burlington Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 I am staying well away! At the last ceremonial event like this I attended in France, I was damn near killed by HRH's driver who tried to run me off the road. Yes, HRH was in that car at the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 Having watched the BBC's covering of this commemoration may I say that the content and presentation were admirable and well worthy of the occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 Not a dull moment, quite superb and a great credit to all who were involved, a fitting tribute to those who fought and those who died here on the Somme battlefield. I hope that the BBC make an edited version for further transmission. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 Have to agree there Old Tom - The Thiepval ceremony was very well done IMHO and the BBC coverage very good - a suitable commemoration for those who died on this day 100 years ago. I have to add that once again on occasions such as this our armed forces who took part were excellent. The flautist (Welsh Guards) who played the verse to Abide with me is a brilliant musician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 As were the French! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 It was a worthy commemoration. Very good actually. For those who were lucky to be there worth every bit of effort. A cinic is jealous. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 This cynic isn't jealous, but what very little of it I have seen, it looked to be very well done. This cynic does wonder whether we'll manage to 'celebrate' the eventual victory in 1918. Good piece by Andrew Roberts in tonight's Standard, though Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 I thought it was brilliantly done. Huw Edwards hit just the right note - and must have the most amazing stamina. I thought Shirley Williams's observations were very useful. sadly, I had to go out at 11am, though I did manage to keep up with the start of the commemoration service on my smartphone while on the bus - but once I got to the hairdresser's I had to pull the earphones out of my ears, so that was that. Very frustrating! does anyone know what the beautiful slow march was that the Welsh Guards played just as President Hollande arrived? I thought it might have been by Handel, but have drawn a blank so far. EDIT If anyone is watching Somme 100 on BBC iplayer, it is at exactly 1hr 30min in. EDIT AGAIN Ah, if anybody else was interested, it was an instrumental arrangement of Handel's Lascia ch'io pianga Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 2 hours ago, Old Tom said: Having watched the BBC's covering of this commemoration may I say that the content and presentation were admirable and well worthy of the occasion. Yes indeed, well done to them and everyone involved in the commemoration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbriscoe Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 1 hour ago, Black Maria said: Yes indeed, well done to them and everyone involved in the commemoration. Another programme later Quote HISTORY DOCUMENTARY: The Centenary of the Battle of the Somme On: BBC 2 HD Date: Friday 1st July 2016 (starting in 3 hours and 23 minutes) Time: 23:15 to 00:45 (1 hour and 30 minutes long) Huw Edwards presents edited highlights of the day's moving Somme Centenary commemorations, including the National Commemorative Service at Manchester Cathedral. (Stereo, Widescreen, High Definition, Subtitles) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=7346 Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited. Hopefully have a bit more of the Manchester commemorations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 1 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2016 It was a superb day - only slightly marred by needing to don our rain ponchos just before Charles spoke, and the utterly chaotic arrangements for getting the shuttle buses back to the Park and Ride. But the readings were almost without exception well chosen, and well delivered, the music was beautiful and fitting, and the bird song throughout the ceremony was quite magical. And what a privilege to hear the son of Tom Adlam VC read one of his letters We were very much in two minds about going but we are so glad we did - an experience we won't forget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 It must have been a most moving experience, Alan. Those of us watching from home did not have to rise so early, or don ponchos, but I admit to shedding quite a few tears - prompted either by the music or by some of the testimonies that were so beautifully read. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 1 hour ago, AlanCurragh said: It was a superb day - only slightly marred by needing to don our rain ponchos just before Charles spoke, and the utterly chaotic arrangements for getting the shuttle buses back to the Park and Ride. But the readings were almost without exception well chosen, and well delivered, the music was beautiful and fitting, and the bird song throughout the ceremony was quite magical. And what a privilege to hear the son of Tom Adlam VC read one of his letters We were very much in two minds about going but we are so glad we did - an experience we won't forget Where's the 'like' botton when you need it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 An excellent day at Thiepval, marred only by poor planning for the return journey to the airport parking area and subsequent very long, slow exit for many from the airport site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 Looking forward to watching the highlights package. Followed the BBC feed on the website all day which was excellent. The Corporation's programming during the Centenary has been frequently criticised on the Forum, but it invariably gets its presentation of this kind of commemoration right David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depaor01 Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 Still looking at it piecemeal, but very impressive. The presence of the Irish Army and the Bundeswehr at an event such as this speaks to me about how far we have come. Brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 2 hours ago, AlanCurragh said: And what a privilege to hear the son of Tom Adlam VC read one of his letters As a result of the reading by Tom Adlam's son, I found out today (thanks to Facebook) that Tom Adlam VC was a teacher at the Queen's Road School, Farnborough, Hampshire, before he became a Headmaster of a School in Blackmoor, Hampshire. I attended this School during the late 1960s (its name had changed to the South Farnborough Infants and Junior School) and my Nephew is currently a pupil there. Unfortunately, we were never taught anything about Tom and my Nephew just looked blankly when I asked him. It is such a shame that more was/is not made of this hero. I would also like to add that I thought today's commemoration was very fitting. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbriscoe Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 3 hours ago, AlanCurragh said: It was a superb day - only slightly marred by needing to don our rain ponchos just before Charles spoke, and the utterly chaotic arrangements for getting the shuttle buses back to the Park and Ride. But the readings were almost without exception well chosen, and well delivered, the music was beautiful and fitting, and the bird song throughout the ceremony was quite magical. And what a privilege to hear the son of Tom Adlam VC read one of his letters We were very much in two minds about going but we are so glad we did - an experience we won't forget Could it be that people left quicker than expected because of the rain? They might have planned for people walking around to look at the graves etc which would spread the transport out over a longer period. It looks a rural area so I would think it would difficult to have enough buses to move everyone immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbriscoe Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 32 minutes ago, David Ridgus said: Looking forward to watching the highlights package. Followed the BBC feed on the website all day which was excellent. The Corporation's programming during the Centenary has been frequently criticised on the Forum, but it invariably gets its presentation of this kind of commemoration right David It is a difficult task, whichever experts or commentators that they use seems to upset some people. Though Kirsty Young appears to be accepted by most people, I can see her taking the lead role on more national events. Historical expers / historians particularly seem to bring out some really venomous attacks online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbriscoe Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 32 minutes ago, depaor01 said: Still looking at it piecemeal, but very impressive. The presence of the Irish Army and the Bundeswehr at an event such as this speaks to me about how far we have come. Brilliant. The German military seemed to play a very small part in the commemorations which is probably right as too large a role might be seen as Political Correctness, I suspect they did not want a large involvement which would explain them sending a past President rather than present day leader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depaor01 Posted 1 July , 2016 Share Posted 1 July , 2016 4 minutes ago, mbriscoe said: The German military seemed to play a very small part in the commemorations which is probably right as too large a role might be seen as Political Correctness, I suspect they did not want a large involvement which would explain them sending a past President rather than present day leader. Agreed. I suspect many looking on may not have even recognised the uniform. The understated approach would be in line with German Remembrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 2 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 2 July , 2016 8 hours ago, mbriscoe said: Could it be that people left quicker than expected because of the rain? They might have planned for people walking around to look at the graves etc which would spread the transport out over a longer period. It looks a rural area so I would think it would difficult to have enough buses to move everyone immediately. Possibly, but the rain has eased off at the end of the ceremony. There were plenty of buses - the main problem as I saw it was that instead of distinct, separate queues to each of the bus destinations (park and ride, Albert station, Picardie station), there was pretty much a free for all, with a huge surge of people held behind a rope with some British soldiers gamely trying to impose order. Had it been a typically hot summer's day, I suspect we might have had a lot of health issues amongst those queuing - as it was I saw a few people being taken away by the medical services. But that shouldn't take away from how good the day was, and in every other respect the organisation was outstanding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudsey63 Posted 2 July , 2016 Share Posted 2 July , 2016 AlanCurragh, if I'd known who you were I could have said hello as we must have been just across the aisle from you. Right behind the large moustachioed French helicopter officer and next to the biker veterans. i echo everything you say, the exit process was a shambles but I wouldn't have missed yesterday for the world. The music was so powerful and the readings moving and perfectly chosen. What an experience to see the various nationalities and all those splendid uniforms. It was particularly poignant to hear the birdsong over the silence and the sound of the gun carriages passing behind the trees. And it seemed very fitting that after the dignitaries were done we were all able to wander over the site. A proper People's commemoration. it was a very long day, getting up in the dark of a power cut at our b&b to drive two hours to Albert airport and finally falling into bed after midnight after a delayed shuttle crossing, but it was a real privilege to be there and remember my great-uncle among the many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 2 July , 2016 Author Share Posted 2 July , 2016 26 minutes ago, pudsey63 said: AlanCurragh, if I'd known who you were I could have said hello as we must have been just across the aisle from you. Right behind the large moustachioed French helicopter officer and next to the biker veterans. i echo everything you say, the exit process was a shambles but I wouldn't have missed yesterday for the world. The music was so powerful and the readings moving and perfectly chosen. What an experience to see the various nationalities and all those splendid uniforms. It was particularly poignant to hear the birdsong over the silence and the sound of the gun carriages passing behind the trees. And it seemed very fitting that after the dignitaries were done we were all able to wander over the site. A proper People's commemoration. it was a very long day, getting up in the dark of a power cut at our b&b to drive two hours to Albert airport and finally falling into bed after midnight after a delayed shuttle crossing, but it was a real privilege to be there and remember my great-uncle among the many. We must have been very close - I was at the very end of the row directly across from the moustachioed officer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 2 July , 2016 Share Posted 2 July , 2016 One of my favourites on the day.......video Nurse Olive Dent https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/27954356031/in/dateposted/ Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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