us how important it is. forever ready to remember what happened at passchendaele100 yea rs what happened at passchendaele100 years later. i'm a bit of a history had it myself, so it appeals from that point of view, i think it's fascinating. i suppose the main thing isjust to keep on remembering how terrible it was. i don't think any of us can begin to imagine what particularly passchendaele was like. it was supposed to be the war that e

around them, carved into the great darch of the menin gate, over 511,000 names, men from every corner to join the fight, men who disappeared in the cauldron around passchendaele. with the sounding of this bugle call, the 250,000 british and commonwealth soldiers who were killed during the first world war in ypres are remembered. the defence of the city, at such great cost, meant that it became hallowed ground. on this evening in the summer of 1917, the third battle of ypres had already begun. but early success was swallowed by the rain, weeks of it, which slowed the advance. passchendaele, the final target of the attack, came to symbolise death and misery, in a muddy wasteland where many still lie. pictures filmed soon after the war, from a french airship, captured the destruction left by battles that consumed this landscape. gosh, i didn't think it would be that moving. dorothy and her cousin peter were here to remember their grandfather. you'll need to take a photo of me. they are among 200 invited guests with personal connections to the battle. that word on there is as close to a b

around them, carved into the great darch of the menin gate, over 5a,000 names, men from every corner fight, men who disappeared in the cauldron around passchendaele. with the sounding of this bugle call, the 250,000 british and commonwealth soldiers who were killed during the first world war in ypres are remembered. the defence of the city, at such great cost, meant that it became hallowed ground. on this evening in the summer of 1917, the third battle of ypres had already begun. but early success was swallowed by the rain, weeks of it, which slowed the advance. passchendaele, the final target of the attack, came to symbolise death and misery, in a muddy wasteland where many still lie. gosh, i didn't think it would be that moving. dorothy and her cousin peter were here to remember their grandfather. you'll need to take a photo of me. they are among 200 invited guests with personal connections to the battle. that word on there is as close to a body as we are ever going to get for our grandfather. the ethos behind building this was for people to say he is here. and in a way, he's here.

the man —— the menin gate has over 511,000 names carved into whitstone, remembering those who have notroops marched when heading to the troops marched when heading to the battlefields. the trick and duchess of cambridge attended a ceremony of remembrance day, together with the prime minister. with the sounding of this bugle call, the 250,000 british and commonwealth soldiers, who were killed on the ypres salience during the first world war are remembered. the defence of the city at such great cost meant that it became hallowed ground. today's commemorations will continue with a special service at tyne cot cemetery are thousands are buried. such was the slaughter, the majority of the graves remain unmarked. footballer cristiano ronaldo — the highest paid sportsman in the world — will appear in court in madrid later, accused of tax fraud. he's the latest player to fall foul of spain's tax man and will attend a pre—trial hearing to answer four counts of tax evasion. from madrid, richard conway has the details. he is one of the highest—paid sports stars on the planet. spanish tax authorit

we are at the menin gate. many of the names of those who fell are listed.uld march through ypres to the front line towards battle, many never to return. a battle, many never to return. a battle synonymous with the horror of war, not only the enemy to contend with but torrential rain. the battlefield became a swamp of mud in which many soldiers drowned and mustard gas was used. now, they still find live shells on the battlefield. it is called the iron harvest. robert hall reports. drie, twee, een. this is a corner of europe where first world war shells explode every working day. the belgian bomb disposal teams based in the village of poelkapelle deal with at least 200 tonnes of unexploded munitions each year. you may think that after 100 years, this iron harvest would be reducing. it‘s simply not true. during the first world war, along the western front, 1.5 billion shells were fired and, of those, one in three failed to explode. that left 500 million still in the ground. a few miles from poelkapelle, another call. a farmer has left several unidentified shel

is really important for school trips to come to places like this to see the cemeteries and the menin gatethe number of lives that were lost. it is so hard for us to imagine the suffering that the troops were going through. absolutely, the war diaries give the accounts they arrived in battle would at the beginning of august and there was no trenches dug so they had to work in muddy conditions scraping a trenches and conditions we re scraping a trenches and conditions were horrendous and we are here today on a lovely blue sky day in august as though we have had a few rain showers if you visited any of the fields around the area they are not quagmire is and it is hard to believe the august weather and the summer believe the august weather and the summer weather believe the august weather and the summerweather in believe the august weather and the summer weather in 1917 could be so cruel. charlotte, the fact thousands of descendants are coming here and remembering is really important and it shows the memory of what happened is still alive. it is really important that the younger generations i

in but he took it on single—handedly with a grenade and was sadly killed and his name is on the menin gateficult it must have been. we talk about the hell and the horror of passchendaele, some joined up horror of passchendaele, some joined up at the age of 15. theyjust wa nted up at the age of 15. theyjust wanted to be out here.” up at the age of 15. theyjust wanted to be out here. i don't think you can put it into words or comprehend it now. you think of your kids joining comprehend it now. you think of your kidsjoining up comprehend it now. you think of your kids joining up at 15 and being comprehend it now. you think of your kidsjoining up at 15 and being out here and some of those commemorated are 15, but how wide it was as well. from all corners of the earth people came and fought on this piece of land and died on this piece of land and the vast scale of the sacrifice when you walk through here is what really makes it important for me to try and pass it on to my children and the medals that i have from the various different sides of my family in the first world war and earnest‘s invol