Britain to turn off the lights for World War One centenary

Today marks the centenary of the outbreak of World War One. On August 3, the evening before war was declared, a poignant remark was made by the then Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, when he realised that war could no longer be avoided: “The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."
Tonight, every household in Britain and the Commonwealth will be invited to turn off their lights between 10pm and 11pm as part of the Lights Out act of remembrance. We are asked to have a single light or candle to remember a day that changed the world forever.
The commemorative event will mark the last hour of peace as Britain awaited a response to its ultimatum to Germany which had been delivered earlier in the evening by the ambassador in Berlin, Edward Goschen. At midnight in Germany, 11pm in London, the ultimatum expired and soon afterwards a statement was issued by the Foreign Office declaring that Britain was at war with Germany.
Ferno Operations Director Alan Clark – who served in the Royal Air Force  - will be joining the Royal British Legion gathering at the war memorial in his North Yorkshire village at 10pm. He believes it is important that we all commemorate this centenary and pause to reflect on the great sacrifices made during this conflict. This year is particularly special for Alan as earlier in the year he travelled to  Belgium and France to visit the battlefields of the Great War. The aim of today’s vigil is to light over one million candles across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth to remember each and every one of those service men and women who gave their lives in the war to end all wars. Lest we forget.