Famous Quotation

[JPJarman]

I have just finished Martin Middlebrooks "The First Day on the Somme" and on page 270 of my edition he attributes the following quote to Pte A.V. Pearson, Leeds Pals;

"..Two years in the making, Ten minutes in the destroying.."

However in Paul Reed's "Walking the Somme" Battleground Europe series this quote is attributed to a John Harris as an epitaph.

Does any one have the definitive answer?

PS, If you haven't read Middlebrook, then I reccommend you do so, and then read Gary Sheffield's "The Somme" it doesn't matter which way round you do it. time well spent

[Tom Morgan]

I believe it was originally written by John Harris in his book "A Covenant with Death" published in 1961. It isn't so much an epitaph on a real grave, more an epitaph to the Sheffield Pals as a group of comrades:

"Two years in the making. Ten minutes in the destroying. That was our history."

Tom

[Cliff. Hobson]

The quote was certainly that of John Harris I remembered it being featured in the Sheffield Star Newspaper on which he was a reporter and referred to the Sheffield City (Pals) Battalion.

Regards Cliff.

[JPJarman]

I am extremely grateful to those who replied, thank you.

I do not wish to cast doubt on Martin Middlebrook's research I just find it odd that he should attribute this quotation to one person, and Paul Reed to another

In itself not overly important, but strange that two men should use the same words. A quotation that will be around for a long time yet I feel.

JPJarman