Tower of London fills moat with 10,000 flames in tribute to those touched by war

In 2014, the moat was filled with 888,246 red poppies to mark the centenary of World War One breaking out.

By admin , in England , at November 5, 2018

In 2014, the moat was filled with 888,246 red poppies to mark the centenary of World War One breaking out.

This year, which will mark 100 years since the Armistice, the Tower of Londons moat has been filled with around 10,000 lit torches.

Each night until Remembrance Sunday, the spectacle will be repeated in tribute to those whose lives were affected by war: not only people who died, but those left behind.

This evening was the first showing, beginning with a ceremonial Beefeater guard bringing a flame down from the tower into the moat, which had been submerged in smoke.

The moat of the Tower of London are seen filled with thousands of lit torches as part of the installation 'Beyond the Deepening Shadow', in London, Britain November 4, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls — The moat of the Tower of London filled with thousands of lit torches (Picture: Reuters)

A Yeoman Warders (?Beefeaters?) stands amongst the first of thousands of lit flames which form part of an installation called Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers, in the dry moat of the Tower of London, to mark the centenary of the end of First World War. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday November 4, 2018. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire — A Yeoman Warders stands among the first of the flames (Picture: PA)

Yeoman Warders, commonly known as 'Beefeaters' light the first of thousands of flames in a lighting ceremony in the dry moat of the Tower of London on November 4, 2018, as part of an installation called 'Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers', marking the centenary of the end of the First World War. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images — The installation is called Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers (Picture: Getty)

Dozens of representatives from the armed forces and volunteers then used the flame to ignite thousands of other torches staked into or placed on the ground underneath the tower, bathing the moat in light.

Midshipman Balraj Dhanda of the Royal Navy, a volunteer who helped light the flames, described the spectacle as really, really powerful.

I think it creates the right atmosphere for people to have their own personal reflections and gives people time with their own thoughts, he added.

It took around 45 minutes to light the flames, which then burn for roughly four hours.

The ceremony was accompanied by a specially commissioned sound installation featuring choral music, as well as words from war poet Mary Bordens Sonnets To A Soldier.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Yeoman of the Guard light the first torches in the installation 'Beyond The Deepening Shadow' at Tower of London on November 4, 2018 in London, England. The dry moat of the Tower of London will be filled with lit torches that will make up the installation 'Beyond The Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers' that will be lit from 5-9pm every evening until Armistice day on Sunday 11th November 2018. The installation is a part of a nationwide series of events to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) — Yeomen of the Guard light the first torches (Picture: Getty)

People light thousands of flames in a lighting ceremony in the dry moat of the Tower of London on November 4, 2018, as part of an installation called 'Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers', marking the centenary of the end of the First World War. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images — People light thousands of flames in a lighting ceremony in the dry moat (Picture: Getty)

The ceremony was amazing, according to Dick Harrold, governor of the Tower of London.

He added: What is so special about it is it means many different things.

The message with the sound is not focused so much on those that were lost, but those that were left behind, the bereaved and others who were affected by war.

The success of the 2014 display of poppies at the tower meant Historic Royal Palaces, who maintain the landmark, were keen to mark the centenary of Armistice.

He added: But, of course, we couldnt do poppies again.

Spectators gathered on vantage points around the tower to witness the spectacle.

A minutes silence was also observed.

The ceremony, named Beyond The Deepening Shadow, will be repeated each night until the final showing on Remembrance Sunday.

Members of the public can watch the spectacle for free.

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