July 1st 1916 - the Battle of the Somme

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90 years ago, on the 1st July 1916 - 07:25am, the Battle of the Somme had just begun, it went on to claim over one million caualties from both sides.

I was lucky enough to visit the region earlier this year, to pay my respects to the wounded & dead soldiers, who fought so valiantly for our freedom.

Lest we forget

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[Woodlouse2002]

Gah. Beat me to it. I was at least going to wait for midnight.


58,000 British casualties in the first day.


http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/somme.htm

[Fozzer]

...jus a general observation from Fozzer, in the year 2006...

On this day, when I think of all the brave men and women who died in the battle of the Somme 90 years ago, and other battles around the World to preserve our Country from tyranny...
I observe all the little children and teenagers whose only object in life today, seems to be to create death, destruction, annoyance, rudeness, and general mayhem all around them...
...and I sometimes wonder if the lives of all those poor souls on the Somme were wasted...
...which would be a crying shame...

Paul....with my Poppy proudly displayed on the windscreen of my Motor Bike...In remembrance......

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I observe all the little children and teenagers whose only object in life today, seems to be to create death, destruction, annoyance, rudeness, and general mayhem all around them...
...and I sometimes wonder if the lives of all those poor souls on the Somme were wasted...

Funnily enough Paul, I wondered exactly the same thing as I visited the memorials & military cemeteries in France - & it makes me angry when you realise what so many men sacrificed & how many people these days couldn't care less or have no idea about it.

Cheers,

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[Woodlouse2002]

Strange how 16,000 deaths can generate only three replys.

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Posted by: Woodlouse2002 Posted on: Today at 12:48am
Strange how 16,000 deaths can generate only three replys

Glad to see somebody else noticed that, although I must admit, for the younger generations, this war was a very long time ago & unless you have actually been there & seen the memorials & cemeteries everywhere, then the sheer scale of the loss can be a little hard to grasp.

This is one of the sights that made me realise what sacrifices had been made - for us:


Cheers,

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[Woodlouse2002]

It always seems impossible to me when I see pictures of war cemeteries that so many people could possibly have died ever, let along in a single conflict.

[Woodlouse2002]

It's even more shocking when for just about every tombstone there is another man with no grave.

[Theis]

It's sad how mankind always will make war, instead of peace..
So many graves, so many men, each with a story to tell, each with family, each with the wish to fight for their country...

Rest in Peace, you deserve it!

[Scorpiоn]

My goodness. I admit I've never seen a cementary that large! It rather puts all this senseless and uselss killing into focus. Pity be upon the fighting man.

[Flt.Lt.Andrew]

Ah yes... the Somme...where 5 of the 8 great grand relatives I had died.

Where 1 assaulted the windmill and won an MC and a few did some other stuff.

Lest we forget eh? For today's youth its more "Lest we don't get"!


A.

[Fozzer]

It's sad how mankind always will make war, instead of peace..

....and still, all the people who control our lives just can't wait to involve us all in the next conflict......!

...and so it goes on...

Paul... ...!

[Hagar]

...and so it goes on...

Indeed. All that sacrifice for what?

[ozzy72]

The politicians cause the war. Young men go and die for a cause. The politicians screw-up the peace....
Funny old world...

[Theis]

The military don't start wars.  Politicians start wars.  ~William Westmoreland

Older men declare war.  But it is the youth that must fight and die.  ~Herbert Hoover