Welcome to THE STORY OF THE SOMME podcast series, which tells the story of the Somme Offensive in the words of those fighting on the Western Front and their families back home. The series was commissioned by the DEPARTMENT FOR DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT and developed in partnership with the FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY BATTLEFIELD TOURS PROGRAMME and CHROMERADIO. It was first released to accompany the SOMME100 VIGIL at Westminster Abbey, held through the night of 30 June/1 July 2016 to mark the centenary of the opening of the Battle of the Somme. In this podcast, SISTER EDIE APPLETON describes hospital life in the days before and after the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Edie Appleton was born in 1877 in Deal in Kent. She trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and joined Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service. SOURCE | Robinson Family Personal Collection. PRODUCTION | ChromeRadio for the DEPARTMENT FOR DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT | Producer - Catriona Oliphant | Narrator - Nicholas Rowe | Reader - Lorna Misty, St Albans' Girls School | The Last Post played by LSgt Stuart Laing, Welsh Guards on a First World War bugle.