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July 1st 1916 - the Battle of the Somme (Read 1169 times)
Jun 30th, 2006 at 6:40pm

TSC.   Offline
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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



TSC.
 
...

'Only two things are infinite.......The Universe and Human stupidity........and I'm not too sure about the Universe' - Einstein
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Reply #1 - Jun 30th, 2006 at 7:02pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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Gah. Beat me to it. I was at least going to wait for midnight. Grin


58,000 British casualties in the first day.


http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/somme.htm
 
Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #2 - Jul 1st, 2006 at 4:29am

Fozzer   Offline
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...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...8)...
 
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Reply #3 - Jul 1st, 2006 at 5:58am

TSC.   Offline
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Quote:
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,

TSC.
 
...

'Only two things are infinite.......The Universe and Human stupidity........and I'm not too sure about the Universe' - Einstein
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Reply #4 - Jul 1st, 2006 at 7:48pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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Strange how 16,000 deaths can generate only three replys. Tongue
 
Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #5 - Jul 1st, 2006 at 8:00pm

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Quote:
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,

TSC.
 
...

'Only two things are infinite.......The Universe and Human stupidity........and I'm not too sure about the Universe' - Einstein
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Reply #6 - Jul 1st, 2006 at 8:10pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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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. Tongue
 
Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #7 - Jul 1st, 2006 at 8:11pm

Woodlouse2002   Offline
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It's even more shocking when for just about every tombstone there is another man with no grave.
 
Woodlouse2002 PITA and BAR!!!!!!!!&&&&Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the Act made in the first year of King George the First for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.&&&&Viva la revolution!
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Reply #8 - Jul 2nd, 2006 at 6:48am

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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!
 
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Reply #9 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 4:33am

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My goodness. Shocked I admit I've never seen a cementary that large! Shocked Embarrassed It rather puts all this senseless and uselss killing into focus. Cry Pity be upon the fighting man.
 
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Reply #10 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 7:41am
Flt.Lt.Andrew   Ex Member

 
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.
 
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Reply #11 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 9:41am

Fozzer   Offline
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Quote:
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...Cry...!

...and so it goes on...

Paul... 8)...!
 
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Reply #12 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 10:28am

Hagar   Offline
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Quote:
...and so it goes on...

Indeed. All that sacrifice for what? Cry
 
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Reply #13 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 10:45am

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The politicians cause the war. Young men go and die for a cause. The politicians screw-up the peace....
Funny old world...
 
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Reply #14 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 10:55am

Theis   Offline
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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

 
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Reply #15 - Jul 3rd, 2006 at 10:58am

H   Offline
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Quote:
Indeed. All that sacrifice for what? Cry
Study and practice at mass population control. And that statement may not be as much dark humor as it seems. I actually once heard a politician say that wars were necessary for the very reason that man's only major predator is man, himself.

We have met the enemy -- and he is us...


Sad
 
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Reply #16 - Jul 5th, 2006 at 5:15am
flymo   Ex Member

 
i hope that no one ever forgets anyone who has fell in service of their country.

people who havnt been to the meorials in belgium and other places themselves. its when u walk into the cemetary and see thousands and thousands of polished white toombstones. but then you see a wall. and engraved in the wall are the names of thousands more men.
such like the memorial at theipval and the menning gate. the feeling that comes over you when you see it.. i personaly can;t realy describe it.

john.
 
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Reply #17 - Jul 5th, 2006 at 8:27am
Flying Trucker   Ex Member

 
A very very good reason to have a large United Nations Armed Forces.
A military force which must be supported by all nations, large and small.
There is a plan to put such a force together now, it will save billions of dollars and lives if it goes through.
Canada wanted this back in the 1950s but several nations did not want it.  Now it has to happen because no nation can sustain a lengthy war.
Let us hope we can settle all our differences before we move into space. Smiley

As for the mass casualties of the First World War I don't think we will ever see that again. 
Where Generals lined troops up and have them walk across an open field into machine gun fire is a thing of the past.
They say that could not have been prevented, but from talking to veterans of that war, yes it could have.  They only had to drag the Generals out of the castles/chateaus, replace the wine bottle with a sword and stick them in front of the troops.
That would have ended the frontal assaults.

Yes we have our freedom of speech, freedom of movement and freedom to act and do what we wish within the boundaries of the law because of the men and women who wear a uniform, took up the torch of freedom and are marching on just like those that went before them.

Remembrance day is not just November the 11th, it is everyday, there isn't a day go by that I don't think about and thank in my own little way, the men and women who watch over us every minute, every hour, every day and about the one's who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Was and is their sacrifice worth it, yes I think it is, I believe mankind is actually starting to smarten up. Smiley

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug
 
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