Great pictures Joe, Of all the casualties in world war one, 90 percent of all casualties were contributed to the Machine Gun. The vast array of Machine guns in the field with an average fire power of 400/500 rounds per minute gave the unprotected forces in the field very little chance of survival.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
The first day of the battle, British troops were ordered over the top by their superiors, and despite so many being gunned down, they sent more and more out into no mans land.
60,000 casualties and 20,000 dead on the first day.
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LOCHNAGAR mine crater.. LA BOISSELLE.. The largest British mine crater on the western front was blown along with 16 others on July 1st 1916. 26 tons of Ammonal explosive was blown creating a crater 90 feet deep and 300 feet across. The Lochnager crater was named after the trench where the main tunnel was started.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Seeing the pictures posted by Joe of the rows and rows of white headstones should not only remind us of the sacrifices made but of the excellent work the Commonwealth war graves do and have always done.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Seeing the pictures posted by Joe of the rows and rows of white headstones should not only remind us of the sacrifices made but of the excellent work the Commonwealth war graves do and have always done.
THE young men who volunteered in 1914 and 1915 were motivated not only by pattriotism,but also by desire not to let downe there mates this was reflected in the pattern of recruiment,witch encouraged men to join up with neibours from the same streets,with workers from the same industry,with freinds who belonged to the same clubs and societies.moore than 300 special battalions were raised in this way the monfolk of entire communities were transposed en masse to khaki,and the units in whitch thay served were known as pals battalions,thay were proud of their local associations,incorporating their provenance into regimental designations.the 10th lincolns became THE grimsby chums and the 11th east lancashire were THE ACCRINTON PALS,there were some notable curiosities. the middlesex regiment han a footballers, battalion and clapton orient later renamed leyton orient;supplied 41 recruiets,the largest to join from a single club.there were farmers battalions, bankers, and a company of boxers,and even a bantams battalion made up of men less than 5ft 4in tall.it was a fine recruiting device,but a disastrous way to organise an army.the nature of the war at the front ensured that those who lived together,worked together,enlisted together and trained together were fated to die together.some townes lost a generation of young men in a single gatherment.we were two years in the making and 10 minutes in the destroying,sed privet pearson of the leeds pals.the footballers battalion went to the somme.the last words of a centre-forward william jonas to his team-mate richard mcfaddeen were,goodbye mc,best of luck and regards to the lads at the orient.he steped out of the trench and was instantly shot dead.mcfadden was killed three months later.on the first day of the somme-july 1 1916-21,000 british soldiers died befour the battle one accrington pal wrote to his mother: i will put jokes to one side and trust to providence.i have only to die,but should i steer clear i will come downe EDWARD STREET singing are we downehearted?-not likely the 'kid' is still floatin about. he was dead by the time the letter reached home,as were most of the accrinton pals.of the 700 accrinton pals 585 died on the somme.
"The wise man always has riches within himself". DOCTUS IN SE SEMPER DIVITIAS HABET
Good post Ducko, of all the sacrifices made in WW1 non were greater than that of Mrs Annie Souls who lost 5 sons between 1914-18. Albert 20, Frederick 30, Walter 24, were killed in 1916 and twins Alfred and Arthur 30, killed in 1918. She was awarded 1 shilling a week for each boy. If that wasn't enough to bare she lost her only other son who was to young to join up to Meningitis. No other Mother has lost so many sons in British military history.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
In connection with the above, though WW2, 5 Sullivan brothers from Iowa were killed when their ship USS JUNREU was sunk during the battle for Guadalcanal 1942. President Roosevelt declared that no family should be allowed to lose more than 2 sons. The NILANDS family lost 2 sons and the President ordered a rescue mission to bring the youngest son home. This inspired the film Saving private Ryan.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
