The Battle of the Somme

Muninn · Postby **Muninn** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:07 pm

Today is the 90th anniversary of the start of the battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest days in history. It's also a time for reflection I believe and to take a look at the uncaring aspect of war and those who enter it haphazardly. I wrote the following poem a few years back about this event.

Excerpts From a War Diary

Tum0spoo · Postby **Tum0spoo** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:20 pm

Oh my, those are powerfull words. You have no idea how touching that is to me. If you don't mind, when school begins again I'd like to take these to my Comander in JROTC. Truly excellent writing by your part. I'll be sure to take a moment for this day as well.

osprey · Postby **osprey** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:36 pm

Haunting.

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:51 am

Very well-written, Jack.

It was said of the British army soldiers that they were "lions led by donkeys."

Muninn · Postby **Muninn** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:47 pm

If you don't mind, when school begins again I'd like to take these to my Comander in JROTC.

Sure, you can show him the poem if you want.

It was said of the British army soldiers that they were "lions led by donkeys."

If I knew that when this was written I'd probably have worked that in somewhere.

FerretParade · Postby **FerretParade** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:05 pm

Your a good man my friend. It's pretty cool actually seeing people remembering wars that most of us have long forgotten. Living with the feeling that you could be dead in the next minute constantly is defintely something I'd never want to go through. I'm real proud for all the people that have put themselves at the highest risk just for us. That have put our lives beyond their own.

Rooster · Postby **Rooster** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:46 pm

I can assure you, there is no British person alive that wouldn't know about the battle of the Somme.

On the first day of the Somme in 1916, the British lost 58,000 men. That is the equivalent of U.S. Battle Deaths in the Vietnam Conflict... A lot of them were from Salford, a place near me, where apparently on some streets, every man that had gone was killed.

But I went to the monument in Thiepval with school, and it's massive, and covered in the names of those that died in and around the Thiepval area of the Somme line.

FerretParade · Postby **FerretParade** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:57 pm

The sad thing is you wouldn't believe how many people round these parts who have even forgotten about the vietnam war! Its a sad thing in the culture over here I notice people seem to busy to even want to ever remember almost any history at all!

Rooster · Postby **Rooster** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:46 pm

I think it's more amazing when I talk to some yanks who don't even know what WW1 was...

Hell on Earth is my answer.

Vietnam was a holiday camp compared to that.

Niko123000 · Postby **Niko123000** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:00 pm

I think it's more amazing when I talk to some yanks who don't even know what WW1 was...

Hell on Earth is my answer.

Vietnam was a holiday camp compared to that.

To tell you guys the truth, I didn't know anything on the Battle of Sonome(SP?) My history teacher got as far as WWII before the end of school, and if this battle happened somewhere in that time frame, Then she never went over it.

However, I did recenlty learn about WWI, and Rooster's right, Vietnam's a cake walk compared to that.

Rooster · Postby **Rooster** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:40 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_somme

If you want to learn more about WW1, just ask me. Military history is kind of a hobby of mine.

CodeCat · Postby **CodeCat** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:42 pm

My great-granda fought in the trenches with the British Army. But he survived and was sent home when he served his time. Not sure exactly where he was, but definitely somewhere in western Belgium.

FerretParade · Postby **FerretParade** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:19 pm

If you want to learn more about WW1, just ask me. Military history is kind of a hobby of mine.

How about 14-18th century european history eh? I chose that for the heck of it for a college history class.

Edit: Yes I'm one of the few americans that's interested in other countries' history =D

Bocaj Claw · Postby **Bocaj Claw** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:08 pm

If you want to learn more about WW1, just ask me. Military history is kind of a hobby of mine.
How about 14-18th century european history eh? I chose that for the heck of it for a college history class.

Edit: Yes I'm one of the few americans that's interested in other countries' history =D

As am I. Ignorance may or may not be bliss but it certainly is dangerous.

Tum0spoo · Postby **Tum0spoo** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:34 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_somme

If you want to learn more about WW1, just ask me. Military history is kind of a hobby of mine.

I know to come to you for any info I might need in JROTC. Thanks. ^^

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The Battle of the Somme

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