Somme Anniversary Today

[jims-terrano]

OK guys this is my 10,000 post and what better way than to mark the 101st anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. Probably the bloodiest battles of the Great War.
At 7:28 on the morning of 1st July 1916 a mine was exploded under the German frontline, to this day the total number of casualties is not known. It is said that the explosion was heard in London. This marked the beginning of the battle though the British and allied forces had been shelling the German lines for several days previously.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lochnagar_mine

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme

Lest We Forget

So it is my way of showing respect to the thousands of people of all nations that were killed or injured on that day so long ago by dedicating my 10,000th post.

[jims-terrano]

PS my counter is stuck at 9,999 hope it's not been stopped at that

[Jay666d]

A nice dedication. :clap

Lest We Forget.

[Thomas61]

I took a couple of quite minutes just before 7:30 sat in the garden with a coffee to remember this.

A nice dedication.

[emjaybee]

It wasn't wasted JT.

I went to Ypres many years ago, to find my great grandfathers grave. It was quite a harrowing experience and very humbling.

M.

[rustic]

Jim a very considerate post, and worthy of your marking of your 10,000 th post.

We get on with our daily life, getting on with the daily challenges, then something like what Jim has posted, makes you think how vulnerable the human race is. The irony is, these young men who died in the war, had no choice, they had to fight. My thoughts will be with these prople. Thanks Jim for the reminder.
:rose

[jims-terrano]

I visited these areas in 2014 and found them very moving. There's several FB live feeds of ceremonies this morning too. One of things I took away from the visiting these battlefields is the overwhelming respect the people of France and Belgium really do genuinely have for the memories of this sad part of human history. I hope to visit the battlefields again and have more time to spend rather than being rushed as I was the last time.

[johnb5177]

A fitting tribute to the fallen, of a horrific battle in a futile and pointless war....to end all wars....:nenau

[zippy656]

Very well said.

[Blocky10]

:rose

[johnb5177]

Written by a victim of the desire for a pointless victory.......

https://youtu.be/wxxqotHAlsI

Enjoy......but be saddened by the tremendous loss to humanity......

[jims-terrano]

A beautiful piece of music and such a sad story.