Somme - Page 2

CASPER · 02-07-2006, 22:09

My daughter and her friends were interviewed on radio lancashire on saturday morning. The school is doing a project on world war one called posters and propoganda. It involves looking at the effects of war on the families and comparing the posters with the reality of war. They are all drama students, but the project involves Drama, History and Art depts. My daughter has really enjoyed learning everything she can about this subject and all four of them wanted to stay for the parade and the service.
The project will be displayed in Haworth Art gallery over the summer. Try to get along and support our youngsters who are trying so hard to understand.

pendy · 03-07-2006, 13:02

My grandparents lost their eldest son on the Somme - he wasn't killed outright, but died of wounds a couple of months later. And no, I'm not that old, just a rather strung-out family. I can't remember the name of the website, but if anyone does a Google search on "Accrington Pals", it should be easy enough to find.

It's hard to comprehend the suffering, not just of the men, but of those left behind. One woman in Lion Street, Church, lost her husband and her three sons. It doesn't bear thinking about. My Sunday paper had a picture in one of the supplements of cheerful young men, heading off to unspeakable carnage, smiling and giving a thumbs up to the camera. It made me weep.

Tealeaf · 03-07-2006, 13:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

I put in a funding bid to the Heritage Lottery to fund an educational programme and pack but it got refused. I think they felt it was too localised and so not 'big' enough a project to fund. Shame, I agree with you Doug that it is only by teaching the reality of war that we can hope to avoid it in the future.

Errrr..Gayle,

The National Archives/PRO at Kew, togeather with the IWM, produced a pack for the 80th Somme Commemoration. This is the Accy Pals pack and contains copies of detailed maps, a synopsis of the battle, extracts from the battalion war diary, and then detailed war records of one pal (from Rishton). I'm sure these were for sale in the Town Hall at the time, although I got mine from Kew..and still have it.

This is possibly another reason why your programme & pack was refused...the pack already exists.

Gayle · 03-07-2006, 14:15

Quite possibly Tealeaf.

WillowTheWhisp · 03-07-2006, 15:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by CASPER

My daughter and her friends were interviewed on radio lancashire on saturday morning.

I think my daughter (she's an AccyWeb member having a birthday today) may know your daughter. She was there too and was the first one asked to speak but she didn't want to speak first so ended up saying nothing! This after I'd rushed about to be near a radio so I could listen to her!

I couldn't be there in person because I had to be in Blackburn on Saturday morning.

CASPER · 03-07-2006, 19:07

Yes Willow I know your daughter and I told her not to worry as she was a little disappointed afterwards. It is very scary having a microphone pushed towards you.
How did they come across on the radio?
I couldn't hear them very well as I didn't want to get too close to them and put them off.

Uncle Mick · 04-07-2006, 10:23

Got back from a tour of the battlefields and graves of the Somme at 12:15 this morning. We managed to miss the media at the larger memorials by rejiggling the schedule and as a special request we visited the Pals memorial. It`s set quite a way from the main road, up a track and is situated at the corner edge of the woods, just in front of the trench line. The forest is pine and Saturday when we visited gave respite from the hot sun. Through the forest, which is dotted with shell holes, you reach the forward trench and then Railway Hill cemetary, where 57 of the Pals are buried. This cemetary as all war cemetaries in France and Belgium is meticulosly maintained by the Commenwealth War Graves Committee. At each cemetary is a small vault in the wall which holds a record of all the graves at that site together with a visitors book. The site, once the coach parties had left was incredibly peaceful, with a spectacular view over the surrounding countryside and the memorial of Accrington brick and black marble does stand out as something special due to its location and design. I`d recommend anyone visiting that area to stop off, make a short walk and pay your respects to the brave men of the area.

Tealeaf · 05-07-2006, 10:44

I wonder if anyone can make any sense of this (I have my own ideas, but I'd like to see some others first):

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/City-Of-Accrin...ayphotohosting

Wynonie Harris · 05-07-2006, 11:00

An educated guess - it was a medal given out to all the children in the borough to celebrate Peace Day on July 19th 1919 - the date of the official national celebrations of the Allied victory.

Tealeaf · 05-07-2006, 12:24

I wish my eyesight was better...but it looks to me that the medal is something else...much later. I shall reserve my comments for the ribbon until there are a few more posts.

Wynonie Harris · 05-07-2006, 12:39

The lettering around the coat-of-arms side says: Borough Of Accrington Celebration Of Peace. The lettering around the other side, apart from saying Peace 1919 also says: In Commemoration Of The Great War 1914-1918.

Tealeaf · 05-07-2006, 13:05

OK....well that demolishes my earlier theory!

But just to evolve the thread once again...I don't know how many people on here visit Andrew Jackson's brilliant website on the Pals. It is regularly updated and the last update was the end of June. This is probably the best yet, with footage of the Pals marching, back in Accy in 1915. Here is the link:

http://www.pals.org.uk/film/film1.htm

Wynonie Harris · 05-07-2006, 13:16

Thanks for the link, Tealeaf, fascinating stuff.

Just out of interest, what was your earlier theory?

Tealeaf · 05-07-2006, 13:21

Err......I thought it was the 50th Anniversary Corporation of Accrington Medal (1878-1928) with a bit of French ribbon tagged on. These things do happen!

Wynonie Harris · 05-07-2006, 13:42

Well, there was a Golden Jubilee medal, although i've never seen one. Must admit the ribbon colours had me wondering a bit too, but I suppose it's just the red, white and blue of the Union flag.