The Beaucamps Ligny 15

[PBI]

My E-Mail sent to my Member of Parliament.

[Tyrim]

Has anyone contacted the newspapers in the Y & L recruitment area? A human interest story about local heroes, found but not yet named, would seem a natural.

[deano]

I have contacted the Sheffield Star, but no response yet. Also my local MP David Blunkett, no reply yet. Also alerted 4 local Sheffield history forums, had half a dozen promises to contact their local MP.

Dean.

[ianw]

Yes, I can see a local paper really getting stuck into this - it is more than likely that the local paper reported on these losses at the time and to revisit the story 95 years on would make a potentially great story.

I alerted my local paper to men left off our local war memorial and the story made the front page.

[Dragon]

Even if your local newspaper chooses not to run the story, you can reach thousands of readers by writing a letter to the letters page. Most local newspapers publish almost anything provided it's legal. Just don't send the same letter to all the local papers - customise the letter.

It can also be more productive to visit the newspaper office and ask to speak to the editor (preferably) or a senior reporter. Sometimes it's easier to 'sell' an idea face to face. That's what I do. Or phone. It helps to know the name of the editor first because it personalises the approach.

I've sometimes written a piece and asked the paper to publish it.

Gwyn

[Seadog]

All valid points with regard to the newspaper media. I have extensive experience in the promotion of a campaign for funds to erect a local major maritime memorial. We had the undoubted skills and input of dedicated reporter working for the local paper. I provided articles which were run over a significant period. My view however is that “Today’s newspaper is tomorrows chip paper” and that nothing can achieve more than by getting the decision makers involved, in my case this included the Lord Mayor and the local MPs who were extremely helpful and supportive. On this basis it would be useful to inform the Civic Leaders of the Town or City where the soldiers were recruited of the salient facts surrounding their discovery. No doubt those members with such knowledge of same can help in this.

Regards

Norman

[Roger H]

Just received a letter from my MP (John Hemming LIB DEM) confirming that he has now actually written to the S of S and that he will let me know the outcome.

Roger

[Dragon]

Newspapers are opinion formers and are a useful means of telling people that there is an issue or a campaign to which the decision makers need alerting.

The first letter an MP receives is the one with most impact. The subsequent ones saying more or less the same thing confirm that there is a campaign. This has a different impact: illustrating the body of public opinion. Therefore it's essential that the letters have strength and are to the point: this is the situation, and this is what I would like you to do about it. (Mel's letter has the balance right.) In my opinion, going into detail about how the men's remains came to be found is a dilution of purpose and his second paragraph is all that needs to be said. (You can always offer to send more information or you can provide some links as an appendix.) Focus is critical. Relevance is also vital, and (as Mel said) in this case the forthcoming burials elsewhere of men who are now identified make it relevant. How they were found is a side issue.

Basically an MP needs to know what you're asking, clearly, simply and in a personalised way. ("As your constituent", "As a member of the Western Front Association", "As a relative of", "As a member of the X Local History Society", etc.) What an MP can then do is write to the relevant department, write to or speak personally to the relevant minister, raise an EDM (ask your MP to do this - but some MPs can't), ask an Oral Question (but s/he may not be called) or raise the matter in an Adjournment Debate (they can go into the ballot for a slot). All these raise awareness of the issue in the HoC.

I'm aware that I haven't done anything in the line of more experienced military campaigners for memorials or whatever, but I do have experience of writing and running national campaigns targeting MPs as decision-makers, and as most MPs are unlikely to be Great War enthusiasts, perhaps it is relevant also to take a view of how the issue may be seen by non-specialists.

[MelPack]

I thought that other posters would be interested in one example of a relative who has taken up the reins with great enthusiasm. The reporter has one or two things a little askew but hey ho.

As a result of this little article, the soldier already has Y and MtDNA donor compatible relatives ready and waiting.

Mel

[Peridot]

Just sent to Lisa Nandy, my MP (Labour).

Peridot

[museumtom]

Is there a date of death or unit for these casualties yet. If any of them are Irish I may be able to help.

Regards.

Tom.

[MelPack]

Gwyn

Many of the points that you have raised are perfectly valid and very good advice for conducting a national lobbying campaign.

I am just an individual who, unfortunately, has neither the time nor the resources to conduct such a campaign.

I am hoping that Board members will take collective ownership of this and help in every way possible.

It would be great if others followed Dean's example and spread the campaign to other forums (fora) in which they are involved.

It would also be great if the GWF members who are on the executive of the WFA could have that organistation write directly to the Secretary of State and the Defence spokesmen for the other political parties in the way that you have suggested.

This really is a matter of all hands to the pumps.

Mel

[MelPack]

Is there a date of death or unit for these casualties yet. If any of them are Irish I may be able to help.

Regards.

Tom.

Tom

There is no Irishman among the 58 missing in the frame but there is a Scotsman and the rest are drawn from all over England.

If you bear with me, I will post a list shortly so that if anyone wants to follow through with a local angle then the material is there.

Mel

Mel

[museumtom]

I am always happy to help.

Regards.

Tom.

[MelPack]

Here is the full list of the missing 58 for the 2nd Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment.

Mel

[MelPack]

[Dragon]

Gwyn

Many of the points that you have raised are perfectly valid and very good advice for conducting a national lobbying campaign.

I am just an individual who, unfortunately, has neither the time nor the resources to conduct such a campaign.

I was responding to an earlier suggestion about widening the issue, and I too am merely an individual and one with no particular talents, just passion. Everything I have done was achieved from my own computer. I assumed, wrongly, that as this was posted on various international forums, it was in effect national. Ok, I get the message. Sorry for interfering.

No further intervention.

No need to reply.

Gwyn

[Roy Evans]

Email sent to my (new) MP

Roy

[PBI]

I have contacted the Daily Mail Military Correspondent.,and also my (New) M.P. Henry Smith.

[Seadog]

Nice one PBI, good luck with the Daily Mail which has covered stories similar to this in the past.

Regards

Norman

[Seadog]

I have just contacted the regimental museum and attached the list of names plus the pro-forma letter and link to the original French newspaper report plus a translation of that report. I have emphasized the role that members of the GWF are playing is this matter and asked for comments as to the position of the museum in the attempts or otherwise at identification of the soldiers. I realise of course that other members may have already contacted the museum but another one will not hurt. The museum details are below:

Museum

My Badge:

Regards

Norman

[chrisharley9]

Mel

have contacted my MP

Chris

[deano]

Letter arrived today from David Blunkett, stating he had made representations on my behalf and would be in touch when he had received a response.

Dean.

[MelPack]

I am just bumping this thread up in the hope that more Board members will see it and write to their MP.

Mel

[SteveMarsdin]

Good evening,

Given the Sheffield connection, might it not be worth contacting the Deputy PM whose constituency is there ? I'll do it myself if we don't have a member in the constituency ?