50,000 visit 19240 Shrouds of the Somme Exhibition

Up to 50,000 people are estimated to have visited the poignant 19240 Shrouds of the Somme Project in Exeter that depicts all 19,240 allied soldiers who fell on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

On the eve of the closing ceremony, due to take place on 7th July at 9pm, organisers say that in just one week they have been inundated with people from all over the UK, and beyond.

The project was opened in the city's Northernhay Gardens at 7:30am on 1st July, exactly 100 years since the whistle was blown to go ‘over the top' in one of the bloodiest battles in British Military History.

Artist Rob Heard took three years to complete the project and hand-stitched every shroud, reading the name of each man out loud from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's list of the dead as he completed each figure.

Committee Chairman Commodore Jake Moores, who has been on site since the exhibition was opened, said visitors had been astonishingly moved by the sight of the shrouds.

"The public's response to the 19240 Shrouds of the Somme Exhibition has been quite amazing," said Commodore Moores.

"I've met people from as far afield as Manchester, Gloucestershire, Andover and of course all over the south west.

"Many have been in tears at the sight of the 19,240 shrouded figures laid out in Northernhay Gardens and I have seen people standing on the viewing platform praying as well as one person who got down on their knees and prayed for the fallen."

Visitors have been openly crying on seeing the exhibit and some have been moved to write poetry and prose to share their thoughts and feelings prompted by the sight of a field of 19,240 shrouded figures.

The 19240 Shrouds of the Somme Project is open to the public for free until sunset on Thursday July 7th at 9pm when there will be a formal closing ceremony on site. The Shrouds are available to buy and proceeds will go to two charities: The Exeter Foundation and the military charity SSAFA.

For more information and a timetable of events please visit www.thesomme19240.co.uk