Battle of the Somme 90th Anniversary July 1st - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Elmo · 08-02-2007, 03:43 PM

My great-grandfather was at the Somme in the Black Watch. He got shot up so badly they thought he was dead. They actually wrote his name in a book of the fallen but he survived though he limped for the rest of his life. It's hard to imagine nowadays, the crap that the lads on the Western Front had to put up with. Puts it all in perspective.

davem · 09-16-2007, 01:18 AM

Another aspect of the horrors of war - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...#StartComments

Quote:

The make-up of British society had changed irrevocably - as Isie Russell-Stevenson discovered to her horror.

Towards the end of the war in 1918 she received a message to say that her husband, Hamilton, would be returning home from the Front.

Wearing her prettiest dress, Isie waited eagerly at the docks for his boat to arrive.

But the dreamed-of moment turned suddenly to nightmare.

Hamilton appeared on a stretcher, mangled and clearly dying. Isie took him home and nursed him and not long afterwards he died.

Can 't help thinking of the Marine recruiters in Farenheit 911 who went up to a guy in the street & asked if he wanted to enlist:

"I have a wife and kid." he told them.

"All the more reason to enlist." one replied.

davem · 10-28-2007, 07:47 AM

A new TV movie about the loss of Rudyard Kipling's son in WWI. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...=1766&ito=1490
I was particularly struck by the poem Kipling wrote after Jack died. Anyone else reminded of the lament for Boromir?

'My Boy Jack' (1916)

'Have you news of my boy Jack?'
Not this tide.
'When d'you think that he'll come back?'
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.

'Has any one else had word of him?'
Not this tide.
For what is sunk will hardly swim,
Not with this wind blowing, and this tide.

'Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?'
None this tide,
Nor any tide,
Except he did not shame his kind -
Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide.

Then hold your head up all the more,
This tide,
And every tide;
Because he was the son you bore,
And gave to that wind blowing and that tide!

davem · 08-26-2008, 06:03 AM

Interesting piece from Martin Gilbert about Tolkien & the Somme http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/in...&pagename=Arts

Kuruharan · 07-15-2016, 08:18 AM

I came across this thread during a rummage through some disused corridors of the forum.

My inner historian compels me to point out that we are now at the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

/removes hat

Faramir Jones · 07-21-2016, 07:31 AM

Thanks for unearthing this thread, Kuruharan, sadly relevant for the reason you gave.

Tolkien's old school, King Edward's in Birmingham, have produced 2 documentaries: One on Tolkien himself, another on his friend and fellow T.C.B.S. member Robert Gilson, who did not survive the War:

http://www.tolkiensociety.org/2016/0...-of-the-somme/

08-02-2007, 03:43 PM	#1
Elmo Pittodrie Poltergeist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: trying to find that warm and winding lane again Posts: 633	My great-grandfather was at the Somme in the Black Watch. He got shot up so badly they thought he was dead. They actually wrote his name in a book of the fallen but he survived though he limped for the rest of his life. It's hard to imagine nowadays, the crap that the lads on the Western Front had to put up with. Puts it all in perspective. __________________ As Beren looked into her eyes within the shadows of her hair, The trembling starlight of the skies he saw there mirrored shimmering.

10-28-2007, 07:47 AM	#3
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Not the Somme, but A new TV movie about the loss of Rudyard Kipling's son in WWI. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...=1766&ito=1490 I was particularly struck by the poem Kipling wrote after Jack died. Anyone else reminded of the lament for Boromir? 'My Boy Jack' (1916) 'Have you news of my boy Jack?' Not this tide. 'When d'you think that he'll come back?' Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. 'Has any one else had word of him?' Not this tide. For what is sunk will hardly swim, Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. 'Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?' None this tide, Nor any tide, Except he did not shame his kind - Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide. Then hold your head up all the more, This tide, And every tide; Because he was the son you bore, And gave to that wind blowing and that tide! __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

08-26-2008, 06:03 AM	#4
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Interesting piece from Martin Gilbert about Tolkien & the Somme http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/in...&pagename=Arts __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

07-15-2016, 08:18 AM	#5
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	One Hundred Years I came across this thread during a rummage through some disused corridors of the forum. My inner historian compels me to point out that we are now at the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. /removes hat __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...

07-21-2016, 07:31 AM	#6
Faramir Jones Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lonely Isle Posts: 706	Thanks for unearthing this thread Thanks for unearthing this thread, Kuruharan, sadly relevant for the reason you gave. Tolkien's old school, King Edward's in Birmingham, have produced 2 documentaries: One on Tolkien himself, another on his friend and fellow T.C.B.S. member Robert Gilson, who did not survive the War: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/2016/0...-of-the-somme/