|
|
Event Reports London Somme Association Event Reports
31st July 2009 - Passchendaele Memorial parade Members of the London Somme Association travelled to Belfast to take part in the parade and wreath laying ceremony held on the 31st of July 2009 to commemorate the British action at Passchendaele which was the Third Battle of Ypres. Meticulously planned, the battle was joined on the 31st of July 1917 and continued until the 6th of November that year with the fall to the allies of the village of Passchendaele near Ypres in Belgium. As an association we went to Belfast to remember the British casualties from Third Ypres and we would like to congratulate the 36th Ulster Division Association for organising a very fitting and moving memorial to our brave fallen heroes. Unlike the First and Second Battle of Ypres in 1914 and 1915 respectively which was actually launched by the Germans, Third Ypres was launched by the Allies. In 1917, on the 31st of July the British action centred around Pilkem Ridge and 92 years later we gathered in East Belfast on Friday the 31st of July 2009 to remember those events. It was entirely fitting that the weather that night was blustery winds and heavy rain since the soldiers taking part in Third Ypres found themselves in appalling weather conditions, in fact the worst for many years. As the parade headed from the East to the centre of the city, I struggled to keep our association’s bannerette in check as the wind picked up. I could only guess at what our young soldiers felt as they advanced through the mud and driving rain towards the German guns so many years before. Many Somme associations and memorial societies had also travelled to take part in the event along with three bands. Period uniforms from regiments that took part in Third Ypres were replicated and worn with pride on parade including the 36th(Ulster)Division and the 14th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (YCVs). Seeing the men marching in these uniforms was a highlight of the parade for me and the attention to detail was impressive right down to the original WWI .303 rifles they also carried. At the impressive cenotaph at the City Hall’s in Belfast city centre, a very moving wreath laying ceremony took place with musical accompaniment by the Regimental Band of the Ulster Volunteer Force. After the standards and colours were lowered and the wreaths were presented and laid a silence was held as we remembered those that had left our country so long ago to fight for King and country and to give their lives in a foreign field. The offensive that was Third Ypres resulted in gains for the Allies but was by no means the breakthrough the British Commander-in-Chief, Haig intended, and such gains as were made came at great cost in human terms. Today commonly referred to simply as ‘Passchendaele', the tactics employed at the Third Battle of Ypres are as controversial as those executed at the Battle of the Somme a little over a year earlier, and was the final great battle of attrition of the war. Third Ypres was opened by Sir Hubert Gough's Fifth Army, with 1 Corps of Sir Herbert Plumer's Second Army joining on its right and a corps of the French First Amy led by Anthoine to its left: a total of twelve divisions. As was the norm for any major Allied offensive, on 18 July a heavy preliminary artillery bombardment was effected for the ten days prior to the launch of the attack at 03:50 on 31 July. The bombardment made use of 3,000 guns which expended four and a quarter million shells. Given such an onslaught the German Fourth Army, led by Arnim, fully expected an imminent offensive: the element of surprise was entirely absent. Thus when the attack was launched across an 18 kilometre front, Fourth Army was in place to hold off the main British advance around the Menin Road, and restricted the Allies to fairly small gains to the left of the line around Pilckem Ridge. Similarly the French were halted further north by the German Fifth Army under Gallwitz. British attempts to renew the offensive over the course of the next few days were severely hampered by the onset of heavy rains, the heaviest in 30 years, which churned the Flanders lowland soil into a thick muddy swamp. Tanks found themselves immobile, stuck fast in the mud. Similarly the infantry found their mobility severely limited. Ironically the very force of the preliminary bombardment had itself destroyed drainage systems, exacerbating the problem. In addition, the artillery shells that had rained down in the days prior to the attack's launch had peppered the very ground that needed to be traversed by the advancing Allied forces. As a consequence no renewed major offensive could be contemplated until 16 August, when the Battle of Langemarck saw four days of fierce fighting which resulted in small gains for the British, but heavy casualties.
Dissatisfied with progress the British Commander-in-Chief, Haig, replaced Sir Hubert Gough (by moving him and his forces further north) with Herbert Plumer. Whereas Gough favoured sweeping aggression, Plumer planned a series of small gains rather than an all-out breakthrough. The attacks began afresh on 20 September with the Battle of the Menin Road Bridge. This was followed by the Battle of Polygon Wood on 26 September and the Battle of Broodseinde on 4 October. Taken together these established British possession of the ridge east of Ypres. Encouraged by Plumer's small gains - while constantly pushing him to do more - Haig decided to continue the offensive towards Passchendaele Ridge some ten kilometres from Ypres, by now certain that the German army was approaching collapse. Little progress towards this end was made at the Battle of Poelcappelle and the First Battle of Passchendaele, on 9 October and 12 October respectively. The Allied attackers were themselves nearing exhaustion as German reserves released from the Eastern Front were poured into the ridge. To aid in their defence the Germans made full use of mustard gas (as opposed to chlorine gas in The Second Battle of Ypres), which resulted in chemical burns. Unwilling to concede the failure of the breakthrough, Haig pressed on with a further three assaults on the ridge in late October. The eventual capture of Passchendaele village by British and Canadian forces on 6 November finally gave Haig an excuse to call off the offensive claiming success. The Third Battle of Ypres was, like its predecessors, a costly exercise. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) incurred some 310,000 casualties, with a similar, lower, number of German casualties: 260,000. The salient had been re-widened by several kilometres.
‘By the regiment and by unit line Taken from the poem ‘I met a man at Passchendaele’
The London Somme Association was proud to take part in this commemoration in Belfast to remember the fallen of Paschendaele and we look forward to taking part next year. We extend our thanks to the 36th Ulster Division Association for the invitation to take part in this year’s event . We once again enjoyed ourselves in Belfast and the hospitality extended to our members at the social event after the parade returned to East Belfast was truly appreciated.
London’s Ulster Day On Saturday the 26th of September 2009 we gathered in London for the annual Lord Carson Memorial parade and to commemorate the 97th anniversary of Ulster Day.
As you can read from the education section of our website, the origins of the 36th(Ulster)Division lies in the 1912 Home Rule crisis. While the 36th Ulsters fought with distinction in Europe from before the Battle of the Somme until the Armistice, the divisions roots lie firmly with Sir Edward Carson and the Ulster Unionist’s campaign to resist the passing of the Third Home Rule Bill. Carson’s Ulster Volunteer Force was formed as an armed response to any attempt to force Ulster out of British rule. A mass mobilisation of Ulstermen who’s fight however would not be in defence of their own soil but in a muddy field in France as they answered Lord Kitchener’s call to arms and the UVF entered the conflict as the 36th(Ulster) Division.
Prior to the formation of Carson’s Volunteers however, he had also mobilised the general public into a massive show of strength and support for the Ulster Unionist‘s struggle. On the 28th of September 1912 the people of Ulster gathered to sign Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant. That day will always be remembered as Ulster Day and the London Somme Association joined with our friends in the City of London Campsie Club of the Apprentice Boys of Derry association on the 26th of September this year to remember that historic day.
The Lord Carson Memorial parade continues to grow in size and popularity and this year saw an unprecedented number travel from all over the United Kingdom to take part. Somme associations and memorial societies, apprentice boys branch clubs and bands all gathered to take part in the parade to the cenotaph in Whitehall for the wreath laying ceremony and then later on board the HMS President, a floating venue on the Thames, for our evening function.
As you can see from these pictures, once again the day proved to be both a stunning spectacle and a moving act of remembrance as our thoughts drifted to those brave lads who had gave the ultimate sacrifice for King and Country.
The following statement was made after the parade on behalf of the City of London Campsie Club of the Apprentice Boys of Derry :- What a fantastic day for celebrating the glorious independence of the siege of Londonderry and to hoist the Crimson flags and banners in our capital city. On behalf of the City of London Campsie club we extend our thanks and salute you all who have travelled here today. To the Apprentice Boys of Derry from Belfast, Keady, Liverpool, the North East, all over England and indeed further afield, we thank you all. From the bands, every one totally outstanding and a credit to our cause, to the Somme Associations who have travelled in their hundreds to swell our ranks and join with us today, to the thousands on the street as we celebrate Ulster Day and the memory of Sir Edward Carson., and to the police for their assistance, we thank you all. No Surrender Statement ends.
The following statement was read out on behalf of the London Somme Association at the evening function on board the HMS President :- Welcome on board this luxurious ship and I will be your host for this evening. First of all a big welcome to all of the bands who took part in today’s parade and thank you. Your dedication and decorum was second to none. We were expecting 9 bands but instead we saw 6 of the very best.. To the apprentice boys we thank you for your support, to our good friends and allies in Keady who travel each and every year, to our new friends from as far afield as Edinburgh and Newcastle. To the Somme associations and memorial societies whose support this year has been overwhelming. It was a truly humbling experience to gather together at the cenotaph here in London to lay our wreaths together. A very poignant and moving moment to bow our heads with so many dignitaries. While the parade started at 2.30 the days events actually began much earlier. At 12.00 our representatives led by Bro. J. Thomson from Londonderry were at Downing Street to hand in a letter of protest highlighting the plight of the residents of the fountain estate who are regularly being intimidated by the ever growing republican estates surrounding them. Organised by the British Ulster Alliance and the Friends of the Fountain committee, the document also expressed the residents very real concerns at the growing support for the disident republican groups who have been very active in the area recently.
But back to this evening’s events as we celebrate Ulster Day. At the cenotaph there were no less than 16 wreaths laid by all the Somme associations in attendance, Keady apprentice boys, London A. company and Belfast C company. While I’m sure we all had our own thoughts during the 2 minutes silence we observed whether it was the 9 volunteers from the 36th(Ulster)Division awarded the Victoria Cross at the Somme or friends and relatives from recent conflicts, our thoughts also ran to a special wreath laid today. While all the wreaths today were special, this one is laid every year by our youngest participant, little Becky who is only 9 years old. The card accompanying that wreath says simply ‘in memory of the 3 young Scottish Soldiers executed in 1972 and all those who perished in London on the 7th July 1995 - gone but not forgotten’.
We hope everyone enjoys tonights celebrations and remind our friends that as well as paying our respects on Remembrance Sunday we will also be travelling to the National War Abroretum in the Spring to pay our condolences to our heroes in present day conflicts. We are also spearheading a campaign to fill the empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square with a statue of the late Harry Patch - lest we forget. I would also like to remind you about our forthcoming charity golf tournement in London on the 10th of March in aid of the ‘Support our Heroes’ campaign and the Royal British Legion. For God And Ulster. Statement ends.
1st of July 2009 - the 93rd anniversary of the joining of the Somme offensive
We
gather here once again to commemorate the gallantry & bravery of
the British & Allied forces on the battlefield of the Somme. 2008 - We shall remember them 21st June - As wreaths were laid at the cenotaph in London, the following statement was read out on behalf of the London Somme Association :- >>statement to follow<<
2007 - Lest We Forget The London Somme Association would like to wish the following bands 'all the best' for the forthcoming marching season :- Provanhall True Blues Flute Band 13th March - The following statement was read out at the cenotaph in London on behalf of the London Somme Association In memory of :- Lieutenant Geoffrey St.George Shillington Gather VC - Armagh. Monaghan and Cavan Volunteers - 9th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers From 7pm until midnight he searched no-mans land and brought in three wounded men. Next morning, at eight o'clock, he continued his search, brought in another wounded man, and gave water to others, arranging for their rescue later. Finally, at half past ten, he took out water to another man, and was proceeding further on when he was himself killed. All this was carried out in full view of the enemy, and under direct machine gun and intermittent artillery fire. He set a splendid example of courage and self-sacrifice. Saturday 23rd June 2007 – As wreaths were laid at the cenotaph the following statement was read on behalf of the London Somme Association :- We gather here today to pay tribute to the bravery of our forefathers, who’s courageous efforts at the fields of the Somme and other battlefields throughout Europe we now remember. In particular we focus on the 36th (Ulster) Division, whose bravery is legendary. In January 1912, an army of men conceived by Sir Edward Carson, were being trained and drilled as a precaution against home rule. At a meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council, it was agreed these military groups would be known as the U.V.F. These actions were taken by the Unionist Council and not by the Grand Orange Lodge, since Orangemen were Unionists but not all Unionists were Orangemen. Recruitment was to be limited to 100,000 but this number was soon exceeded with Belfast raising over 30,000 volunteers. During the signing of Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant by over 471,000 in the province, 230,000 had signed in blood and a further 220,000 signed the women’s declaration. Many more from the rest of the Kingdom also signed with 420,000 from Scotland and England. Within a few months these brave men and women were mobilised and on January 1913 the UVF became a fighting force. Then on Flanders field on the 1st of July 1916, the 36th(Ulster)Division were at the forefront of that horrendous day. Sadly families from every town and village throughout Ulster lost fathers, brothers or sons. As we now bow our heads in a minutes silence, as well as personal thoughts of those felled in recent conflicts, we will remember them. As well as historic figures such as Billy McFadzean, at this time we also remember more recent comrades, Norman Sayers and David Ervine, who sadly passed away after enduring 40 years of conflict in the province and denied the chance of seeing this realistic opportunity of peace in the 6 counties of Ulster. At the going down of the Sun and in the morning, we will remember them. Statement ends Saturday 29th September 2007 –During the 2007 Lord Carson Memorial Parade the following statement was read on behalf of the London Somme Association :- Once again on this very poignant date, we thank you for supporting us here in London and flying Londonderry's crimson flag of independence. On the 28th September 1912, Sir Edward Carson, Lord Londonderry and Lord Craigavon signed the Ulster Covenant followed by half a million men and women from all over Ulster. Factories and the shipyard in Belfast were idle and silent, allowing their workers the opportunity to attend church and then to congregate at the City Hall to sign the covenant. We remember the words of the Archbishop of Armagh on that day when he stated his Church’s reason for supporting the Covenant: "We hold that no power, not even the British Parliament, has the right to deprive us of our heritage of British citizenship". A bold and defiant statement was made that day by the loyal people of Ulster. There would be 'No Home Rule' and 'No Surrender'. Today, we in London echo that cry of No Surrender. Statement ends. Click here to view the 2007 gallery. 2006 - Lest we forget 1st July 2006 - The 90th anniversary of the joining of the Somme Offensive on the 1st July 1916 The London Somme Association gathered to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph in London in memory of the brave young men who went boldly into battle that 1st of July morn. We shall remember them. The following statement was read at the cenotaph on behalf of the London Somme Association :- As we gather here once again, and take a few moments out of our busy lifestyles to bow our heads in remembrance of the ultimate sacrifice given by so many, we also rejoice in Her Majesty's 80th birthday and 54 years on our British throne. As we bow our heads, I'm sure there is many of us with personal memories of those no longer with us and with the first anniversary of the outrages and attrocities bestowed on this proud city on the 7th of July, we pray that no city has to endure such horror again. On the 4th of August 1914, Germany declared war on our country. Prior to this date Sir Edward Carson trained and armed his private army of Ulster Volunteers in defiance of Home Rule. However what happened next was never intended but would not be resisted. Lord Kitchener made his now famous call to arms and Ulster was prepared to answer. On the 3rd of September, Sir Edward Carson made an appeal at the Ulster Unionist Council meeting in Belfast urging the men of the UVF to come forward for the defence of their empire and the honour of Ulster and Ireland. 80,000 men and women enlisted and soon the 36th(Ulster)Division was formed. Many of those brave young men lied about their age to enlist, many as young as 14. There are thousands of heroic and bloody tales of the horror of that fateful 1st of July, such as the legend of Private Billy McFadzean. A young man who, like most, had lied about his age and joined the ranks of the Young Citizens Volunteers like thousands of other young lads. They were known as the chocolate soldiers since their families were better off than most having come from a commercial background. Sadly as history recalls Private Billy MacFadzean's outstanding bravery on the field of the Somme led him to give the ultimate sacrifice. His actions on the 1st of July 1916 were recognised and he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, our countries highest award for valour. As we bow our heads and pause for a minute, let us remember those in present conflicts and pray the outrageous atrocities bestowed on this city of London on the 7th of July are never repeated in any other civilised city again. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember them. For God And Ulster. Statement ends. 16th September 2006 - The Annual LOrd Carson Memorial parade The London Somme Association were proud to once again take part in this annual parade and wreath laying ceremony. The following statement was read on behalf of the City of London Campsie branch club of the Apprentice Boys of Derry :- On behalf of the office bearers and members of the City of London Campsie club, I welcome you all to London and would like to thank all the clubs and band members that have travelled so far to support and encourage us here in our capital city as we strive to put the London back into Londonderry !! This September we commemorate the efforts of Sir Edward Carson whithout whose dedication and leadership the 6 counties of Ulster would no longer exist and Britain's war effort back in 1916 would have been very depleted. So we here in London repeat the war cry of the Apprentice Boys and Lord Carson - No Surrender !! Statement ends. The 2006 Gallery - please take the time to click the link below to see the photos of all of our activities from 2006 including a very memorable trip by some of our members to the Somme itself. Click here to view the 2006 gallery. 2005 - We shall remember them.
|
© Website Design And Its Content Is Copyright To London Somme Association™ | All Rights Reserved 2007 - 2009