World War One centenary: As it happened

The service at Guildford Cathedral has come to a close and the last few people are making their way home. A nine-year-old girl, Kate told our reporter that she "was there to remember".

The candle-lit vigil was beautifully peaceful with many poignant moments for reflection; not least a reading by Tam Williams of "This is no case of petty right or wrong" by Edward Thomas which includes the lines:

"This is no case of petty right or wrong

That politicians or philosophers

Can judge. I hate not Germans, nor grow hot

With love of Englishmen to please newspapers."

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In Whitehaven's Castle Park the crowds were asked to bring their own candles to the service and they responded well!

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Former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt gave a reading from Westminster Abbey's Great Lectern: "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more".

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At Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff this evening, Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan gave a sermon in which he described war as a "sign of human failure" but said it was sometimes necessary as "the lesser of two evils".

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"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."

A final reading by Canon in Residence Andrew Tremlett brings the service at Westminster Abbey to a close.

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Soldiers of 3 (UK) Div, based in Bulford in Wiltshire, begin their evening service at their garrison church.

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"Oh, it's you that have the luck, out there in blood and muck: You were born beneath a kindly star"

Actress Penelope Keith read the poem Many Sisters to Many Brothers, by Rose Macaulay, at the Westminster Abbey service

Here is author Sebastian Faulks, reading in Westminster Abbey from his novel Birdsong.:

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Crowds have gathered outside the Abbey, many with candles of their own flickering in the darkness, as those inside the Abbey, and across the nation, reflect on the events of 100 years ago.

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Paul C Cooper's lights out remembrance.

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Dan Allen emails: "To the men and women that gave their lives such that I may live mine."

Actor Mark Gatiss gave a reading from Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey.

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A view from above of the service in Westminster Abbey:

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In Westminster Abbey, there is a reading from Cardinal Vincent Nichols before Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi extinguishes the second of four candles. The Duchess of Cornwall will put out the final one.

BBC Radio 5 Live is being broadcast from Birmingham, where a lights out commemoration is taking place in the cathedral. Listen live here (UK only) or on this page using the video and audio carousel.

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At the Higgins museum:

While the lights are out, letters written by visitors tonight hang inside the museum. They are written to friends, family or an unknown soldier who fought in WW1. Just one light remains on as people read poetry and letters.

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In Wales, commemorations are being led by a national service of remembrance at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.

Blackpool Tower joined the lights out event:

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The vigil at Westminster Abbey is under way. Here is the order of service.

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The BBC's Sarah Jones has taken this picture of the light installation in London behind Westminster Abbey.

Lights are being switched off at some of the UK's most famous buildings:

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A single candle stands outside Downing Street. An hour's darkness will mark 100 years since the beginning of World War One, recalling the words of Sir Edward Grey at the start of the war in 1914.

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Some of the lights have already been lit by members of the Royal British Legion on the cenotaph in Whitehaven's Castle Park.

Later a male voice choir will sing songs from the First World War, and organisers have encouraged locals to bring their own lights and candles to the service. It's thought 622 Whitehaven men lost their lives in the Great War.

St Symphorien military cemetery was the perfect venue for what was billed as an "event of reconciliation".

Princes and politicians, soldiers and civilians came together to remember: enemies a century ago, allies now.

They read from the letters and diaries of those who'd fought and died. Musicians from the London Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle played Brahms' German Requiem and the music of George Butterworth, killed on the Somme.

And as dusk fell they laid wreaths at the foot of an obelisk among the trees erected by the Germans in honour of the British dead, in a ceremony that was beautifully conceived and executed.

Among the well-known faces seen entering the Abbey; actors Mark Gatiss and Penelope Keith, former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman, and Birdsong author Sebastian Faulks.

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People are beginning to arrive for the candle-lit vigil. The Earl and Countess of Wessex are expected shortly.

Here are selections of the many fascinating tweets shared under #Remember and posts on Facebook sent during the day's commemorations

"The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time." Those were the words of Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey on the eve of war. Details of "lights out" events taking place across the country are here or at www.1418now.org.uk.

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In Barrow, white crosses are placed at St Mark's church for the 128 fallen of the Central parish. "Each cross represents not just an individual but a shattered family", Lay Preacher John Hazlehurst says.

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A wide range of organisations are represented at tonight's service. A large queue outside the Abbey now made up of smartly-dressed representatives of bodies including the armed forces, emergency services, Salvation Army, Scouts, Girl Guides and many charities.

Keith Rogers emails: : My grandfather joined the war in 1915, he became an ambulance driver and mechanic. He was at Verdun I am told, in the 14th 18th volunteer Ambulance brigade, and drove up to the front line during the night collected the wounded then back all before daylight again.

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The service at St Symphorien cemetery is brought to a close by the Anglo German choir as darkness falls.

Clive James in Maidstone, Kent emails: My Great Uncle George Potts was in The 4th Battalion The Worcestershires, which formed part of the invasion force sent to Gallipoli. He was killed on the 28th of June 1915 aged 25. In a sense he was probably one of the first US citizens to serve in the Great War. He like so many other young men of that time, were served by a leadership deploying strategies of the 19th century, against newly developed 20th century weapons. This led inevitably to such catastrophic losses. Soldiers of course risk their lives but, we must never forget their suffering and sacrifice.

Loose flowers are laid at the ceremony, rather than wreaths or poppies, which became a tradition after the end of World War One.

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Lanterns are placed by those attending the St Symphorien commemoration, in recognition of the words of a German chaplain who said "let there be light" at the cemetery's dedication ceremony in 1917.

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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby gives a blessing and a piper plays as the sun sets at St Symphorien cemetery.

The Last Post is played by Sgt Gavin Hall after David Cameron, Prince William, the King of the Belgians, and the Irish and German presidents laid flowers.

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Here's the scene at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast, where First Minister Peter Robinson and Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers were among those attending a commemoration service. Picture by the BBC's Naomi McCafferty

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The first members of tonight's congregation have started to arrive at Westminster Abbey. Some 1,700 people are expected for the service, which begins at 22:00.

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Prince Harry reads a letter written by Private Michael Lennon to his brother in 1915, after he arrived at the battlefields of Gallipoli.

"Well Frank, I suppose we are for it tomorrow, if we don't get shelled on the way… I can only hope that we have all the luck to come through the night and if I should get bowled out - well it can't be helped. I shall pack up to the place 'Where falls not rain, nor hail, nor any snow, and where the wind never blows loudly', but as I have said before, I am looking for something better than that and I shall see you again when the job is done."

As the Mons commemorations continue the London Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic orchestras collaborate in a performance of George Butterworth's 'Shropshire Lad' Rhapsody, which, Dan Snow says, "evokes an innocence lost". Butterworth was killed in the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

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Here's a picture of the Queen attending the service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral. Her uncle, Captain Fergus Bowes-Lyon, was killed at the battle of Loos in 1915

An Anglo German choir at St Symphorien performs wartime songs including Muss i' denn zum Staedtele hinaus, It's a long way to Tipperary and Pack up your Troubles.

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The sun is setting above the trees of St Symphorien.

National leaders, military chiefs, and the families of the fallen are reflecting on the dark days of war.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken of the silent victims of war and pledged that we will never forget.

A few yards away the gravestones of the first and the last British soldiers to die during four years of war shine white in the TV lights.

British and German drummers perform side by side at the Mons ceremony.

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World War One was not "the war to end all wars", Mr Cameron says. It was "the precursor to another desperate and violent conflict, just two decades later".

"Every war is cruel but this war was unlike any other with its unspeakable carnage, unbearable loss and almost unbelievable bravery", Mr Cameron says.

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David Cameron is now speaking.

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Opening the ceremony, historian Dan Snow says: "This war had an impact like no other. The emotional shock was felt in all corners of the globe".

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The Duchess of Cambridge was handed a bouquet by two children before the guests took their seats for the ceremony at St Symphorien cemetery.

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Dean John Mann, who is involved in the commemoration service at St Ann's Cathedral in Belfast tonight, says: "One of the things we're very conscious of is how easy it is for countries to move in to a war situation and how difficult it is to move out of that."

Author Sebastian Faulks, who will be reading from his novel Birdsong in Westminster Abbey later, told the BBC World War One "has really come to the front of people's imagination" in the past year.

David Bright emails: My grandfather Isaac Thomas Pritchard of the 2nd South Lancs Regiment had been in the Army for 20 years when WW1 started. He was awarded the 'Medaille Millitaire' during the Battle of Mons and was the first soldier from the 2nd South Lancs to be awarded this medal. He was in the front line through all the major battles until he received a compassionate discharge in July 1917 after my grandmother died, leaving six children.

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Historian Dr Eamon Phoenix tells BBC Northern Ireland: "Something like 200,000 Irishmen joined up and at least 40,000 died... Some did so for patriotic reasons and some because of poverty... Really, you had Ireland very much committed to Britain's war effort."

Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo has arrived at the Mons ceremony, as has German President Joachim Gauck.

Prime Minister David Cameron is waiting with the royals and Culture Secretary Sajid Javid at St Symphorien cemetery ahead of this evening's ceremony.

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David Paul Walker emails: My grandfather Jimmy Walker told lots of tales and stories of life in the trenches.

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A large security operation is under way at Westminster Abbey ahead of tonight's service, says BBC correspondent Tom Bayly, who has sent us this picture. Members of the public are being cleared from the front of the Abbey.

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@bbcww1 tweets: The first & last British soldiers to die in #WW1 are buried at St Symphorien #Remember

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry greeted crowds from the balcony of Mons town hall ahead of this evening's ceremony.

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The Queen, who is staying at Balmoral, attends a service of commemoration at Crathie church in Aberdeenshire.

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A handshake between German President Joachim Gauck (right) and Belgium's King Philippe after they unveiled a commemorative plaque at the university in Leuven, Belgium.

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Ian Ventham emails: A moving service attended by nearly 200 parishioners was held yesterday evening at Bere Regis parish church. The service was preceded by a peal of five of the six half-muffled bells, as the sixth bell 'Pax' was installed as a memorial after the war. During the service, Leading Seaman Luke Brady carried the Book of Names of the war dead to be received at the altar. The service ended with 28 young people from the village carrying lighted candles to the War Memorial in memory of the 28 war dead from the village, as a piper played a lament and a single bell tolled.

This evening, attention will focus on the small military cemetery of Saint-Symphorien, outside the Belgian city of Mons, where 229 Commonwealth and 284 German solders are buried. World leaders and royals will attend an international ceremony of reconciliation.

The grave of the Unknown Warrior, central to events in Westminster Abbey this evening, bears these words: "Beneath the stone rests the body of a British Warrior unknown by name or rank, brought from France to lie among the most illustrious of the land, and buried here on Armistice Day 11 Nov 1920... They buried him among the kings because he had done good towards God and toward his house."

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Jessica Armstrong emails: My great-great uncle, Major Arthur "Pat" Ashwell, 1/8th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters, fought 1915-1917. He was wounded twice, the first time shot in the shoulder, the second in the head. Fortunately he survived (with a huge dent in his forehead which fascinated us as children). He was awarded the DSO for his actions in 1915 & later the OBE for services to the TA during WW2. He lived until he was 100!

The service at Westminster Abbey in London will begin at 22:00. The Very Reverend Dr John Hall will welcome the congregation by reminding them the abbey holds the tomb of the Unknown Warrior from the Great War - representing all the dead whose bodies were never found.

"The Grave reminds us of the meaning of war, but our focus is not tonight on remembrance. In solemnly commemorating the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, as we reflect on the failure of the human spirit that led to an inexorable slide into war, let us spend a moment in silent repentance."

The cathedral has published the full order of service on its website.

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A vigil is being held throughout the day in Birmingham Cathedral. This tapestry has been created to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War One. BBC Radio 5Live's Phil Williams will be broadcasting live from the cathedral at 21:30 BST.

Author Sebastian Faulks has told BBC the effects of WW1 are still felt across the world: "The birth of seven new countries, the dividing up of the Middle East, the rise of the Soviet Union - all these things we are still dealing with today. As well as how Europe in 1914-18 got a first taste of genocide and what it was like, and how Europe showed - unfortunately - a taste for this. The mass murder of millions of people became almost a political tool, at least, as a result of the First World War, it became something that politicians contemplated."

In Westminster Abbey later, author Sebastian Faulks will be reading from his novel Birdsong, which follows a soldier's journey through World War One. He told the BBC that the passage he has chosen, an extract from a character's diary, "speaks for a lot of ordinary soldiers, how they found themselves in a world they never thought they would inhabit, a world which he describes as being tilted into an unnatural orbit. It is about the dislocation between peace and war."

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Ian Rowe emails: The Baxter brothers on the attached newspaper cutting were my great great uncle, and William Smith, the drummer boy, was my great uncle. Robert Baxter died on The Somme in 1916. My grandfather Leonard Rowe also fought on the Western Front in the Middlesex Yeomanry. It was fortunate that the family's losses were not greater. I will be thinking of them all this evening.

"It's routinely dismissed as a sideshow, a string of largely inconclusive skirmishes between German and British forces on the lakes, plains and coast of East Africa. And sure enough today's anniversary of the Great War has been greeted with little more than a collective shrug on the African continent. And yet the conflict here had a huge impact. At least a million African men were recruited - or forced - to become porters for rival armies. At least 50,000 Africans fought as soldiers - by the end of the war, most of the Europeans troops had already left. But most of the African dead lie in unmarked graves - their contribution to a colonial war largely forgotten - tales from that era, long supplanted by the memories of more recent conflicts."

Paul Henman emails: My great great grandfather died in the trenches at the Battle of the Somme - on the first day, along with so many other men and boys. He was 25, two years younger than I am now. Those men and boys were braver than I shall ever be. What they must have endured is unimaginable. Let's just hope none of us ever have to suffer as they did.

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Britain's first total war meant the whole population had to be behind the war effort, and there was an impressive array of propaganda. Was this the birth of spin? Historian and broadcaster Neil Oliver investigates.

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BBC Newsbeat have tweeted this spectacular image of the Tower of London from above, showing the scale of its poppy art installation. Hundreds of thousands of ceramic flowers have been planted to mark every single British and Commonwealth death in the war.

What has shaped your understanding of WW1? If you think of the war as being full of inept generals and futile battles, you may have been influenced by Oh What a Lovely War, says broadcaster and journalist Joan Bakewell.

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Anne Polhill Walton emails: My paternal grandfather, Wilfred B Thompson, lied about his age to enlist with the Royal Flying Corps twenty days before his 17th birthday. He flew reconnaissance missions in Europe and (according to family lore) was part of the escort for the King of Belgium - when in danger from enemy aircraft and having run out of bullets, he gained height and threw his toolbox down on the other plane!

Duncan Redman on the BBC News Google+ page comments: Was updating my family tree and have discovered 10 distant relations fought in the Great War, one of whom was only 15 when he enlisted. Unfortunately he was killed in action in Flanders in March 1918.

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An image from Africa - the UK Ministry of Defence has sent this image of HMS Iron Duke Commanding Officer Cmdr Tom Tredray laying a wreath at a war cemetery near Sekondi, in Ghana.

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Britain's Prince Harry talks to Chelsea Pensioners, British war veterans from the Chelsea Royal Hospital, during the "Step Short" commemorative event in Folkestone.

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Carrie Humphries' grandson contacted the BBC to highlight her collection of postcards from the war on Flickr. He said: She married my grandfather just before he went to war. The album is of all the postcards he sent her whilst away. It also contains pictures of his regiment etc. He was an ordinary soldier from Sheffield who was in the Army Service Corps. I just think it's unusual to see an album of postcards from one soldier all the way from 1915 - 1919.

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President Francois Hollande awards the Legion of Honour, France's highest military recognition, to the mayor of Liege, Willy Demeyer, in recognition for the city's resistance to German forces at the start of the war.

Peter Scales emails: I recently discovered journals kept by my Great Aunt, Lillie Scales, recording life in London during the war. She covers a range of topics and events such as Zeppelin raids, rationing, housing Belgian refugees, recruitment, giving hospitality to ANZAC and other colonial troops when on leave and first hand accounts of their Front Line experiences. I have had them published, entitled A Home Front Diary 1914-1918.

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Daragh Corcoran of BBC Radio Leeds sent this picture from Yorkshire, saying: "Quite a crowd attended the opening of a new bridge linking Shepley to the village war memorial."

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Louise Consterdine comments: My father-in-law, Charles George C, lied about his age and joined up at 16. Shot through the chest, permanently damaging his lungs. Never talked about it, even though he met my mother-in-law in the hospital where she was a trained nurse.

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Heads of state watch the flypast from the balcony of Liege's city hall.

BBC World War One tweets: Folkestone was the first point of arrival for most of the 250,000 Belgian refugees who came to Britain in #WW1.

DC in Hants, UK, texts: War is not heroic. It is tragedy. It is failure. War should not be portrayed as noble or inspiring but as the horror it was and is. We must remember.

The events of World War One still influence people today. Historian James Barr, author of "A Line in the Sand", and Professor Michael Clarke, the director general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), discussed the war's global impact on the BBC's World at One programme.

"It is important to remember this dramatic event that my grandparents lived through," said Elise, in Liege to watch the events. She told the Associated Press: "My father witnessed the Second World War, so I hope, I dream, for my five grandchildren that peace will be realised in the world one day, peace between all human beings in the world, and I hope that war will completely disappear. It is a huge dream but I want to believe in it all the same."

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Belgian Air Force planes fly over Liege, watched by French President Francois Hollande, Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and thousands of local people.

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A row has broken out in the UK over the messages written on wreaths presented by the three main party leaders. Prime Minister David Cameron hand-wrote a tribute for the ceremony at Glasgow's Cenotaph, which read: "Your most enduring legacy is our liberty. We must never forget." Mr Miliband's said: "From the Leader of the Opposition", while Mr Clegg's said: "From the Deputy Prime Minister", leading to accusations of insensitivity.

But a Labour spokesman said leader Mr Miliband "was not given the opportunity to write a personal message on the wreath, and was only handed it seconds before" it was laid. A Liberal Democrat spokesman said there had been only about "10 seconds" between the wreath being handed to Mr Clegg and it being laid.

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Sgt Gavin Hall will play the Last Post to end the St Symphorien cemetery later on Monday. He told the BBC it was "quite a daunting prospect, but I've got to honour the servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice".

tweets: William and Kate have just arrived at St Symphorien for "very private" visit to see graves of Brit, Commonwealth and German soldiers #WW1

We now call it World War One, but is this an accurate description? The BBC News website looks at whether it really was the first global conflict.

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Standing out against the blue sky, Folkestone's newly unveiled memorial arch is the result of a campaign by the Step Short charity to mark the point of departure for WW1 troops. "Step short" was the order the marching troops were given as they went down the steep hill to the harbour and the front.

Lynn Forest-Hill emails: My father, Thomas (Tom) Edleston Pavitt, joined the Royal Navy as a boy sailor when he was 15. He served for a time at HMS Southampton, and survived the First and Second World Wars, and if war had not affected him so badly I might have known my dad better than I did.

He was at the Battle of Jutland and the experience haunted him for the rest of his life. Because he only briefly spoke to me of his time in the war, I don't even know which ship he served in during the battle, but my mother explained that he had been among those who had to sweep up the body parts of his dead shipmates... He himself only told me he was in Scapa Floe when Kitchener's ship was lost and when another ship was blown up by a U-boat that got through the submarine nets... So little is said about the sailors in World War 1, and the conditions under which they served... so I would like to place on record my own recognition of what the sailors, like my dad, in the dreadnoughts and cruisers and the frigates went through.

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The BBC's Nick Higham has tweeted this image from St Symphorien cemetery, of an Anglo-German choir rehearsing for the ceremony later on Monday.

He tweets: "There will be recorded music too, from musicians of Berlin Phil and London Symph Orchs under Sir Simon Rattle."

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The choir of Westminster Abbey are having their final rehearsals before tonight's service of remembrance.

says the archway unveiled in Folkestone marks the extraordinary role the town played in WW1. "It was known by many as the gateway to the trenches - the place where millions of men from across the British Empire left for war. As they did so they would have been able to hear the blasts, the booms and the firing going on just across the water," she says.

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At the Tank Museum in Bovington, England, members of the Great War re-enactment society stand beneath a shower of a million poppy flowers, to remember the dead of WW1.

Among those who lost their lives in WW1 were thousands of Sikh soldiers serving in the British Indian Army- some 83,000 Sikhs died in the First and Second World War combined and over 100,000 were wounded, says Col Robin Vickers.

says the Last Post is being played at St Symphorien Military Cemetery ahead of a ceremony of reconciliation there later. Choirs have also been practising through the afternoon at the spot, where an equal number of both German and British soldiers are buried.

Morpurgo, who wrote War Horse, a children's novel about a horse sold into the army and thrust into war in 1914, says he believes the "lights out" event is very fitting because it is "contemplative and quiet".

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This picture of Chelsea pensioners taking part in a parade in London is one of many images in our

Writer Michael Morpurgo says he grew up in London and was aware of the "ravages" of World War One but could not fully comprehend what the adults around him had experienced. "What settled upon me was the damage that war does, not just to buildings but to people and societies," he tells the BBC News Channel.

BBC World War One tweets: What #WW1 commemorations are happening near you? Share your images & stories with us using #Remember

"At the same time as people here were talking about peace and reconciliation and how Europe could never allow this to happen again, there was also a nod to the fact that conflict is never far away. French President Francois Hollande spoke of the other conflicts in the world at the moment. He said it wasn't enough for European leaders to come to events like this and talk about reconciliation and peace, Europe needs to be the guardian of peace and do more to try to bring about an end to those other conflicts."

Blood banks were developed during WW1, and war work turned some women's skin yellow. Read about these and other surprising facts about the war on BBC History.

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A century on, the battlefields of World War One are still littered with debris. This image shows probably the last battlefield burial site memorial left intact on the Western Front, with the soldier's equipment left on the grave, along with a plaque placed there by his father in 1919. The photograph is part of The Fields of Battle/Lands of Peace exhibition in London. More photographs

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Artist Jeremy Deller has created a series of films to mark the Lights Out events later on Monday. The work culminates in a film which will be available from 22:00 for just one hour. You can read more about the project on the BBC Arts website.

Michael Flood emails: My uncle, Joe Flood, fought in WW1. He belonged to the 2nd Battalion, The Prince of Wales Leinster Regiment, Royal Canadians. He was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery - 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 22 March 1918, while his country was suffering severe casualties.... Pte Flood showed the utmost disregard for danger, rallied other men and, by his action... setting throughout a fine example to all ranks'.

Joe thanked a prayer book for saving his life. It was in his breast pocket when a stray bullet hit him. He wasn't always lucky, though. His left arm was hit by an explosive bullet which shattered it. That brought an end to Joe's army career and he spent a year in a hospital in London before being given an honourable discharge in 1919. Joe and the many, many young men who died or were wounded in that terrible war should NEVER be forgotten.

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German President Joachim Gauck spoke at the ceremony in Liege earlier, saying it was "unjustifiable" for Germany to have invaded Belgium. "We are grateful to have been able to live together with peace for so long in Europe," he said.

Sgt Jonathan St Paul, from Tunbridge Wells in southern England, is on deployment in Afghanistan. that the soldiers of World War One were "probably a lot tougher than us. You can only imagine the difference back then in trenches".

"Our generation, the PlayStation generation, has wifi and we can talk to our families on a daily basis. They probably had to wait weeks at a time to get their letters through."

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Another image of Prince Harry in front of the memorial arch in Folkestone earlier today. The arch stands at the top of a hill leading down to the harbour where an estimated 10 million British troops saw their last sight of home before shipping out to war.

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Northern Ireland has marked the centenary of Britain's entry into World War One with a gun salute over Belfast Lough. A single cannon shot was fired from Grey Point Fort in County Down at 13:00, at a ceremony witnessed by unionist and nationalist politicians.

Across the UK thousands of buildings will be taking part in a "Lights Out" event at 10pm - they will turn off their lights, leaving only a single light or candle burning - in an act of remembrance.

The event was inspired by the words of wartime foreign secretary Sir Edward Grey, who said on the eve of war: "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."

You can find out more on the British Legion website.

"This was a city that stood in the German military's way. They thought they were going to push through Belgium easily, but they met with fierce resistance here.

"Events today were quite political here at times, but certainly the focus was on the commemoration and the memory."

@BBCMundo has had a variety of comments in, with Antonio Castillo from Guatemala stating: "This is still relevant, of course. Those who don't know their history are condemned to repeat it. Extreme nationalisms are not good. Differences must be tolerated," while Alberto Bernal, from Bogotá, Colombia says, "100 years later, it seems that the war fronts are lining up again".

Clarence House has published the full transcript of Prince William's speech earlier at the Cointe Inter-allied Memorial in Liege, Belgium. He said: "The peace that we here enjoy together as allies and partners does not simply mean no more bloodshed - it means something deeper than that. The fact that the presidents of Germany and Austria are here today, and that other nations - then enemies - are here too, bears testimony to the power of reconciliation."

A teenager, Private John Parr, is thought to have been the first British soldier killed in action in Europe. But 100 years on, mystery still surrounds how he died and who killed him. You can read more about his story

Later today, a service will be held at the St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Mons, Belgium. The cemetery is a gesture of reconciliation - it contains the graves of both British Commonwealth and German soldiers, including the first British soldier to die and a Canadian killed two minutes before the war ended in 1918.

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BBC Newsbeat have put together some powerful the youngest British soldier was a 12-year-old who had lied about his age.

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2nd Lt Luke Sheaf of the Royal Anglians will read a poem at the memorial events in Mons later today. He told the BBC's Tim Wilcox that WW1 had shaped the modern army, but that it was impossible to comprehend the conditions the soldiers then were fighting under.

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Katina Cummins emails: My great-uncle Jimmy Quinn signed up 100 years ago today to the 9th Royal Scots, He landed in France in 1915, My grandmother came down to London from Scotland to work in an ammunition factory. I think of them today especially. I can, and will, never understand the full horrors they went thought during that period.

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The service in Canberra remembered Keith Heritage, the man recognised as the first Australian to enlist after war was declared.

Charles Twigger comments: Remembering my grandfather Norman Leslie Whitaker who bravely fought in the trenches of WW1 but who hardly spoke about it afterwards When he returned from the war his three young daughters (one of them was my Mother) ran away from him because they didn't know who he was.

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This is the light at Westminster Abbey that the Duchess of Cornwall will extinguish at 23:00, marking the exact moment 100 years ago that Britain declared war.

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In London, Chelsea Pensioners pose for photographs with Edwardian-era vehicles during the Great War Centenary Parade.

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Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones and Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson lay wreaths in Glasgow.

Other UK royals are also marking the day. The Queen will attend a service of commemoration at Crathie Kirk, while her husband the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a service of commemoration at Sandringham Church.

Peter Szabo in New York, US emails: My grandfather always told a story about how he was a cavalry officer for the Hungarian army during the war and how on one Cavalry charge a Russian Cossack was riding against him turned his rifle around and clubbed him off his horse. He woke up a POW in Siberia. My Grandfather was held for years but survived... not only survived but escaped once, made it all the way to St Petersburg and was recognized by an acquaintance, turned in and sent back to Siberia.

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David Cameron bows his head after laying a wreath in George Square, Glasgow.

Sandra Foxton emails:Visited my great-uncle Thomas Whitehead's memorial in Arras, France, this year, found his name inscribed on the great remembrance wall. Two other great uncles (his brothers) also died in WW1 and we hope to visit their graves this year too. I don't think the young generation today have any connection with the history of WW1. It is such a shame because they probably would not be here in a free country if not for all those young brave soldiers.

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Prince Charles lays the first wreath at the service in George Square in Glasgow.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson is in Glasgow. He said: "The key themes of remembrance and reconciliation are relevant to all of us in Northern Ireland as we continue to build a peaceful and shared society. It has often been said, but we must never forget the supreme sacrifice of so many to build a better future for us."

Meanwhile over at our @viabbc Twitter account, contributors all over the world are having a multilingual conversation about WW1. Shwan, a BBC Chinese weibo user says: In high school textbooks taught us WW1 was the unavoidable result of imperialist activities. Today's young people should realize that wars, no matter for what purposes, are bad.

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At London's Westminster Abbey, orders of service and candles are being prepared for this evening's remembrance events.

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Prince Harry lays a wreath at the war memorial in Folkestone.

Barbara Sigley in Cannock, UK emails: I submitted a proposal to Staffs County Council for a peace cairn to be placed equidistant between the Commonwealth and German War Cemeteries on Cannock Chase. That proposal was not taken up. During the last month I have made a peace garden at my home. The main feature is a peace cairn. I placed the first stone this morning and will add to one stone to the cairn every day until 11/11/2018. I think that is will be a total of 1265 stones.

Christopher Mace in County Durham, England, emails: I live in Seaham, County Durham, now and after writing to The Green Jackets Museum's address asking for details on my great-great-grandfather, Joseph Ernest Mace of The 9th Service Rifles Brigade, I am spending the rest of the day - right until 11pm - at Seaham Cenotaph, which I visited on 28 June and also in Late July. I spent that last visit cleaning it of rubbish, disappointed by how it could be desecrated.

Speaking at events in Liege earlier, French President Francois Hollande said Europe could not be complacent about peace. "These men a century ago, from the depth of their heart, wished that one day all the people of Europe should be united. One hundred years later, this peace has been achieved. Europe is here, but Europe should do more, because peace is never certain, it demands vigilance, a fight, and organisations, a defence of its continents. This is why Europe should always be on the move, it should not rest on its laurels, and it should not grow tired of achieving peace."

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A number of political leaders are in Glasgow today. From left to right in the front row, Glasgow's Lord Provost Sadie Docherty, Prince Charles, Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has his back to the camera on the far-right.

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Another image from earlier today in Canberra - members of the Australian Great War Association pose in costume at the national war memorial.

In Glasgow, the wreath-laying ceremony is under way with a rendition of God Save the Queen.

At 19:30 (UK time) on BBC Radio 5 live Sport Eleanor Oldroyd is joined by former England flanker, World Cup winner and keen amateur historian Lewis Moody as well as Tony Collins, Professor of History at the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Monfort University, to look at the impact the Great War had on sport in the UK and hear some stories of the individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice.You can watch the programme on this page, along with all other World War One programmes and clips from across the BBC, using the video carousel above. Please note that not all video and audio can be viewed outside the UK.

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BBC newsreader @sophieraworth tweets: My grandfather captained this De Havilland DH4s in #WW1 with his lucky black cat and prayer book aged 18 #remember

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In Liege, military veterans carry regimental colours at the commemoration events.

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Prince Harry has opened the Memorial Arch in Folkestone, at the spot where 10 million men began the journey to northern France during the conflict.

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A new war memorial has been unveiled in Bramley Park, Leeds - the only one in the UK to be unveiled today. Denis Matthews from Leeds (pictured) was the Parade Marshall at the event.

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Prince Harry heard the background to the memorial project in Folkestone and the area's contribution to the war effort, as he arrived earlier.

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Dignitaries from across the Commonwealth are continuing to arrive in George Square in Glasgow for a wreath-laying ceremony.

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Earlier today in Australia, Prime Minister Tony Abbott walked schoolchildren past the Roll of Honour in Canberra, where the names of the Australians who died in WW1 are listed.

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Prince Harry has arrived in Folkestone where he will unveil a memorial shortly.

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Musician Robert Blencowe of the Coldstream Guards applying spit and polish to his boots ahead of tonight's ceremony at St Symphorien Cemetery in Mons.

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@drjohnhayward tweets: Granddad Albert (1896-1939): Ship sunk by a mine off Cape Wrath…Twice saw action inc. Battle of Jutland #Remember #WW1

Kevin Lord in Saint Lucia, West Indies, emails:My grandfather, Mathias or Marcel Andrew, served as a signaller in Europe during WW1. When the ship carrying the soldiers was leaving Saint Lucia, the people on shore sang the song 'may all acquaintance be', I think it's called Auld Lang Syne.

A wreath-laying ceremony in Glasgow, at the war memorial in George Square, is about to begin.

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Giving the manicured lawns at St Symphorien, typical of British war cemeteries, some last minute attention #WW1

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In Folkestone, southern England, Prince Harry will soon unveil a memorial arch, commemorating the millions who marched to the Western Front.

Here's a reminder of what is still to come today:

• A parade in Folkestone, Kent - attended by Prince Harry - following the route millions of soldiers took to the harbour where they began the voyage to France
• In Scotland a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in Glasgow is one of many events being held
• In Northern Ireland from 19:00, a service at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast will be attended by First Minister Peter Robinson and NI Secretary Theresa Villiers
• From 19:30 BST, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will mark the centenary at St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Mons, Belgium
• Westminster Abbey will hold an hour-long candle-lit vigil service of prayer from 22:00
• In Wales, a national service of remembrance at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff will also take place from 22:00

Steve Cheney comments: If only we matched this "commemoration" by not throwing our support behind warmongers all over the world.

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In Sunderland, religious, military and political figures have been marking Britain's entry into the war 100 years ago.

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In Liege, a German military band performed for the assembled guests.

St Symphorien has become an arena, overlooked by a worldwide audience, where this evening's televised event will mark personal sacrifice and celebrate new friendships. Under the pine trees, David MacCarthy had come to find the grave of his great-uncle, killed 10 days after arriving in Belgium, aged 23. Standing in front of the headstone with his daughter, David said he was proud to be here on this anniversary.

The beautiful military cemetery at St Symphorien has been transformed. Across the boundary fence, in what is normally empty farmland, a great grandstand has risen, overlooking the graves of the first and the last British soldier to die in the First World War. Cables snake around the gravestones of British and German soldiers, laid here side by side after the battles that raged around Mons on summer days in 1914.

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Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond was one of the many political leaders at Glasgow Cathedral this morning. Earlier, he reflected on the impact of the war on Scotland, saying: "Scotland's losses were, per capita, among the highest of any combatant nation, and the war's effects on our nation were profound and long-lasting."

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An eagle standard heralds the arrival of a German military band in Liege.

Generations have gathered for this ceremony. One of the youngest is one-year-old William Swift who is wearing his great-granddad's medals. His great-granddad was Frederick William Brown who served in World War Two. Some of the oldest people here are in their nineties. At 11:00 a two-minute silence was held.

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Hundreds of people have gathered at Bramley Park, Leeds, for the official unveiling of a new war memorial. It's the only one in the UK to be unveiled exactly 100 years since the start of World War One. There are 500 names on the memorial - and each name was read out. Many onlookers were teary eyed and emotional as they heard the names of those who lost their lives.

More now on Prince William's speech in Liege. He told attendees: "The fact that the presidents of Germany and Austria are here today and that other nations, then enemies, are here too bears testimony to the power of reconciliation. Not only is war between us unthinkable, but former adversaries have worked together for three generations to spread and entrench democracy, prosperity and the rule of law across Europe, and to promote our shared values around the world. We were enemies more than once in the last century. Today we are friends and allies. We salute those who died to give us our freedom. We will remember them."

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Thousands of balloons are being released over Liege.

And now Glasgow's medieval Cathedral falls silent. The congregation of invited guests from across the Commonwealth all clutch a single poppy. They are told they can place the flower wherever they feel appropriate. It could be for their own family, or their own loved ones. Officers representing the armed forces across the commonwealth walk through the aisle next to a child. Some are from the Sunday school, the scouts and brownies. They hold a candle of peace and hope. An act of remembrance to be taken on by the next generation. This service had no sermon. The congregation were told there was no simple single message. Instead this was a service to recognise the extraordinary commitment from across the Commonwealth.

In Glasgow, the Duke of Rothesay (as Prince Charles is known in Scotland) will lead dignitaries to George Square for a wreath-laying ceremony. The square in the city centre, which has been a hub of activity during the Commonwealth Games but will now host a more solemn event, is home to the city's war memorial.

Wreaths are being laid in Liege by the King of Belgium to honour those who died in World War One but also acknowledging those killed in ongoing conflicts.

As the service in Glasgow draws to a close, candles are given to children by soldiers from across the Commonwealth. Members of the congregation have also been invited to take a poppy away with them to leave where they feel appropriate.

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"We salute those who died to give us our freedom. We will remember them." The Duke of Cambridge is applauded by his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, French President Francois Hollande and Queen Mathilde of Belgium after delivering the closing lines of his speech.

Christine Clark emails: Remembering my great-uncle Robin Barber who died on HMS Cressey, also my grandfather Guy Barber who survived this war but after reading his life story realised that he was on the HMS Carmania when it sunk the Germany ship Cape Trafalgar off Trinidad. His memories of the battle and what he witnessed, and what he and the others went through makes us wonder how he managed to live with the memories.

Carole Sinclair emails: My husband lost three uncles in the First World War. Uncles not great uncles. They're all commemorated on the Stockwell War Memorial . Their name is Desaleux. I wonder how many people are only just one generation removed from that war. As these brothers were from a family of 12. I just wonder how many cousins my husband may still have that he is totally unaware of.

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The Duke of Cambridge also spoke about the power of reconciliation: "We were enemies more than once in the last century. Today we are friends and allies."

Speaking of a visit to a war cemetery and standing before the grave of an unknown solider, Ms Fell tells the congregation: "I suddenly felt so small, so tiny. Since then, my outlook on life has never been the same." She concludes by saying she will remember the soldier forever.

School pupil Kirsten Fell is talking to Glasgow Cathedral about the graves of the many who perished during the conflict. "The graves lay silent, there was peace. Every man with a story," she says.

Duke of Cambridge quotes Edith Cavell, British nurse killed by firing squad during #WW1 "I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone"

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Derek Pheasant emails: Here is a picture of my granddad taken in early 1915 before he went off to fight in Gallipoli. He was a regular soldier in the Essex Regt, married my nan in West Ham in 1910 and took her back to India where his battalion was stationed. Mum, the little girl sitting on the table, was born in the garrison town of Quetta near the NW Frontier in 1912. The little boy is my uncle Arthur. Granddad was killed in action on 4th June 1915. Nan also lost her younger brother Sam Eley on 5 May 1915.

Rev Whitley, at Glasgow Cathedral, reflects on the "extraordinary courage and commitment" during the conflict, saying "we can only bow" in tribute to "a cost beyond understanding that touched countless families".

The voice of Joanne Thomson from the Royal Conservatoire Scotland begins to crack as she reads an account from Helen Thomas, the wife of poet Edward Thomas.

He joined the Artists Rifles in July 1915. She wrote about their last night together.

So many wives lost their loved ones. Her account will even echo with the wives of those in the armed forces now.

"I stood at the gate watching him go...

"With leaden feet which stumbled in a sudden darkness that overwhelmed me. I groped my way back to the empty house."

Five weeks after that last night together, the poet's observation post took a direct hit.

Prince William tells the Liege service: "Belgium's steadfast remembrance of your war dead and ours is a great credit to your nation."

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Speaking in Liege, the Duke of Cambridge describes the Belgian people's resistance "as gallant as their suffering was great".

The Duke of Cambridge is addressing the Liege service.

Voices from across the Commonwealth take their turns to read letters and prayers to those gathered in Glasgow. Representatives from India, Australia, New Zealand and Canada take their turn. And the cathedral listens to the anthem So they gave their bodies to the Commonwealth and received praise that will never die.

The service in Glasgow is hearing from a number of Commonwealth figures. New Zealand's Governor-General Jerry Mateparae and Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma both deliver readings at the sombre event.

French President Francois Hollande told the Liege service that Belgium had been the first battleground of WW1. Addressing the service, he said Belgium had offered "solid resistance" in Liege and the civilian population had paid a "heavy price", adding that "deadly days" had followed when French and British soldiers joined the fight.

Sir Peter Cosgrove, Australia's Governor-General, reads the Solider Prayer of Commitment in Glasgow.

The organisers of today's service wanted to show the role the war played in changing our world. Part of that was the role played by women. They were needed in the field, in factories, mines, shipyards, hospitals and offices. It was a role which gained them more independence and freedom. But as Kate Adie tells the congregation at Glasgow Cathedral, "they were also to lose so very many they loved."

Margaret Champion emails: Listening to the panel with Huw Edwards half an hour ago on BBC1, one of the guests mentioned that some families lost as many as four sons in the war. In Great Rissington, Gloucestershire, the Souls family lost five sons. My own grandfather, Harry Bates, saw action around Ypres with the Yorkshire regiment - he survived the trenches but never spoke about the war and died in the 1970s when I was a teenager. I wish I had known more about his experiences but one didn't ask questions in those days.

Another familiar face now stands up in Glasgow Cathedral. War correspondent Kate Adie outlines the call to arms answered by the women of the Commonwealth. "It was a call to arms to play a role thought previously to be utterly and completely beyond a woman."

In Glasgow, Prime Minister David Cameron reads from St Mark's Gospel on the topic of service.

Speakers at Glasgow Cathedral are now paying tribute to those who supported the war effort on the home front. The role of women, who supported troops and families, is highlighted by Kate Adie. She reflects: "They were to gain more independence, more freedom. They were also to lose so very many they loved."

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French President Francois Hollande is speaking at the Liege service.

The choir at Glasgow Cathedral are performing a beautiful rendition of Prayer for Peace.

Joseph Durno in Aberdeen, Scotland, emails: Joe Durno, my granddad and millions of others fought and lost their lives to give us our freedom today. They will never be forgotten, and I am proud to be named after him, I salute you all and can never ever forget what this war has given us, your children.

Mike Golding in Shropshire, England, emails: Commemorating the start of a war? Really? By all means remember those who died, but where was the hunt for the political failures that caused all that? Wars in all their forms are a scar on the face of humanity and our focus should be on preventing them, not commemorating them.

The familiar deep tones of Sir Trevor McDonald echo around Glasgow Cathedral telling the story of the outbreak of WW1.

The congregation includes leaders from across the Commonwealth. As they gathered to head into this historic cathedral, many wanted to talk about the success of the Commonwealth Games and last night's closing ceremony. But every conversation was cut short as soon as they headed through the cathedral arches. The celebrations are now put to one side. It is time to remember and reflect.

Among those gathered here is 16-year-old Kirsten Fell from Dunbar Grammar School who will read out an essay written after her visit to the battlefield of Flanders.

She was too nervous to speak beforehand, but she says her experience was so powerful that her outlook on life has never been the same.

"From around the globe, they heard the call and they responded," Sir Trevor McDonald tells Glasgow Cathedral. He pays tribute to the huge number of countries who sent men to fight in the war.

In Liege, the King of Belgium is speaking to those gathered.

Choral singing echoes around the historic cathedral.

Members of the military are now reading extracts from war diaries, highlighting how real and immediate death was.

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Veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald speaks of the "disproportionate losses" some communities suffered, highlighting deaths of players and staff of Edinburgh football side Hearts during the conflict.

Gordon Campbell, the High Commissioner for Canada, reads a poem reflecting on Canadian sacrifice during the conflict.

"Those who did their duty from all around the Commonwealth" will be remembered in today's service, Rev Laurence Whitley tells Glasgow Cathedral.

She is the first of a series of speakers, among them journalist Sir Trevor McDonald, who are taking part in the service.

Glasgow's Lord Provost Sadie Docherty is delivering the first reading at the cathedral.

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Some 1,400 people are attending the service at Glasgow Cathedral.

"We meet because on a summer's day like this one 100 years ago the world changed," the congregation is told, as the Glasgow service begins.

A range of political and military leaders from across the Commonwealth are at the service in Glasgow.

The service in Glasgow is beginning with a rendition of God Save the Queen.

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Prince Charles is among those attending the Glasgow service, which has just got under way.

Trumpets sound at Glasgow Cathedral, signalling the start of the service.

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French President Francois Hollande at the service in Liege. He will present the city with the Legion D'honneur, the highest decoration in France.

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Prime Minister David Cameron inside Glasgow Cathedral ready for the service.

B Graham in Sydney, Australia,emails: It is long overdue that the appropriate credit be paid to "The Colonies" for the massive contribution made to the war effort to save Mother England, democracy and decency. The Colonies as a group are mighty tired of hearing history describe the British War Effort, in both WW1 and WW2 as if it was The Shaky Isles alone that stopped the marauding Germans. I can only speak for Australia but at a time when our population (WW1) was barely 4 million we had 413,000 volunteers, 62,000 dead and 152,000 casualties (52% percentage of our able bodied men) as our contribution to "The British War Effort". The impact these casualties had on our future and national development was staggering and I dare say the same existed for Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, India and Newfoundland amongst others.

Take time today to contemplate the sacrifice of those people that gave their lives to keep this country free.

Two events are about to get under way. In Liege, dignitaries are taking their seats. The service at Glasgow Cathedral is also due to start at 10:00.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the memorial in Liege.

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In the next few minutes, we're expecting more foreign leaders and dignitaries to arrive at the main memorial in Liege for a service hosted by the Belgian royal family from 10:00. Also from 10:00, Glasgow Cathedral will host the first main British service of the day.

Lilian Howells texts: My grandfather was shot in the eye and out through his ear and was on the Somme for five days and was still alive. It was crossfire by British bullets.

RJ Nash emails:My great uncle was cannon fodder at the Somme. His name is on the addendum tablet at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium. His brother was badly wounded earlier in the war and according to his daughter was a shattered man; he died aged 50. I hope the focus will be on the shattered lives of the people left at home; wives and children. A large number of men were unable to cope on return and families left to fend for themselves. Was there really 'a home fit for heroes'?

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Final preparations are taking place ahead of tonight's ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Here, the Grave of the Unknown Warrior is covered in flowers.

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Poppy umbrellas in Liege as we await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

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The memorial at Casteau outside Mons this morning marking the spot where British soldiers first engaged the Germans in the First World War. The first shots were exchanged and the first cavalry charge occurred as British troops met the Germans for the for the first time.

Andy Wright tweets: Remembering my Great Uncle, ADJ Melliss, who died at Railway Wood, Ypres, on 17th October 1915, aged 18.

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Malcolm Godfrey emails: I will remember my Grandfather Sgt Charles Henry Godfrey of the 7th Northamptonshire Regiment. He served throughout the war from start to finish was wounded at least twice, was awarded the military medal for leading the capture of a German trench was taken prisoner of war in 1918 and was held at Crossen POW camp in Poland. He was finally released and repatriated in December 1918. He never talked about the war until the day he gave me his medals not long before his death at the age of 92 - a real silent hero.

Jon emails: I won't be commemorating the war because it should be something the Royal family and politicians should be apologising for as it was just another show of might by the British colonial masters. Especially after your report where it states no one knows why it really started. Biggest load of cobblers I have ever heard. My heart goes out to families who lost loved ones on a lie, just like Iraq and Afghanistan now. People need to wake up and realise not everything Britain does or is doing is great.

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St Symphorien Cemetery near Mons where this evening the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will host a ceremony of reconciliation. Readings in English and German, music and moments of reflection at the place where Commonwealth and German soldiers from the Battle of Mons lie at peace together.

The leader of the Labour Party Ed Milibandtweets: Today we remember the soldiers who gave their lives fighting for freedom in the First World War.

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Governor-General of New Zealand Jerry Mateparae is in Glasgow for this morning's service. He tells the BBC News Channel the conflict had a "devastating" impact on communities throughout his country.

Just a reminder that the Belgian City of Liege is hosting one of the main commemoration events for the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of war. Representatives from around 50 countries, including numerous heads of state, are taking part in the event at the city's Cointe Memorial.

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Dignitaries are continuing to arrive in Liege for a service to remember the start of the conflict, hosted by the Belgian King and Queen, pictured left.

Alan Parsonage in Dubai emails: My grandfather was called Edward Butler, he was born in 1900 in Hull. He joined the Royal Engineers at some point early in the First World War, he was underage but hid this from the army. When deployed in France the army found his true age, as a result he was posted to Ireland as this was deemed to be a safer place. During the 1916 uprising he was hit over the head with a Hurley which resulted in a fractured skull. When the army deemed him old enough he was sent back to the Front in Europe. He remained in Europe with the Royal Engineers until the Armistice. During his second time at the front he was gassed, consequently he suffered from lung complaints in later life.

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Those who fell in the war are also being remembered further afield. Here, 100 white crosses with some of the names of the victims of the conflict are pictured outside the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington.

Andrew Hadden texts: John Parr might have been the first soldier killed in WW1 but quite a lot of Royal Navy sailors had been killed in action before his untimely death. They should also be remembered.

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@saffire1610tweets: Remembering my granddad, Edward Hobbs 2nd Bat Ryl Ssx Regt today, the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WW1

Professor Kathleen Burk, of University College London, has been on the BBC News Channel discussing the length and impact of the conflict. "The politicians said it was going to be short, people hoped it would be short, [but] the secretary of state for war knew it would be long and began to prepare for it," she says.

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hardrocktweets: Getting ready to #remember 2nd lieutenant Edwin Cashmore Leicestershire Regiment 1st/4th Bn. Died 4/10/1918 our hero

Broadcaster Kate Adie has been speaking about the role of women in the conflict. "They came from every class of society, every family was affected," she tells BBC Breakfast. "The war was a total war in a way, I suppose, we have never quite experienced in this country. Women became both victims of it in bombings and they also were an enormously important part of the workforce, going into every sort of work, which before the war people thought they were totally incapable of."

Mr Cameron says one of the reasons we remember World War One is that it "so profoundly changed our world". As well as the devastating loss of life, he says the conflict led to positive developments including the emancipation of women and improvements in medicine.

In Mons at beautiful St Symphorien cemetery for WW1 commemoration: 1st and last Brit soldiers to die buried here. One of the many grim ironies of #WW1 is that Brit soldiers fighting on same ground at its end as at its start.

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This evening, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will move on to the St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Mons. The cemetery is of particular significance as an equal number of both German and British soldiers are buried there. Among them lies Private John Parr, who was the first British soldier killed on the Western Front, and Maurice James Dease who was the first recipient of the Victoria Cross in WW1.

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Mr Cameron, speaking outside Glasgow Cathedral, adds: "When you think that almost every family, almost every community was affected, almost a million British people were lost in this war, it is right that even 100 years on, we commemorate it, we think about it and we mark it properly."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne tweets: In Glasgow to attend Commonwealth commemoration of start of First World War. Solemn moment to reflect on sacrifice of a generation.

Prime Minister David Cameron is speaking to BBC Breakfast about today's commemoration events, and describes the outbreak of war as "an extraordinary day in Britain's history".

Jane Britton, of the Royal British Legion, tells BBC Breakfast why it is important to remember those who died during the war. "Nearly everybody in the UK has got an ancestor that was involved in some way in the First World War. Therefore it's important that they take a little time just to think and reflect on that," she says.

Events are also being held in:

• Wales, with a national service of remembrance at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff from 22:00
• Northern Ireland, with a service at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast, attended by First Minister Peter Robinson and NI Secretary Theresa Villiers from 19:00

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Monika Wilde in West Lothian, Scotland emails:Attached is a picture of the identity card of my amazing, inspirational grandmother Enid Grove. As a young woman of 23, she joined the French Red Cross as a nurse, and nursed the wounded for the rest of the First World War and beyond, going on to nurse in Cologne, Macedonia and Algiers.

Robert Carver in Brentwood, Essex, England emails:When my grandfather Andrew Kervin, was 16, he lied about his age to join the army because he wanted to be with his dad Peter and his older brothers. When he got to France, he did meet up with his dad, however his dad told the authorities his son was underage and he was sent home. Peter was subsequently badly injured by a bomb and sent home, however he died soon afterwards because of his injuries. Thereafter Andrew told his mother he was ''popping out to buy a newspaper'' and went to join the Seaforth Highlanders regiment.

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Wild poppies grow on the verge of a Flanders field near Tyne Cot Military Cemetery, as dawn breaks on the centenary of World War One.

As part of the commemorations, we want to share your memories, pictures and stories about WW1 across the BBC. Did you have family who were involved? Will you be visiting a place of remembrance? Get in touch by emailing us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "WW1". You can also contribute via Twitter @bbcww1 and Facebook. Post images, videos and tweets using #Remember

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At the Tower of London, 888,246 ceramic poppies are being placed in the dry moat, one for each soldier who died fighting for Britain and its colonies in WW1. The installation is by artist Paul Cummins and is entitled Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red.

Political leaders and members of European royal families will shortly gather in the city of Liege, which is the focus of one of the main commemoration events. The King and Queen of Belgium are due to arrive in around an hour.

says the royals, more used to marking the end of a conflict rather than the start, will attend many of the events. The Prince of Wales and prime minister will be in Glasgow for a national service of commemoration, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join world leaders for events in Belgium.

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The conflict is covered in detail in this morning's UK newspapers. The Sun's front page quotes Laurence Binyon's famous poem The Fallen: "At the going down of the sun, we will remember them."

Throughout the day we'll be reminding you of the events of 100 years ago. These entries will be tagged with News from 1914.

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in his analysis for the BBC News Website, says WW1 was the "most destructive war that had ever been fought". "One hundred years on, a consensus among historians and politicians as to why it broke out remains elusive," says our correspondent.

Mr Cameron went on: "It is right to remember the extraordinary sacrifice of a generation and we are all indebted to them because their most enduring legacy is our liberty."

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said today's events were to "honour those who served, to remember those who died, and to ensure that the lessons learnt live with us forever".

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Between 22:00 and 23:00, people across the UK are being encouraged to turn their lights out, apart from a single candle or light. The event is inspired by the words of wartime Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey, who said on the eve of war: "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time."

Later, a reconciliation ceremony will take place in Mons in Belgium and Prince Harry will unveil a memorial arch in Folkestone.

EPACopyright: EPA

Events were also held over the weekend. On Sunday, French President Francois Hollande and his German counterpart Joachim Gauck paid tribute to troops who fell during the conflict. Germany declared war on France on 3 August 1914.

From 10:00, Commonwealth leaders, including UK Prime Minister David Cameron and the Prince of Wales, will attend a service at Glasgow Cathedral.

The day's events begin in Liege, Belgium, where 50 heads of state will gather shortly for a service to mark the invasion of Belgium. The Duke of Cambridge will deliver a speech on behalf of the British Royal Family.

It was at 23:00 on 4 August 1914 that Britain entered into one of the costliest conflicts in history, and the fighting continued until 11 November 1918.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events to mark the centenary of the start of Britain's involvement in World War One.