Don Regiano Posted 3 July , 2016 Share Posted 3 July , 2016 Continuing with the football theme .... near Contalmaison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 3 July , 2016 Share Posted 3 July , 2016 The War Diary of my Uncle Jack's outfit, the 25th Field Ambulance, RAMC, for 1 July 1916 presents a picture of a system overwhelmed, written in that characteristic, understated, getonwithit manner: "Infantry attack launched at 7.30 am. First walking cases arrived at 8am & first car at 8.45 am. [...] At 10 am steady flow of walking cases set in, & from 11 to 4 state of congestion owing to large numbers [...] Up to noon evacuation of lying cases from the trenches was slow, as the team could not move owing to rifle fire [...] "5pm Urgent call for stretchers [...] "7pm Urgent demand for more stretchers [...] "By midnight we were choked with cases [...] "2/7/16 [...] By 10am inflow of cases had slackened off [...] " I knew Uncle Jack fairly well when I was a boy. He was my Great Uncle, my grandmother's brother. I remember him as a kind, quiet, thoughtful man. He died in 1975. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 4 July , 2016 Share Posted 4 July , 2016 Yet again on the football theme, there is also the memorial to McCrae's battalion, 16th Royal Scots, at Contalmaison. There are images available but I don't know if they are copyright and there's a trust here: http://www.mccraesbattaliontrust.org.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 7 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2016 National Railway Museum unveils its exhibition "Hospital Trains" today. Some excellent images here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3679094/Replica-ambulance-train-evacuated-British-soldiers-Western-goes-display.html Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 13 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 13 July , 2016 HIGH WOOD TO WATERLOT FARM There is a wood at the top of a hill, If it’s not shifted it’s standing there still; There is a farm a short distance away, But I’d not advise you to go there by day, For the snipers abound, and the shells are not rare, And a man’s only chance is to run like a hare, So take my advice if you’re chancing your arm From High Wood to Waterlot Farm.’ High Wood to Waterlot Farm, All on a summer's day, Up you get to the top of the trench Though you're sniped at all the way. If you've got a smoke helmet there You'd best put it on if you could, For the wood down by Waterlot Farm Is a bloody high wood. E.A. MacKintosh Lieutenant MacKintosh MC was wounded and gassed at High Wood in August 1916. He died on the 21st November 1917 at the battle of Cambrai just 24 years old. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gommecourt Lions Posted 14 July , 2016 Share Posted 14 July , 2016 Commemoration Ceremony For Pt 1853 Charles Gordon Shaw 1/6th Battalion Notts & Derby Regt Sherwood Foresters. 11th July 2016 We held the Service of Commemoration on Monday, it went marvelously and was very well attended. The Press took quite an interest (in the end) with both the BBC Look North and ITV Calender Yorkshire both sending reporters and camera men. The ITV Report is here : http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/update/2016-07-11/family-gather-at-lost-grave-of-solider-killed-in-battle-of-the-somme/ The BBC Report ( 12 mins and 4 secs in) is here :http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07k19l6/look-north-yorkshire-evening-news-11072016 The Granddaughter and Grandson of Sgt Dick Wagg DCM attended, bringing Dick's medals along with them. The Staveley Branch of the RBL did us proud with a couple of Standard Bearers and Buglers who were all magnificent, many thanks Gentleman. These same Gentleman will attend Christ Church Stonegravels Chesterfield again on the weekend of 10th September when they Commemorate "The Old Contemptables". Sadly there were a couple of idiot amateur paparazzi photographers from a couple of local publications who showed total disrespect for the two minutes silence and the Service generally. I have learnt hard lesson regarding the printed press as I gave over most of my day giving interviews and time to them to the detriment of spending time with relatives I hadn't seen for years, yet when I ask that same publication for a couple of still photos they wanted me to pay for them! A word of advice, don't waste your time on them as they are selfish vultures. However we didn't let them spoil the day, the presentation I gave about The Somme and Gommecourt went down very well. I would love to paste some photos into this post but the file sizes are much too big, sorry. Cheers Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 14 July , 2016 Share Posted 14 July , 2016 Good post Ian. Well done on the ceremony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Foster Posted 14 July , 2016 Share Posted 14 July , 2016 My take on a iconic photograph taken 100yrs ago. Forum member Unitedsound found the location ( 250 yrds East side of Montauban) from where Ernest Brooks took the photo of a Piper of the 7th Bn Seaforth Highlanders , leading men of the 26th Brigade, 9th Div, after an attack on Longueval on the 14th July 1916.I posted the image in another thread a couple of years ago. Original Same location with a twist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 14 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 14 July , 2016 Good work, thanks for posting Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gommecourt Lions Posted 14 July , 2016 Share Posted 14 July , 2016 Chris, Very clever indeed, I would love to know how you do that. Cheers Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gommecourt Lions Posted 14 July , 2016 Share Posted 14 July , 2016 Here are some photographs of the Commemoration Service on Monday, thanks Seadog for hosting them for me and sorting them out for me. Thanks Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 14 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 14 July , 2016 Here are the images Ian refers to above This image shows the Shaw family around the grave, Private Shaw 1853 served in the 1/6th Battalion of the Notts and Derby Regiment, The Sherwood Foresters. The ceremony took place at Christ Church Stonegravels Chesterfield This image shows the Shaw family around the grave, Private Shaw 1853 served in the 1/6th Battalion of the Notts and Derby Regiment, The Sherwood Foresters. The ceremony took place at Christ Church Stonegravels Chesterfield The Buglers and Standard Bearers from the Staveley Branch of the Royal British Legion play the Last Post Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gommecourt Lions Posted 15 July , 2016 Share Posted 15 July , 2016 This is a very poignant poem written by my Auntie Doris in August 1998. She read this poem out in the church during the Commemoration for her uncle Charlie on Monday. It typifies the quiet heroism of the Great War generation, like Sgt Dick Wagg who rescued 3 men from No Man's Land on the morning of 1st July 1916, an act that he never spoke of whilst he was alive! REMEMBERING “What was the war like Grandad? The one before the last- 1914 to 1918 A long way back in the past” “I can hardly remember lad, It was so long ago. Train loads, boat loads, fine young men, Eager to meet the foe- Oh yes, it was exciting The cheering and waving of flags. Quite smart in our new uniforms, And over-filled kit-bags” “But what about the fighting And how you beat the Hun? Tell me, were they frightened When you had them on the run?” “There’s Black-Fly on the carrots, But onions are alright, And will they play that new chap In the match tomorrow night?” “Grandad , did you kill a man? And what did it feel like?” “Didn’t you ought to be getting off home? And where have you left your bike?” Gone, has he? Thank God for that- I couldn’t have stood much more; Some things are better left unsaid, Like- What was it like in the war!? By Doris Innes 8 August 1998 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gommecourt Lions Posted 16 July , 2016 Share Posted 16 July , 2016 Here is a YouTube link to a video of a Presentation I gave at Christ Church Stonegravels Chesterfield on Monday 11th July 2016 about Pt. 1853 Charles Gordon Shaw and A Company of the 1/6th Battalion Notts & Derby Sherwood Foresters Regt in the attack on Gommecourt on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. It is two parts : www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0CdWEGmFKo Also here is a link to the You Tube video of the Graveside Service of Commemoration: Thanks Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 18 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 July , 2016 Lewis Gunner Summer 1916 White metal kit assembled and painted in oils by a very talented friend even to the hand-painted Highland Division (HD) patch. The background is my photo of a poppy field near Bristol. The overall height of the figure is just 3 inches. This soldier is walking through the fields of Picardy towards High Wood which the Division first attacked on the night of 22/23rd July 1916, the attack was repulsed as were subsequent efforts. The Attack http://51hd.co.uk/history/battle_somme_high_wood “So ended the first offensive operations in which the Division had been employed as a whole unit. The results had been disappointing and dispiriting to all. Over 3500 casualties, including 150 officers, had been sustained. In two fruitless attempts to carry a German position which remained intact, in spite of many attacks by successive Divisions, until 15 September. The Germans had shown that High Wood could not be taken hurriedly by a frontal attack". Thiepval 1st July 2016 The White Swan https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/28017204575/in/album-72157670843098516/ Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0rris Posted 18 July , 2016 Share Posted 18 July , 2016 High Wood - ghastly by day ghostly by night, the rottenest place on the Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 18 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 18 July , 2016 Nice one Morris good to see the wood from another angle, here is a shot looking from the road to Martinpuich towards Longueval. The building centre right stands in the London British War Cemetery 1914-1918 Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horrocks Posted 19 July , 2016 Share Posted 19 July , 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 19 July , 2016 Share Posted 19 July , 2016 High Wood in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 19 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 19 July , 2016 Nice photos and good to see the "Bristols Own" memorial cross in the above post. On the edge of the wood Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 19 July , 2016 Share Posted 19 July , 2016 Found this behind High Wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 19 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 19 July , 2016 Nice find but a lot of empties so I trumps with this between Contalmaison and Pozieres Next one please! Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 20 July , 2016 Share Posted 20 July , 2016 and another one at the crossroads at the NE corner of High Wood near Cork Alley (wood in background) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m0rris Posted 20 July , 2016 Share Posted 20 July , 2016 Somme montage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjknox Posted 21 July , 2016 Share Posted 21 July , 2016 Hello All, Last Sunday I went to a live orchestral performance of The Battle of The Somme film. Although I possess the DVD I was amazed hearing Laura Rossi's score live which was such a great experience, never mind seeing the film in a larger format than television. The Somme100 Film Project is an international project working with the IWM to mark the anniversary of the Battle of The Somme. If you have the opportunity I very much recommend going to see and hear this marvellous piece of 1916 history with the added glory of the modern music. I would love to add a link of venues but have found this impossible. My best effort is the Imperial War Museum home site and looking through the events calendar. I cannot add a link but I started from www.1914.org. and used the tab for events. The venues are all over the UK and internationally. Steve Knox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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