A couple of dozen Orcadians gathered at Kirkwall War Memorial this morning for a short service held to remember the deaths of 59 Orcadians in the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The day was chosen as the centenary of the first of three during the Great War when a dozen Orcadians died.  Ten of those who died on 12th October 1916 were killed in a disastrous attack by 7th Seaforths on the heavily fortified mound called the Butte de Warlencourt.  The other two, both born in Stromness, died in the South African Scottish and 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers attacking on either side of the Seaforths.  A full account of the costly action can be read, and downloaded as a pdf, using the link below.