jambopompey Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 On July 1, 1916 at 7:30 A.M. the Allies launched the largest offensive of the war. What would soon be the bloodiest and most tragic single day in British Military history. July 1, 1916 the opening day of Somme, By 12:30 P.M. over 50,000 of Britain's soldiers were dead or wounded..Copy/Paste in remembrance..LEST WE FORGET OUR BRAVE FALLEN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0BH3UcPXXQ&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambos are go! Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Unbelievable butchery to send out 50,000 brave men to death or near destruction on a single morning. Unbelieveable stupidy to create the so called 'pals ' battalions grouping people together based on geography or profession or both. Virtually all the young men or tradesman in relatively small communities or occupations were wiped out by the Donkeys of the day. Thankfully the Lions have not been forgetten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartsofgold Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 We will never forget the ultimate sacrifice those young men made. Communities all over the country will never let us and nor should they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Kilpatrick Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 The Somme battlefields, as I've said before, must be the most thought provoking places on the planet. Only Auschwitz could come close. Incredible to think of the peace and tranquility there now compared to the slaughter of 95 years ago. Lest we forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punks No Deid Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 The Somme battlefields, as I've said before, must be the most thought provoking places on the planet. Only Auschwitz could come close. Incredible to think of the peace and tranquility there now compared to the slaughter of 95 years ago. Lest we forget. couldn't put it better myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trago13 Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Just reading the book for the second time just now. Whilst filling me with pride at the part Heart of Midlothian played in the great war, I must say it fills me with horror what these poor men where subjected too. No words can really sum up the gratitude we owe these men. Also how brave where the men who fought in the 2nd WW. These men knew the horrors of the 1st WW and yet still went to war. LEST WE FORGET Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
systemx Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thinking of Great Grandad Wullie Mc Phail ,Gordon Highlander who went over the top 95 years ago today .Hearts man and later Provost of Tranent.Lest We forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidoug Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Fills me with pride, despite the absolute horror of it all. None of us will ever forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 You can read contemporary reports here "The great offensive in the West has made a good beginning ...." We should not forget but we should also not forget to be angry at the foolish and senseless slaughter. Yes that is using hindsight to look back at what happened. I just thought I'd look at the origins of it. "Some authors such as Niall Ferguson argue that the belief in a swift war has been greatly exaggerated since the war. He argues that the military planners, especially in Germany, were aware of the potential for a long war, as shown by the Willy-Nicky telegraphic correspondence between the emperors of Russia and Germany. He also argues that most informed people considered a swift war unlikely. However, it was in the belligerent governments' interests to convince their populaces that the war would be brief through skilful use of propaganda, since such a message encouraged men to join the offensive, made the war seem less serious and promoted general high spirits." Go back to the autumn of 1914 and the intense pressure that was being applied onto those who weren't signing up. Footballers especially were signalled out in the letters pages of the newspapers as particular pariahs. So whilst the signing up of the majority of the first XI in 1914 is a proud moment in the History of the Football Club it is also a sad one in the devastation it would reap amongst all those that signed up and their families and friends. Craig's lyrics are especially poignant on an anniversary day like today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 This is my storyThis is my song It's a long way from Gorgie To the fields o' the Somme Where they played tunes of glory As we marched along The pals o' the Sporting Battalion From the Heart of Midlothian To the Waverly train The crowds they were singing An auld Scots refrain Our sweethearts and darlings Our bonnie wee bairns Were waving their flags And calling our names Sing Hearts of Glory Dawn and sunset Hearts of glory Lest we forget Young Scottish soldiers And soldiers unknown Who gave hearts of glory In the trenches of Picardy The whistles are blown And it's over the top lads Through the wire and the bombs To pain and destruction Let the piper play To lead us to hell To death and dismay There was never a moment I was not afraid But there by my side Were the gallant McCrae's Until they fell in the slaughter When the bayonets were out And the few of us left Held the auld Scots Redoubt Ellis and Currie Briggs, Boyd, Hazeldean Wattie and Nisbet He was only sixteen Their names I'll remember At the end of each day They fought and died Wi' Geordie McCrae Who cared for the Kaiser Or Imperial gains Love of our country Duty or fame? Between the whim of an airman And four feathers of shame We fought for the pals Of a wee fitba team And when it was over Just what had we done? There were no flags of glory For McCrae and his own There were no graves for heroes For our brothers and sons Who sleep 'neath the flowers In the fields of the Somme Some came back as cripples Some couldnae kick a ball Some wounded and broken Most came not at all But they remain in my memory Forever young The pals o' the Sporting Battalion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuQvHYq3txM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmfc_steve Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 The Somme battlefields, as I've said before, must be the most thought provoking places on the planet. Only Auschwitz could come close. Incredible to think of the peace and tranquility there now compared to the slaughter of 95 years ago. Standing on Culloden does it for me Lest we forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearts Heritage Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scots civil war Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 not forsaken,rest in peace lads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfstar Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Cant imagine the horror so many lived through so we can be free today. LEST WE FORGET Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougie Masterton Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thinking of my grandfather Joseph Masterton, Gordon Highlanders, wounded in action 1st July 1916, but survived and lived into his nineties. One of the lucky few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartleys_Jam_Tart Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Really moving stuff and should never , ever be forgotten . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macros Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 To all who died in the horror of war, rest in peace, and with God's good grace all those in conflict zones today may you come home safe and sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainmac Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Which reminds me, when are we getting the War Memorial back in it's rightful place at Haymarket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartsBore1874 Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 i think the council are assuming that we will forget....lest we forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maple Leaf Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 The loss of life on July 1, 1916 was a calamity beyond words. But it was only the first day in a campaign that was to last until November. By the end of the year, the Germans viewed the Somme as their greatest defeat. It was a remarkable achievement; the world's strongest military power defeated by Britain's citizen army. The human cost was awful; almost a million casualties on both sides, including the French, who played a major role in the latter stages of the campaign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazio Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 It was a remarkable achievement; the world's strongest military power defeated by Britain's citizen army. The human cost was awful; almost a million casualties on both sides, including the French, who played a major role in the latter stages of the campaign. My memory of sudying it was that the French did better than the British from the start pretty much. With the British managing less than 10 miles advance for all of those young lifes. The casualty figures are mind boggling to even try to comprehend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3fingersreid Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Which reminds me, when are we getting the War Memorial back in it's rightful place at Haymarket? my thoughts entirely ......its not just the fact the promise was made to have it back by last November but the fact its a WAR MEMORIAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ando Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 rest in peace boys we fought for the pals of a wee fitba team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punks No Deid Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 words can't come close to how humble and in awe I am of these (beyond) brave boys and how proud I am to be associated with them as a lifelong Hearts fan - it is indeed a true honour to be a heart of midlothian supporter! ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor FinnBarr Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Words fail me apart from LEST WE FORGET. RIP lads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartsBore1874 Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 my grandad was one of the lucky ones. gordon highlander, was captured in the november and spent the next few years as a pow escaping twice and getting caught. while a pow he had his appendix removed with a sharpened spoon. was a member of the old contemptables. died in his eighties. lest we forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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