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Welcome to THE STORY OF THE SOMME podcast series, which tells the story of the Somme Offensive in the words of those fighting on the Western Front and their families back home. The series was commissioned by the DEPARTMENT FOR DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT and developed in partnership with the FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY BATTLEFIELD TOURS PROGRAMME and CHROMERADIO. It was first released to accompany the SOMME100 VIGIL at Westminster Abbey, held through the night of 30 June/1 July 2016 to mark the centenary of the opening of the Battle of the Somme. In this podcast, the REVEREND JULIAN BICKERSTETH talks about taking a service at the front, a week before the Battle of the Somme. Julian Bickersteth was born in Yorkshire in 1885. He was the third son of the Reverend Dr Samuel Bickersteth, then Vicar of Leeds, later Canon of Canterbury Cathedral and Chaplain to the King. Educated at Rugby and Christ Church, Oxford, Bickersteth was ordained in 1910 before going out to Australia in 1912 as chaplain to Melbou