The second phase of a major restoration of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, due to start in France next month, has been delayed until early 2020 as a result of Covid-19 precautions.

The memorial lists the names of 72,337 British and South African servicemen who died in the battles of the Somme between 1915 and 1918 and have no known grave.

While access to the memorial and the panels bearing the names of the missing is not possible during the restoration process, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has launched a digital exhibition that will allow visitors to explore the site and find out more about it.

An interactive multimedia display will combine with a walking trail to help visitors learn about the monument, its place in the landscape, and the chronology of the Battle of the Somme.

The exhibition features the stories of some of those commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, as well as exploring the wider work of the CWGC and providing regular updates on the renovation process as it happens. A range of archive materials, images, videos and casualty records will be freely available to visitors via their mobile devices.