The 100th anniversary of The Battle of Somme.
On July 1, 1916, 20,000 dead and 40,000 wounded, it was the bloodiest single day in British military history.
WW1 forever changed the face of Britain. I personally cannot comprehend the horror these men endured and I am forever in their debt.
The battle was long and horrendous, so many lives lost in a futile war. The working class lads were cannon fodder and the educated, landed gentry, were the leaders whose ranks were just as decimated. May we never see the likes again. May we never forget.
A fitting and respectful tribute from Great Britain. Say what you will about the Royals, they know how to pay their respects to the fallen.
Thank you for the remembrance Fay. I would like to attend one of these ceremonies, although I know I'd cry all the way through.
ReplyDeleteIt's crossed my mind, more than once, that the very best genes of the English people were lost forever fighting that God forsaken war. I'm not sure England, or the rest of western civilization, has ever recouped from the tragic loss of our best, brightest, and bravest.
Rest in peace lads.
I'm not sure England, or the rest of western civilization, has ever recouped from the tragic loss of our best, brightest, and bravest.
DeleteI think you could make a serious case for Broken Britain being a direct result of this...
When you've lost the next generation of your best thinkers and most noble, loyal, dutiful and courageous men before they've had a chance to leave their mark, you're not going to recover as a culture any time soon.
"The battle lasted 141 days, from July 1 to November 18 1916. The official number of British dead, missing or wounded during that period is 419, 654. There were 72,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died at the Somme with no known graves and whose names are recorded on the British memorial at Thiepval."
ReplyDelete<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/ten-facts-about-the-battle-of-the-somme/>More here.</a>
"The battle lasted 141 days, from July 1 to November 18 1916. The official number of British dead, missing or wounded during that period is 419, 654. There were 72,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died at the Somme with no known graves and whose names are recorded on the British memorial at Thiepval."
ReplyDelete<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/ten-facts-about-the-battle-of-the-somme/>More here.</a>
My link broke.
DeleteTry this.
A waste of a war caused by the elites having hissy fits. The reprocussions (outside of those listed above) lasted for decades. World War II and the Cold War were direct results of WWI.
ReplyDelete