Posted on 06/30/2021 5:47:13 AM PDT by DFG
Incredible colourised photos from the Battle of the Somme have provided a glimpse into the brave sacrifice of British and Commonwealth troops ahead of tomorrow's 105th anniversary of the start of the horrific carnage.
In one picture, a German prisoner assisted wounded British solders as they made their way to a dressing station after they fought on Bazentin Ridge on July 19, 1916.
Another image showed Australian gunners who stripped off in the summer heat, serving a 9.2 howitzer during the Battle of Pozières which took place during the Battle of the Somme.
The torrential rain of October 1916 which brought an end to the British Somme offensive were brought to life in colour as horses were pictured drawing carriages through the mud.
The series of images were colourised by electrician Royston Leonard from Cardiff who was inspired by the courage of the troops in what was one of the bloodiest battles in human history, leaving a million men dead.
'I got the idea for this set after hearing stories about my grandfather who was there in World War One for almost four years,' said Royston.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The French should do the same.
When they mention most grew an inch in height and gained a stone in weight I thought some was due to underage recruits (19-35 years old,legal age) but I doubt all of them were getting 3 meals a day before than.
My grandfather volunteered in 1917. Came home in 1919.
He never spoke about what happened in France even to his wife. It did haunt him to his death in ‘85
Gordon Lightfoot has a song from his early years called “Echoes of Heroes”. Don’t believe it was ever released but there is (when last checked) a youtube audio/video posted. It apoears to be a nightclub or bar type of venue. Very sparse...but lyrics are poignant/thought provoking. Mentions Somme, Verdun, Ypres.
Someone should make a decent video of the song with pics of the soldiers, etc. Post it on rumbler.. Words might be too painful to be sung at veterans gatherings, but it is, IMHO, worth a try for some talented singer or group.
Better not let Joe know about that cannon. He says it's illegal.
I think Lemmy’s song is the definitive song about WWI. Not the kind of stuff most would have expected from Lemmy.
The casualties in the war are simply staggering...
And then they did it all again 20 years later.
Europe never recovered.
Germany had annexed Alscace-Lorraine in 1870 and the kaiser insisted in building a Navy at least as large as the Royal navy despite the Royal navy having to be spread out all over the world wheras Germany could afford to concentrate it in the north sea.
Germany was not a reasonable partner, it was a threat that had to be kept in its box.
Contrary to popular belief this was a neccessary war on the Entente’s part because if Germany had been allowed to crush Russia and France its power would have been unassailable.
and the German too!
And the British Navy managed to screw up the Anzio landing a quarter century later in the same way: uncoordinated and ill-timed shore bombardment that failed to provide adequate landing support.
Had Britain not allied with France, a deal could have been struck with the Germans. I believe Britain and Germany could have co-existed just fine. Again, I’m not saying it would have been all sweetness and light, sure there would have been other issues, but I can’t imagine it would have turned out being close to as bad as things turned out being for the continent, and Western Civilization as a whole.
Would have been much better for the rest of Europe if they hadn't spent the first half of the century trying to starve Germany to death.
Brits had good experience starving other peoples to death, see "Black 47".
Not to mention “Operation Market Garden”.
Thank you for the reference. I watched/listened to 1916 per your link. A sad song, indeed.
Lightfoot was inspired to write his song when he visited the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada.
Remember it was almost all men who died.
Really changed demographics and voting.
Also the manpower shortages is one of the reason that Europe opened up to more immigrants from the Third World.
The world never recovered. 400 years of empire building, economic and political progress flushed down the toilet in twenty years. Followed by 45 years of communist infiltration, colonial wars and the whole Cold War.
And the burden fell mainly on us, and still falls on us as the Europeans are still incapable of pulling their weight. Only now our own fifth-column is on the verge of establishing a one-party woke corporate fascist state. All of which would not have happened except for WWI.
So did mine. He came home with shrapnel still in his body that he carried with him the rest of his life. He lived to the age of 93.
Conclusion drawn since the Civil War, WW I, WW II, Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan;:
Working Class lives, especially White Working Class lives, don’t matter.
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