On The Eve Of The Centenary Of The Start Of The Battle Of The Somme

[sandyRoe]

There was a cluster of streets filled with tiny houses on the road where I used to live. From Turin St, Venice St, Naples St, and Genoa St, came six young men who died in the early days of the battle. The same must have happened the length and breadth of the land.
Tomorrow, in the morning, and again, in the evening at the going down of the sun, will you spare a few seconds to remember them?

[Tilly2]

I have just been reading the BBC website article, Sandy.

'In total, there were over one million dead and wounded on all sides, including 420,000 British casualties, about 200,000 from France, and an estimated 465,000 from Germany.'

Yes, I will spare a thought for all those men.

[murraymints]

indeed....we owe so much to these brave men..and boys.....never forget x

[Togo]

I'll be remembering sandy. My grandfather(paternal) was wounded in the head at the Somme, He had a dent in his head as big as an egg and was profoundly deaf thereafter. Incredibly he was sent up to Ypres after some recovery time to continue fighting. He was with one of the gun battery crews and was a clever man academically being good with arithmetic and quite well read for a common man of the time. He lost his younger brother with no trace at Gallipoli, and named my father after him, my son is named after them both. My grandfather lived to the grand age of 94 and was still upright and immaculate in appearance, he was still a 6footer into his 90s. He would literally march 5 miles there and back to watch Stoke City play and would not accept a lift from me to save him the walk. We all thought he was nuts, him being ahead of his time, was eating sunflowers seeds and pulses and drinking the cabbage water rather than waste it. He was a health freak before there was such a thing Haha. Sadly the dementia caught up with him in the end, but I will remember sandy. Not just him but all the friends he lost out there in France and Belgium. God bless them all.

[Bertrum]

As always I will show my respect for those brave young men who gave their lives during that horrific war. I will also be thinking of my grandfather who fought at the Somme lived through it but died in 1927 from the effects of being gassed I somehow think they are the forgotten ones

[murraymints]

there were MANY casualties of this war Bertram..not just those who perished on the battlefield..they ALL deserve recognition

[Baldric]

They will be remembered with Pride and Gratitude.

[naomi24]

x

[jambutty]

Yes, I most definitely will sandy x

[Mamyalynne]

Never forgotten, we owe them so much.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Yes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyiLfSHSqds

[Lie-in King]

Indeed I will Sandy & thank you.

[tonyav]

One hundred years ago tomorrow my great uncle Ernest fell on the blood bath called the Somme he was 20 years old and had joined the army ( 1st Battalion South Staffs ) at the age of sixteen. Their objective was to take the village of Mametz and then ( with other regiments ) move on to Albert and free that from the Germans. Mametz was captured by the British by early evening.
Corporal Ernest **** MM is buried in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery Mametz.

Thank you, sandy.

[DTCwordfan]

Great and moving memory for all those who have had relatives involved, sandy.....I have mislaid my drawing of Portreath and where Edward Binyon crafted his words for the sun going down....malheureusement...

[gness]

And I will also remember my mother-in-law who cared so well for her husband who came home so very badly damaged.......♥

[Peter Pedant]

Been watching the evg service on the Beeb

60 men from Chapel St Altrincham joined
they each had three good reasons a day for joining up
not sure how many came back ....

it is noteworthy that after 100y - there is less finger pointing at the old men who sent the young lads to their ( avoidable ) deaths

isnt this thebattle where Haig said at the end of 4 months and no ground gained, " the offensive has served its purpose,"

[jourdain2]

My dad told me how, as a young boy (he was born in 1903) he had been poorly and off-school (this was in Bradford). He remembered very clearly that they heard the ring of the telegraph-boy's bicycle bell at the end of the street. He and grandma went to their front door and watched.

At every house a woman stood on the doorstep. The telegraph-boy went down the street delivering small, yellow envelopes. As each woman received one, she turned and went inside - and the front curtains were closed. We were very lucky and granddad was amongst the few survivors.

He enlisted with the 'Bradford Pals', but because he was a tailor he was chosen to be a batman. Although at the front in the Somme (with his general), he was not amongst the first ranks to go out. His travelling chest has been back to France with me and now is the toy-chest for his great-great grandchildren.

This formed the basis of one of my very best History lessons!

I am watching the vigil - it is the very least we can do -but how many of the younger ones understand this? I'll go up to church in the morning to remember all those men.

[sandyRoe]

Aren't revisionists telling us the top brass weren't the indifferent butchers they'd been portrayed as? I don't know, but have long felt this might be close to the mark.

GOOD-MORNING; good-morning!’ the General said
When we met him last week on our way to the line.
Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em dead,
And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine.
‘He’s a cheery old card,’ grunted Harry to Jack 5
As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.
. . . .

But he did for them both by his plan of attack.

[jambutty]

^ Moving.