On this date precisely 100 years ago....

Those tactics vs those weapons. Damn

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James (Jimmy) Cleland Richardson VC (25 November 1895 – 8/9 October 1916) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Richardson was born in Bellshill, Scotland and a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and then Chilliwack, BC. He was a Piper in the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and he proceeded overseas as part of the large Seaforth contingent of the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, during the First World War when the following deed took place when he was 20 years old for which he was awarded the VC.

During the Battle of the Ancre Heights on 8 October 1916 at Regina Trench, Somme, France, the company was held up by very strong wire and came under intense fire. Piper Richardson, who had obtained permission to play the company 'over the top' strode up and down outside the wire playing his pipes, which so inspired the company that the wire was rushed and the position captured. Later the piper was detailed to take back a wounded comrade and some prisoners, but after proceeding some distance he insisted on turning back to recover his pipes which he had left behind. He was never seen again.[1]

Richardson's remains were found in 1920 and he is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, located 6 miles north-east of Albert, France (plot III, row F, grave 36).

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Lance Corporal Richie Spence, 24, from Newtownards, County Down, will have the honour of playing the lament at the end of an all-night vigil and service at Westminster Abbey commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme on Friday 1 July.

LCpl Spence, from the Irish Guards, will play Flowers in the Forest standing at the tomb of the unknown warrior at 07.30am, marking the moment one hundred years before that thousands of British soldiers met their deaths as they went ‘over the top’ in the first wave of attack.
Tribute to all who fought

The young Lance Corporal, who was shot by insurgents while serving on Operation Herrick 13 in Afghanistan in 2011, aged just 18, said it would be a huge honour and privilege to play on the anniversary of Britain’s bloodiest battle.

He said: “It’s such an important day. It was a truly horrible war with terrible casualties. You had lads as young as 15, who’d lied about their age to join up, dying fighting for a better cause for their country. I have the utmost respect for those men and boys.

“Everyone should know how special a day it is and realise what they went through for us. No one can imagine how grotesque it must have been. I’ve experienced war but I had the benefit of decent personal equipment and weaponry they never had.”

As well as Afghanistan, the 24-year-old has completed operational tours in Cyprus, the Falklands, and been on training exercises in Kenya and Oman. He said he was proud and honoured to be taking part in the commemorations. “The pipes were used back then just as they are today to fire up soldiers’ morale before they go to face their enemy. The lament is a tribute to all who fought.”

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I can't believe that I grew up knowing men who fought in this war.

Of 794 Newfoundlanders who go over the top on the first day, only 68 survive for roll call the next morning.

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"No engagement in the entire war better encapsulated the futility of old world tactics in the face of modern weapons. The first day of the Somme is WW1 in a nutshell." - Max Hastings

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"General Douglas Haig, having been handed false information, berated VII Corps the following morning as he believed they had not left their trenches. In reality, they had suffered 14,000 casualties. Confusion reigns in the British camp."

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Think about this for a moment. On just the first day of the Battle of the Somme the British suffered roughly 80,000 casualties, mostly before lunch! And that was just day one of a battle that would rage for four and a half months. and this was in a war that had already been going on for over 2 years and would go on for another two years after this battle was over.

When this battle was over the British had lost just shy of 800,000 casualties, 250,000 of which died.

To put that in perspective, during the roughly 10 years of American involvement in the Vietnam War, we suffered a little over 300,000 casualties, 58,000 of which who were killed. And that was spread out over about 10 years. The British lost over twice the total casualties and over four times the death total over just four and a half months.

I have no idea why people are downvoting you. Dan Carlin's podcasts are top notch.


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wasn't me









<-------- Dan Carlin

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An entire generation of men were sent to their slaughter in WWI. Think about that.

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All because incestuous royalty were having spats between each other.