The Somme

[Rincewind]

Just watched a film 'The Trench' It was about the first day of the battle of The Somme which took place on July 1st 1916 (WW1) In the first two hours 60,000 soldiers were killed. This was the highest casualty record in the history of the British army.

The film centred mainly on the few in one trench leading up to the battle. At one point a backseat officer came to the trench to be filmed for a newsreel with the troops. He gave a wonderful speech about everyone being together and the pending victory over the Germans. When his back was turned somebody shouted out 'You're not coming with us are you sir?' After a few moments thought he replied 'No, I'm not.' Also the troops were given a football to take over to the German side of the battlefield. Anyway the film ended Blackadder Goes Forth style with the men being picked off one by one and slow motion camera shots of them falling.

I have never understood the senselessness of the loss of life suffered in this battle which has always put me firmly in the anti-war lobby.

[MC Prussian]

And it should take another two years for the first world war to end. By 1918, each side was so shaken, there was hardly any motivation to fight any longer. Everybody was exhausted and the war had taken a huge toll on the population. The countries were longing for peace.

I recommend the read of two books by Germans who participated in WWI:

- Ludwig Renn's "War"

- Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet On The Western Front", which's probably one of the most well-known novels on that topic (two movie adaptions followed)

There's also an excellent newer movie out about WWI:

- "Joyeux Noël"/"Merry Christmas" deals with the troops during Christmas time and friendships that are made at a Football tournament involving German, French and Scottish soldiers and officers on the battlefield in those days of short peace. Based on a true event. Should already be out on DVD.

Apart from that, Kubrick's "Paths Of Glory" is another fine WWI flick.

[Thracian]

To think that young kids were commonly shot for cowardice - when it was senior officers who should have been shot for their absolutely appalling leadership and lack of care for their men.

Soldiers were even ordered to walk when they left their trenches to "storm" a German position in the distance - and were thus made standing targets for the lines of German machine guns.

Every line I read about that conflict was disgusting. Never was there a more appalling waste of young lives by officers forced to take the orders of the idealistic and braindead idiots in charge.

[Flynny]

To think that young kids were commonly shot for cowardice - when it was senior officers who should have been shot for their absolutely appalling leadership and lack of care for their men.

Soldiers were even ordered to walk when they left their trenches to "storm" a German position in the distance - and were thus made standing targets for the lines of German machine guns.

Every line I read about that conflict was disgusting. Never was there a more appalling waste of young lives by officers forced to take the orders of the idealistic and braindead idiots in charge.

There was a teen shot who, when Germans stormed their trench, rammed his gun across the trench to slow them down and ran for backup and weapons.

He was shot.

I hate that story.

[l444ry]

Us and Them

(Waters, Wright)

Us, and them

And after all we're only ordinary men.

Me, and you.

God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.

Forward he cried from the rear

and the front rank died.

And the general sat and the lines on the map

moved from side to side.

1973 Pink Floyd

[anotherwin]

To think that young kids were commonly shot for cowardice - when it was senior officers who should have been shot for their absolutely appalling leadership and lack of care for their men.

Soldiers were even ordered to walk when they left their trenches to "storm" a German position in the distance - and were thus made standing targets for the lines of German machine guns.

Every line I read about that conflict was disgusting. Never was there a more appalling waste of young lives by officers forced to take the orders of the idealistic and braindead idiots in charge.

I remember my Dad telling me that his two older brothers got killed in that mindless slaughter, his mother received two telegrams within a week saying that her two boys had been killed in action, one was only 17 years old, she never got over it, I never realised the significance till I got older.