A brief film of the Somme battlefields today; memorials, war cemeteries and trench lines can still be seen today in this now tranquil region of Northern France.
For my great grandfather Private Harry Holmes, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), still on patrol on The Somme, 26/9/1916, recorded on Thiepval Memorial. See 7.14.
Impossible to watch this and not cry. I am so thankful that my grandfather survived so many many months on the Western Front, although shot & wounded in Albert in 1917 (& returned to the Somme in 1918) he got to come home. So many did not. He was an incredibly gentle man who would have lived through so much horror. Lest we forget.
Thank you for this ! My Grand Dad was blown up here when my Mum was only 2 days old, so like many other children never got to know their fathers. I have nothing but respect !
My grand father was in charge of the lawns of these Somme cemeteries before WW2. Sometimes he took me on his bike when he visited them. I know most of them and the history of most of the battles in this area. At over 90 I am still impressed. My respect to those hoo are buried under these stones.
Amazing how tranquil it all looks now considering the carnage of all those years ago, the brave souls who died here many with no known grave, still not found. Thank you for such a moving tribute ....
Just returned from visiting Thiepvel Memorial for my Grandfather,it was very emotional,the saddest thing was my mum whose father was there was never able to see for herself,but the great grandchildren and the great great grandchildren came with us,we must never forget.
How beautiful the scenery is! Very fresh weather, gentle breeze is blowing.All the Pillers are white washing . Flowers are laughing.very very nice to me.
Have been and payed my respects at many of the cemeteries and the ULSTER TOWER shed many a tear to the brave men and women who fought and helped the wounded. LEST WE FORGET
Tim, my thoughts exactly. I was hitching in France and arrived in Albert on July 1st 1986. I felt as if I knew the place as soon as I arrived. Travelling there subsequently, I could not stay in the area of High Wood or the Gordon Dump cemetery. I still don't know why this is.
I have been to the Somme 6 times its a place with an atmosphere I struggle to describe. In many cases it’s a beautiful homage to the many many boys who lost their lives there. Personally I am most touched by the devonshires cemetery near mametz wood
Very tastefully done… the music I thought helped set the atmosphere.I visit these battlefields every year… and give my thanks to the brave lads of the Devons who fell near fricourt
my great uncle is buried in the gaurds cemetery at Les Boeufs, one day i would like to visit his grave and pay my respects to him and to the thousands of others who paid the ultimate price. RIP. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!!
My great uncle Tom was killed while going over the top attacking the enemy line in front of the village of Lesboeufs it happened in the field behind the cemetary, his body was never recovered and the family believe he is in one of the unmarked plots in the cemetery, we visited the Guards cemetery in September 2016 (along with many others), if you can get there it is well worth the trip.
Thank you for the beautiful tribute. It was hard to watch. And thank you to all those who remember and those who tend to our fallen heroes. My great Uncle was one of the missing, KAWC Bidgood 50th Australian Infantry Btn - KIA, Passchendaele, 14Oct1917 - Remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial - We will remember them.
Thank you for a very moving and well-done film. My Great-Uncle was killed there (Gloucester Regiment) and his name is on the Thiepval Memorial. I hope to make it there in 2016. Thanks again.
Much appreciated. In refreshing my knowledge of the Great War, I had wanted to see the Somme battlefield as it appears today, and this was an excellent opportunity. Thank you, so much.
A wonderful film, beautifully presented - extremely evocative and a careful testimony to all who died, not just the eventual victors. I felt I was there
Thanks to my brother, the Combat Doctor, I have walked some of these places: Adanac, Québec Cemetary, Regina Trench, Péronne, Thiepval, Courcelette, Chérisy, and of course Vimy and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette and the memorial next to it. Also big thanks to an artist called Fish for composing and writing the High Wood suite which played in my head while visiting thses sites. To quote a passage: "Gathering the iron harvest reminders of their bloody madness Whose bones in furrows sometimes rise to plead to be identified. To join the ranks of comrade soldiers buried beneath the bleached white crosses Names and numbers cut in stone, the regiment they called their home, The age they reached the day they died, their memory is all that does survive In tended graves they rest in peace their battle finally over" LEST WE FORGET!
Thanks sharing this. I have never visited the Somme battlefields, but I have visited Verdun, an experience which I have never forgotten, and which haunts me to this day.
Thank you for posting this video. I'm doing a short paper on the battle, and this helped put a lot of it into perspective for me. It also helped my pinpoint the focus of my paper!
Thank you for Video ,my Granfather and his brother fought in the great War my grandfathers brother was killed in1916 at the Somme ,RIP John ,,sub for your channel TY
Beautiful video and piano music. Unbelievable and terrible that 60.000 man were wounded or killed on the first day of the battle. May they rest in peace.🙏🏻
My Great Uncle died in The Battle of Somme...and has a headstone over there!! I would love to visit it one day!! He was Australian with a German surname...but fought for Australia!!
The Somme battlefields are so impressive, I keep on coming back, eternally! This is where the world changed in a stalemate. This is where the old world ended. I would like to say for a better world. However we are still in the stalemate. Realize that and turn your life around, at least for these chaps, but most of all for your children!!! Never, ever forget!
Nice video. Well edited, snd brings back poignant memories of my countless visits there. Travelling across the Somme is like a world away from rhe hustle and bustle of normal life. When i go there it seems to be a different world , detached from normal life. I could easily, and have easily been totally lost in my thoughts in these hamlets, towns, and villages, casting my mind back to what it must have been like. Then on leaving the battlefields, you come back to normality, high technology, phones, etc... Hard to explain how the Somme takes you to a timeless void when you traverse and drive those areas. Lest we never forget.
What a beatiful and sad place at the same time. I remember these words: «WHEN YOU GO HOME, TELL THEM OF US AND SAY, FOR YOUR TOMORROW, WE GAVE OUR TODAY», «WE WILL REMEMBER THEM». ( I'm from Mexico ).
My father had the privalage of taking the old soldiers with the Hampstead (Co-founder) pals to their action spots, but i respect him for his choice,not going out partying but listening to what the boys gad to say, he was also Number 11 in the western front association
I visited the Somme in October of 2016 and it is an experience I will never forget. I often go back their through UA-cam and get upset again. I will revisit the fallen another time before I leave this world
So moving! We are visiting a friends great uncle who is buried in the Guards Cemetery at Les Boeufs next month, as well as my husband' great uncle who is buried in the Perth China Wall Cemetery near Ypres. Brave young men! We shall never forget their sacrifice.
My mum's uncle is buried at windy corner cemetery he was killed just before the battle of the somme .I have visited a lot of this area and its a very sad sobering experience 😢
Siempre sentí admiración por todos aquellas personas que dieron su vida por la democracia. Yo viví en el Somme Peronne Biache 1961/1974. La huella de la guerra estaba muy presente.
This was very well done and touching. I don't have any personal connections that I am aware of yet, but I do share the same feelings you do when you explained why this fascinated you. Thank you very much.
36TH Ulster Division. For Our Tomorrow They Give Their Today. Pity the British Government Would Not Remember This When They Tried To Sell Out Loyal Ulster Protestants To A Foreign Country. For God And Ulster.1912 U.V.F.
Nathan Bedford Forest 100 % AGREE AND THEY'RE AT IT AGAIN IN THE NAME OFF BREXIT !!! The Brave men and women off N.I who gave the ultimate sacrifice LEST WE FORGET.
My Great Uncle still lies somewhere on the Somme, or has an unknown grave. Missing after the first day and never found - as were many of his brothers in the 1st Regiment KOSB. Listed on the Thiepval Memorial...
I find these tributes land in a deep part of myself. Thank you for bringing them to a thankful people who will never forget what happened here.
For my great grandfather Private Harry Holmes, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), still on patrol on The Somme, 26/9/1916, recorded on Thiepval Memorial. See 7.14.
Impossible to watch this and not cry. I am so thankful that my grandfather survived so many many months on the Western Front, although shot & wounded in Albert in 1917 (& returned to the Somme in 1918) he got to come home. So many did not. He was an incredibly gentle man who would have lived through so much horror. Lest we forget.
Thank you for this ! My Grand Dad was blown up here when my Mum was only 2 days old, so like many other children never got to know their fathers. I have nothing but respect !
My grand father was in charge of the lawns of these Somme cemeteries before WW2. Sometimes he took me on his bike when he visited them. I know most of them and the history of most of the battles in this area. At over 90 I am still impressed. My respect to those hoo are buried under these stones.
Amazing how tranquil it all looks now considering the carnage of all those years ago, the brave souls who died here many with no known grave, still not found. Thank you for such a moving tribute ....
Just returned from visiting Thiepvel Memorial for my Grandfather,it was very emotional,the saddest thing was my mum whose father was there was never able to see for herself,but the great grandchildren and the great great grandchildren came with us,we must never forget.
How beautiful the scenery is! Very fresh weather, gentle breeze is blowing.All the Pillers are white washing . Flowers are laughing.very very nice to me.
Have been and payed my respects at many of the cemeteries and the ULSTER TOWER shed many a tear to the brave men and women who fought and helped the wounded. LEST WE FORGET
Can't wait to go back again ,it's like going home, love the place
Tim, my thoughts exactly.
I was hitching in France and arrived in Albert on July 1st 1986. I felt as if I knew the place as soon as I arrived.
Travelling there subsequently, I could not stay in the area of High Wood or the Gordon Dump cemetery.
I still don't know why this is.
I have been to the Somme 6 times its a place with an atmosphere I struggle to describe. In many cases it’s a beautiful homage to the many many boys who lost their lives there. Personally I am most touched by the devonshires cemetery near mametz wood
Can you imagine what we could achieve if we put this much effort into peace time projects!
dear god what a lovely film thank you from the bottom of my heart for this xx
Just returned from visiting my great uncle's grave at Becourt. Thank you for this beautiful film.
Thank you, just returned from visiting my great great grandad at Grove Town British Military Cemetery near Perone
Peronne. Poignant visit of that i am sure.
Humbling. A well made film. Thankyou.
Such tragedy always brings emotional tears from me. I have never been a soldier but I honor these men !
Most grateful for this film. My great uncle, an Australian died near Becourt in august of 1916.
We must never forget
Very tastefully done… the music I thought helped set the atmosphere.I visit these battlefields every year… and give my thanks to the brave lads of the Devons who fell near fricourt
my great uncle is buried in the gaurds cemetery at Les Boeufs, one day i would like to visit his grave and pay my respects to him and to the thousands of others who paid the ultimate price. RIP. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!!
My great uncle Tom was killed while going over the top attacking the enemy line in front of the village of Lesboeufs it happened in the field behind the cemetary, his body was never recovered and the family believe he is in one of the unmarked plots in the cemetery, we visited the Guards cemetery in September 2016 (along with many others), if you can get there it is well worth the trip.
Go
Muffin Man as we do always
What a beautiful presentation.R I P TO ALL.
Thank you for the beautiful tribute. It was hard to watch. And thank you to all those who remember and those who tend to our fallen heroes. My great Uncle was one of the missing, KAWC Bidgood 50th Australian Infantry Btn - KIA, Passchendaele, 14Oct1917 - Remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial - We will remember them.
Thank you so much for this monumental commemoration film. The boys are looking from the heavens!
Ulster Tower for pioneering 36th who led the day on 1st of July. They shall never grow old.
Thank you for a very moving and well-done film. My Great-Uncle was killed there (Gloucester Regiment) and his name is on the Thiepval Memorial. I hope to make it there in 2016. Thanks again.
Beautiful video, thank you. I cannot wait to get back on the battlefield again. Lest we forget
Beautiful. Really beautiful. Thank you.
my great grandad died in WW1 in this battle for UK and is buried in France :( am very PROUD OF
RIP to all those brave men who gave their lives
Absolutely moving. Thank you.
Bless them . Thank you so much
Very fitting video. Had the privilege of visiting the Somme this year. Going back again.
You've done very well here. The aftermath of human endurance in the face of unimaginable adversity. All quiet now..
Thank you.
Much appreciated. In refreshing my knowledge of the Great War, I had wanted to see the Somme battlefield as it appears today, and this was an excellent opportunity. Thank you, so much.
A wonderful film, beautifully presented - extremely evocative and a careful testimony to all who died, not just the eventual victors. I felt I was there
Thanks to my brother, the Combat Doctor, I have walked some of these places: Adanac, Québec Cemetary, Regina Trench, Péronne, Thiepval, Courcelette, Chérisy, and of course Vimy and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette and the memorial next to it. Also big thanks to an artist called Fish for composing and writing the High Wood suite which played in my head while visiting thses sites.
To quote a passage:
"Gathering the iron harvest reminders of their bloody madness
Whose bones in furrows sometimes rise to plead to be identified.
To join the ranks of comrade soldiers buried beneath the bleached white crosses
Names and numbers cut in stone, the regiment they called their home,
The age they reached the day they died, their memory is all that does survive
In tended graves they rest in peace their battle finally over"
LEST WE FORGET!
Thanks sharing this.
I have never visited the Somme battlefields, but I have visited Verdun, an experience which I have never forgotten, and which haunts me to this day.
My Grandfather survived with 18thHussars wounded 3 times, fought in Boar war, member of the BEF crack shot superb horseman died 1953 aged 73.
Excelent video. Thanks You for sharing it. Greetings from Argentina
tears came watching this, bless there hearts to the guys killed .
and today on, things that didnt happen....its alan
Having been so many times I must say - I could not have made a better film myself - it's excellent.................. and thankyou
Thank you for posting this video. I'm doing a short paper on the battle, and this helped put a lot of it into perspective for me. It also helped my pinpoint the focus of my paper!
Thank you for Video ,my Granfather and his brother fought in the great War my grandfathers brother was killed in1916 at the Somme ,RIP John ,,sub for your channel TY
I've been to a lot of these cemeteries it's enough to make you weep.
my great great uncle was buried here may you R.I.P
A fantastic tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
After COVID this will be my next travel destination. Just to honor and remember. R.I.P.
Beautiful video and piano music. Unbelievable and terrible that 60.000 man were wounded or killed on the first day of the battle. May they rest in peace.🙏🏻
Wonderfully done with my own plans to visit Warloy Baillon and pay my respects to one of my 4 fallen ancestors. The music was soothing,thank you.
My Great Uncle died in The Battle of Somme...and has a headstone over there!! I would love to visit it one day!! He was Australian with a German surname...but fought for Australia!!
U dont have great uncle you idiot
Wow very amazing video! Love the music that goes with it!
The Somme battlefields are so impressive, I keep on coming back, eternally! This is where the world changed in a stalemate. This is where the old world ended. I would like to say for a better world. However we are still in the stalemate. Realize that and turn your life around, at least for these chaps, but most of all for your children!!! Never, ever forget!
You made a very interesting video. Thank you for uploading.
Nice video. Well edited, snd brings back poignant memories of my countless visits there. Travelling across the Somme is like a world away from rhe hustle and bustle of normal life. When i go there it seems to be a different world , detached from normal life. I could easily, and have easily been totally lost in my thoughts in these hamlets, towns, and villages, casting my mind back to what it must have been like. Then on leaving the battlefields, you come back to normality, high technology, phones, etc... Hard to explain how the Somme takes you to a timeless void when you traverse and drive those areas. Lest we never forget.
What a beatiful and sad place at the same time. I remember these words: «WHEN YOU GO HOME, TELL THEM OF US AND SAY, FOR YOUR TOMORROW, WE GAVE OUR TODAY», «WE WILL REMEMBER THEM». ( I'm from Mexico ).
One of the most impressive films about the Battle of the Somme i've ever seen.
Very impressive, thank you. #wewillrememberthem
My father had the privalage of taking the old soldiers with the Hampstead (Co-founder) pals to their action spots, but i respect him for his choice,not going out partying but listening to what the boys gad to say, he was also Number 11 in the western front association
Great men thank you
We will remember them........
Poignant ... to the point of tears.
Beautifully done. Thank you for sharing.
I visited the Somme in October of 2016 and it is an experience I will never forget. I often go back their through UA-cam and get upset again. I will revisit the fallen another time before I leave this world
Thank you for sharing your very moving film
I feel a melancholy sadness when I see the age of some soldiers even more so when I realize the world would be fighting again in the short future.
Really a nice tribute, thank you. Very emotional.
Wonderfully done!
So moving! We are visiting a friends great uncle who is buried in the Guards Cemetery at Les Boeufs next month, as well as my husband' great uncle who is buried in the Perth China Wall Cemetery near Ypres. Brave young men! We shall never forget their sacrifice.
so peacefull in there now..great video!
My mum's uncle is buried at windy corner cemetery he was killed just before the battle of the somme .I have visited a lot of this area and its a very sad sobering experience 😢
Very moving. Lest we forget.
A very moving documentary.
Excellent video. Thank you for making it, brought back so many memories from my two trips there.
Very professional and evocative....thankyou
Excellent visited the somme in october we must never forget them
Siempre sentí admiración por todos aquellas personas que dieron su vida por la democracia. Yo viví en el Somme Peronne Biache 1961/1974. La huella de la guerra estaba muy presente.
thankyou, very moving.
My great uncle Israel Roy Blakley died on the first day of the battle of Vimy. RIP
Incredibly beautiful video..
My grandad won The DCM on the Somme ,South Staffordshire,been to Ypres,going to the Somme next year !
Very good. Very moving. Nicely edited. Barry, England.
This was very well done and touching. I don't have any personal connections that I am aware of yet, but I do share the same feelings you do when you explained why this fascinated you. Thank you very much.
Gone to a glory well earned mate
We visited many cemeteries on the Somme in 2016 and attended the ceremony at the Menin Gate. One day I will go back. Lest we forget.
Excellent👏👏👏👏
Beautiful countryside which is a massive cemetery........
thank you. superb video :-)
Bravo. Well done!
Cryed watching this..
Excellent presentation
Love it
amazing work. very well done. what was the music you chose. i loved hearing it especially the first section.
36TH Ulster Division.
For Our Tomorrow
They Give Their Today.
Pity the British Government Would Not Remember This When They Tried To Sell Out
Loyal Ulster Protestants To A Foreign Country.
For God And Ulster.1912 U.V.F.
Nathan Bedford Forest 100 % AGREE AND THEY'RE AT IT AGAIN IN THE NAME OFF BREXIT !!!
The Brave men and women off N.I who gave the ultimate sacrifice LEST WE FORGET.
Veramente molto bello. Complimenti per il video
Outstanding.
Well done 👍👍💛👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💛👍👍
These men held their trenches, in many cases they still hold these trenches. R.I.P
never will forget those brave canadians
Why do you not have the same sentiment for all of those who fought to defeat Germany?
My Great Uncle still lies somewhere on the Somme, or has an unknown grave. Missing after the first day and never found - as were many of his brothers in the 1st Regiment KOSB. Listed on the Thiepval Memorial...
Very touching video. Wish you well.