Theatre Royal Plymouth is telling the story of the ‘ghost soldiers’ World War One memorial ‘We’re here because we’re here’, with an exhibition in The Gallery presented by 14-18 NOW and the National Theatre until November 25.

‘We’re here because we’re here’ took place on July 1, 2016 when more than 1400 voluntary participants in First World War uniform appeared unexpectedly in locations across the UK including on the Torpoint Ferry. The participants were a reminder of the 19,240 men who were killed on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Each participant represented an individual soldier who was killed on that day.

The soldiers, dressed in historically accurate uniforms, did not speak, but at points throughout the day would sing the song ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’, which was sung in the trenches during the First World War. They handed out cards to members of the public with the name and regiment of the soldier they represented, and, where known, the age of the soldier when he died.

The exhibition will tell the story of the project through images of the volunteers from across the UK and a BBC documentary charting the making of the project.

This was the first time so many theatres have worked together on a UK-wide participation project, making it the largest arts participation project ever staged in the country.