I myself was quite unsure about visiting the site of the Battle of the Somme. I did not know how I would feel, what emotions it might stir.
Having now been, I am unequivocal in recommending that people should go to such sites. In reality, visiting these sites did more than any book might convey and brought the message sharply home; the futility and waste that war brings.
These lessons need to be passed on, generation to generation. It was in that regard that I was pleased to see that there were a number of school educational trips to these sites of historic importance.
The Thiepval Memorial itself contains the names of 72,195 British and South African soldiers “missing” in the Battle of the Somme.
We all need to learn.
Note: Images of the soldiers were taken at the Thiepval Memorial, Picardy, France.
Credit: Statistical information taken from Wikipedia
Meticulous Mick 
Reblogged this on From guestwriters and commented:
Showing some photo’s from one of the display panels within the Thiepval Visitor Centre featuring photographs of some of the men who were commemorated on the memorial we should stand still by the millions of people who lost their lives, not only in world War I but also in World War II and the many battles which were fought on the battle fields in Europe. At last common sense brought the nations together working on a community of unity, the European Union, which now is back under threat.
The panel created in 2004 and consisting of 600 head and shoulders pictures which were selected to provide a fair representation of the 72,000 on the memorial are just a shade of men who had ideals, hopes and dreams, which were shattered to pieces in agony and despair by the cruelty which overtook them all.
Display panels in three languages — English, French and German — may provide an overview of the course of the Great War from 1914-1918, but it is the task to each sincere civilian and honest human being to spread the message of peace all over the world in their own mother tongue and show the world why that atrocity which took place 100 years ago may not happen again.
Today there are still millions of people dying because the greed to power and the aim to suppress others is still with the stealth of a tiger looking at the world and to malinger as a dangerous silent virus which has no mercy, bringing damage to both parties involved.
LikeLike
While we haven’t seen a war to the scale of both world wars but millions die every year in wars. civilians are biggest casualties. and all this for power and religion.
Never heard or seen pictures about this place before . Thanks for posting Mick
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will man ever learn? Arguably not, there is too often one side that is too willing to resort to arms. Thanks for your comment Arv! appreciated. MM 🍀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree…. History is good example. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person