More than 100 veterans, civic leaders and soldiers' families paid tribute to the fallen in a special Battle of the Somme memorial service today.

They gathered at Oxford Town Hall on the morning of the centenary of the first day of the battle when the British Army suffered almost 60,000 casualties.

As commemorations continued at the Thiepval Memorial in France veterans of the county regiment the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry met for their own special tribute.

General Sir Robert Pascoe, of the Royal Green Jackets, laid a wreath at the town hall memorial to soldiers from the regiment.

Brigadier Robin Draper, president of the Oxford branch of the Royal Green Jackets Association, who has written a history of the regiment, said: "It is particularly appropriate that we are here at the memorial of the county and city's own battalion.

"One hundred years ago days of barrage ended up with 19 mines exploding under the German lines and the British troops advanced in straight lines and were mown down in their thousands.

"There were 19,240 who lost their lives and in total 57, 470 casualties and the battlefield was littered with wounded and dying - it was the blackest day for the British Army and the Somme is embedded in the minds of the British people.

"It is important that we remember them to ensure the horror and carnage we saw in 1914 to 1918 is never inflicted on humankind again."

General Sir Robert Pascoe added: "At the Somme we were totally unprepared for what we faced.

"We thought the massive bombardment would have taken out many of the German trenches but some of them were 30ft underground and a third of the shells did not explode.

"What happened was devastating for families back home who lost so many young men, many of whom did not have girlfriends, let alone getting married."

Lord Mayor of Oxford Mohammed Altaf-Khan said the city council was proud to host the memorial service.

Lynda Atkins, chairwoman of the Oxfordshire Royal British Legion, said it was a "moving service with a real sense of occasion and solemnity."

She added: "Robin Draper's speech reminded us that these young men had to go over the top again and again during the course of the battle and walk into machine gun fire - the bravery of the men who fought i the Battle of the Somme staggers me."

Phil King, 47, from Oxford, of the Buglers Association of The Light Division & Rifles played The Last Post and Reveille during the service conducted by Canon Brian Mountford and those gathered sang the hymn Abide With Me.

Mr King said: "It's humbling to commemorate this tragic loss and remember those who sacrificed their lives for us."