Battle of Passchendaele exhibition

The 10 November 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Passchendaele, one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War.

The Battle of Passchendaele began on 31 July but repeated artillery bombardments and heavy rain turned the reclaimed marshland over which the battle was fought into a quagmire of mud and water-filled shell-craters that came to symbolise the futility of the war. The village of Passchendaele was eventually captured on 6 November and the battle came to an end four days later.

To commemorate this event, and to mark Armistice Day which falls the following day, Oldham Local Studies and Archives will be showing the Battle of Passchendaele display and commemorative file which has been created recording over 400 men from Oldham and District during the battle.

There will also be a slide show featuring the gravestones and cemeteries in Belgium where many of the men are buried as well as a selection of archives.

This free event will run all day from 10.00am to 3.00pm at Oldham Local Studies and Archives at 84 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1DN.