Видео

I too visited at the beginning of September stayed at Albert and also visited Lochnagar Crater a very somber and special place to sit and think what happened there. Vimy is a place I am yet to visit I drove past on way down to The Somme am very much looking forward to visiting the beautiful Memorial there.

@@_Acameraandthesomme We had lunch in Albert and visited the amazing museum. My son took me on this emotional journey, I will go back with my husband one day soon. I, do want to go to Loos, my great uncle Charles Smith HLI died there on 25th September 1915 at the of 19.

Thank you. It was an emotional visit to a friends relative am so happy for him to get to see where his relative lays at rest.

Yes I believe it was experimentally trialled in the early 1920s but not implemented in many cemeteries 9 in total I think, a beautiful spot and cemetery for these men to rest.

Your welcome glad you liked, I have a few more on my RUclips page and a few to come next few weeks. Lest We Forget.

You can see half of his headstone at 1.22 in the video, bless him and all of them. Yes the way down to the cemetery was a watch your step moment but a beautiful little cemetery for these men.

@@_Acameraandthesomme Yes, it is a lovely little cemetery. So moving, but aren't they all 😪

@Kenshort8901 Absolutely my friend. Lest We Forget.

Yes as you walk up those steps and read the inscription it always gets to me, a very special place for sure.

That it was for sure, a beautiful cemetery and an honour to visit and lay the poppy crosses for George’s family.

Thank you Christopher. It was a lovely day and standing outside the cemetery looking down into Mash Valley just picturing the men advancing over that ground they had to walk across was very moving and something I will never forget, the hour I spent in Ovillers Cemetery was very special a beautiful setting for those boys.

Absolutely. Lest We Forget.

Yes it is a very moving place, I served too in the RRW and trained with a few Devon and Dorsets great lads, will be returning at end of August and making a new video in the cemetery and about the 7th division on 1st July 1916.

1972 - 1986 good times . Did you train at Crickhowell,

@@alexandercormack6818 81-86 for me, yes at Crickhowell loved the place.

Thanks for your comment. It is good to know your visiting your grand uncles grave again at Dantzig Alley Cemetery it is a special place, hope it is a little cooler for your visit. I will look out for him when I visit in august.

Thank you for watching and msg. Yes you are right there are flags a bit further in the wood, it is a very humbling place to visit. I will be at Mametz and visiting the wood again in a few weeks so look out for new videos.

Thank you, it was a warm one for sure, and yes just like the morning of the 1st July 1916 a beautiful day with such a tragic ending.

Cheers Graham. Mametz Wood is a very special place and well worth a visit, you sense that something bad happened there gives the impression your not alone am returning there in a few weeks to tell the story of my Gt grandfather and the Welsh division at Mametz Wood.

@@_Acameraandthesomme I’m looking forward to hearing your story about your great grandfather and the Welsh division. He would be very proud of you following in his footsteps and telling the story about Marmetz wood. Total respect for you keeping these stories alive and never forgetting our brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom today.

Hi James, it was a quick unplanned visit but am so glad I did, as you can see it was literally pull up get phone out and say something lol, I will be at Mametz for 4 days in march and will be paying my respects the way I have wanted to also using decent cameras so will hopefully be able to make a better viewing video and be able to tell his story clearly.

@@_Acameraandthesomme You did good first time around and I'm sure making your Great Grandfather proud in the process, I am glad you are returning to make another video and spend more time there, Mametz although stands for horrific it also stands for Welsh pride and a time when men from the same families and townships came together for each other on the battlefield and laid down their lives for each other, no greater respect could be offered "Ubique"

Thank you for the compliment and kind words James much appreciated mate. Yes Mametz and it’s wood certainly has a presence you can feel that’s for sure, the men of the 7th division in front of Mametz on 1st July 1916 paid a heavy price taking the village opening the way for the Welsh division at the wood, Mametz certainly does stand for horrific you get a sense of it wandering around if you know what went on there over a hundred years ago.

I will be filming a video about 2 pals who joined up together they could be any 2 men who answered Kitchener’s call from any village or town, 2 pals who joined The Swansea Pals there is no mind blowing story just how these 2 men their struggles and ultimately what happened to them after volunteering like so many thousands of others around the country. I just hope that I can do them credit just like after watching your reaction to standing on the very spot your relative would have fought at, it means a lot.

I like yourself am ex military, there are many similarities between myself and my gt grandfather one I am very proud of is that I served in the same regiment as him and his son so I feel that closeness to the boys still there at Mametz wood, as you say James Welsh pride floods through Mametz wood.

Glad you enjoyed the video. Did your Grandfather and Gt uncle survive the war? I too have 3 other members of my family with the 38th division all at Mametz Wood, it must have been hell for those brave lads for sure. I’m due to go back to Mametz and Mametz Wood will be telling the story of the Welsh division around mid march will be making new videos so keep an eye out for them.

glamarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/16th-Cardiff-City-Battalion-Welsh-Regiment-at-Mametz-Wood.pdf

Also known as the Cardiff city Battalion, the 16th Battalion The Welsh Regiment (became Welch in 1920). Really interesting read Paul, they were all very lucky to survive that open ground that’s for sure, Ivor Phillips paid for the failure with his job. The link is for the battalion war diary it gives us a good insight into the battalion’s lead up to the attack. I will look to see if I can find the documentary you mention would be awesome to watch for sure. Am going to be at Mametz end of January all being good with weather etc will be posting new videos also drone views too.

Hi, will be visiting the wood aug/sept and am making a few new videos, please feel free to subscribe you never know where I may end up 😊

Hi, which regiment was your great grandfather with, would be very interested to see a pic of his uniform I don’t have any of my ancestor. Thanks.

What was your relatives name please?

Thank you

Thank you for your kind words. A tragedy for all, for the men who died and those who survived also, you hear the stories of survivors not talking about their experiences and those who did spoke about the overwhelming guilt they felt for coming back and leaving their friends behind, god bless them all.

Thank you 👍

Hi Paul, very interesting family connection there with your Great grandfather and his brothers and for all 3 to survive the attack on 7th July, can only imagine how each would have felt worrying about each other and for all 3 to survive is remarkable. Thank you for sharing and the info on the documentary 👍

Hi David, thank you for your comment it means a lot.

Thank you

Thank you. It was a privilege to walk the ground those men fought over.

@@_Acameraandthesomme I really want to visit that place it is really inspiring and horrifying at the same time. also the bouchavesnes commune, as I am coloring a recording taken july or august 1916 there.

@World war 1 in Color. Since finding out about my great grandfather and where he fell on 10th July 1916 I have wanted to visit and record video and images to keep the memory of these men/boys alive. I visited last august briefly and took a few videos and am planning to return next month and record a lot more video/drone footage of the 7th and 17th division’s actions in front of Mametz and Fricourt and again at Mametz Wood. I don’t know anything about the magic you guys do on colouring the old footage but it looks amazing and seeing the results in kind of brings it alive, good stuff.

Thank you for your comment David. A truly inspiring place and an honour to visit.

Often the bodies were buried, then blown out of the ground by shellfire, reburied by the next volley of shells or simply blown to tiny pieces. Some remains are still found and identified by DNA testing to this day but many will never be found.

My own great uncle was lost in Belgium on 8-5-15 never heard of since one of 55000 commemorated on the wonderful Menin gate

Sadly John, most of those still listed as missing were no doubt destroyed by the huge weight of artillery fire that was used.

Thank you for your lovely comments, it is nice of you to say and very much appreciated.