July 1st 92 years ago

Retlaw · 01-07-2008, 11:49

On this day 92 years ago, 125 men from Greater Accrington lay dead on the Somme battlefield, a further 208 men were wounded.

Retlaw

BERNADETTE · 01-07-2008, 11:52

A sad fact that we must never forget, these men fought and died for us!!!

polly · 01-07-2008, 12:06

A very sad fact that must never be forgotten.
The question is, have we learnt a lesson from their deaths?

cashman · 01-07-2008, 12:25

very sad, very brave lads, n no polly don't think we learned much.

Boeing Guy · 01-07-2008, 12:26

Respect is due, they gave their lives for us.

archiveuk · 01-07-2008, 12:59

Thank you for this timely reminder Retlaw.

Alvin the chipmunk · 01-07-2008, 13:35

A poignant extract from Mike Hardings song "The Accrington Pals"

Blue sky shining on a perfect day,
A lark was singing, high above the Somme.
Brothers, pals and fathers lay
Watching that sweet bird sing in the quiet of the dawn.
And they all went walking out towards the howling guns,
Talking and laughing, calmly walking on,
Believing in the lies that
Left them dying in the mud,
And they're lying, lying, lying still -
The Accrington Pals.

Margaret Pilkington · 01-07-2008, 13:36

We must always remember their sacrfice so that we could live our lives freely.

Another thing, we should not allow authorities to tamper with the history of our country, and the conflicts it fought. Recently the authorities have tried to remove the references in the history books to the Holocaust....because it may offend Muslims ......they do not believe it happened.......This despite photographic evidence collected at the time by allied troops.

Respect the war dead of all the conflicts fought by our brave men.
Despise the wars, but respect the men.

Retlaw · 01-07-2008, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by polly

A very sad fact that must never be forgotten.
The question is, have we learnt a lesson from their deaths?

By we, do you mean the people of this country, or the IDIOTS that
rule our lives.

Retlaw.

jaysay · 01-07-2008, 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

By we, do you mean the people of this country, or the IDIOTS that
rule our lives.

Retlaw.

I think she probably means the people of this country and not the idiots who rule our lives

wadey · 01-07-2008, 15:51

All very very sad, have just been looking at some of the memorials at Townley Hall and wondering if we have learnt anything from it. I cannot understand how twenty years later they went and did it again.

WillowTheWhisp · 01-07-2008, 16:54

It wasn't the same thing that they did. It's like saying we shouldn't have had the Gulf War because of the Falklands.

polly · 01-07-2008, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

By we, do you mean the people of this country, or the IDIOTS that
rule our lives.

Retlaw.

I meant all of us.
My father was in WWII and he always said that he had wasted his youth and his friends had wasted their lives if war ever happened again. Obviously he was disappointed

Eric · 01-07-2008, 18:31

The Accrington Pals have a great web site, as no doubt many of you know ... and in it is a transcript of the battalion war diary for the day of July 1, 1916 http://www.pals.org.uk/pals-diary I think that the terse, matter-of-fact way in which it records the heroism and tragedy of that day is more evocative than any poem, or monument. I'm glad this thread was posted. No one in Accrington, or from Accrington should ever forget the bravery of those men.

Eric · 01-07-2008, 19:07

Sorry my link didn't seem to work ... but the Pals' web site is well worth a visit for those of you who haven't already been there .... there is even an old movie clip of the Pals marching past.