100 year anniversary of the Somme disaster.

Kennine
Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
1000 Comments
edited June 2016 in Congratulations, Good Wishes & Kind Thoughts #1

All those brave men sent to their un-necessary deaths.

K

Comments

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,192 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #2

    Do you think we have learnt any lessons?

    Hard to think of can't imagine the reality. Lost a great uncle in the early days named on the Menin Gate.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,593 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #3

    Visited the area several years ago. One of the few times I can remember when I couldn't help but cry. There was nothing special about the day, no anniversary and I didn't have any relative in mind but it didn't take much to imagine the horror of it all and
    the fear and bravery on show and also the sheer waste of human life. A dreadful, dreadful day in our history.

    The good thing about these anniversaries is that it educates those people not conversant with this period.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #4

    Let's hope the French are eternally grateful for our sacrifice to relieve Verdun?  Whenever I visit the Menin gate I always feel that politicians should be forced to read every name on the memorial before they commit the country and its troops to combat

  • kaenergas
    kaenergas Forum Participant Posts: 171
    edited June 2016 #5

    it will be a no show for the French President, which shows the lack of respect for  these brave men & boys  who gave so much for them. 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #6

    We visited the Theipval memorial a few years ago. The number of names there left a lasting memory, as did the behaviour of visiting school children - no chatter or laughter, just quiet awe at the enormity of it all

  • Kerry Watkins
    Kerry Watkins Forum Participant Posts: 325
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    edited July 2016 #7

    Less we forget.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #8

    At 7.28 (the time the mines were detonated and the whistles blew) I was at our local church to watch a short film about the 94 men from Washington who gave their lives. An excellent film, the church was full of young and old alike, and it was fitting tribute
    to those men.

    There are more showings at lunchtime, details :

    http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/event/washington-men-at-the-somme-a-short-film/

    Lonely Tower and Wessington U3A present ‘Washington Men at the Somme’, a 20 minute film featuring the 94 men who died in battle.  The time is 7:28am, 1st July 1916, the mines at La Boisselle are detonated and the whistles blow.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited July 2016 #9

    20 000 lives lost on the first day!

    It defies belief.

  • mamajax
    mamajax Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited July 2016 #10

    At 7.28 (the time the mines were detonated and the whistles blew) I was at our local church to watch a short film about the 94 men from Washington who gave their lives. An excellent film, the church was full of young and old alike, and it was fitting tribute
    to those men.

    There are more showings at lunchtime, details :

    http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/event/washington-men-at-the-somme-a-short-film/

    Lonely Tower and Wessington U3A present ‘Washington Men at the Somme’, a 20 minute film featuring the 94 men who died in battle.  The time is 7:28am, 1st July 1916, the mines at La Boisselle are detonated and the whistles blow.

    Is this film going to be shown anywhere else around the country?   I have just watched the video and it is really moving and so I would love to watch it all?

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #11

    At 7.28 (the time the mines were detonated and the whistles blew) I was at our local church to watch a short film about the 94 men from Washington who gave their lives. An excellent film, the church was full of young and old alike, and it was fitting tribute
    to those men.

    There are more showings at lunchtime, details :

    http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/event/washington-men-at-the-somme-a-short-film/

    Lonely Tower and Wessington U3A present ‘Washington Men at the Somme’, a 20 minute film featuring the 94 men who died in battle.  The time is 7:28am, 1st July 1916, the mines at La Boisselle are detonated and the whistles blow.

    Is this film going to be shown anywhere else around the country?   I have just watched the video and it is really moving and so I would love to watch it all?

    Not that I know of, but I do believe that the full film is to be placed on youtube? you could contact the makers direct?

  • dennisd
    dennisd Forum Participant Posts: 157
    edited July 2016 #12

    After a bit of on-line research I discovered that my great uncle Albert was not comemerated on the wall of Liverpool Town Hall Room of Rememberance. This is dedicated to all those Liverpool men who lost their lives in The Great War, even the ones who had
    emigrated  and had returned with the  Commonwealth armies to fight. My family were invited to the Town Hall for the Dedication Ceremony, which we attended expecting to be the only ones there. It was a  big surprise when we got there because the place was packed
    full and there were 120 other names being added. The Lord Major explained that for many years there were no additions to the memorial but now that people can research family history so much easier it's resulted in  more  names being added every year. It was
    a proud but very sad day.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #13

    There is a very powerful and moving programme called "The Somme" on CH 4 based on diaries of some of the men on both sides (and a female nurse) who took part. It is very difficult to watch but is a beautifully made record of the event. 

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #14

    If there is one thing everyone who enjoys the freedoms of this country should do at least once in their lifetime- make a visit to the WW1 cemeteries - you'll never forget it! What sacrifice. I am proud to call them my countrymen. 

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