Ireland and Ulster paid a great price on the somme, the 36th (Ulster) division fighting so well on the first day and the 16th (Irish) division at guillemont and ginchy in september. after the somme, both divisions would go on to fight side by side for an entire year and would be instrumental at the battle of Messines in 1917. As an Irishman I'm very proud of both divisions. thank you for the great content 🙂
Spoiler alert. 16 years old when I went to the war To fight for a land fit for heroes God on my side, and a gun in my hand Chasing my days down to zero And I marched and I fought and I bled And I died and I never did get any older But I knew at the time that a year in the line Was a long enough life for a soldier We all volunteered And we wrote down our names And we added two years to our ages Eager for life and ahead of the game Ready for history's pages And we brawled and we fought And we whored 'til we stood 10,000 shoulder to shoulder A thirst for the Hun We were food for the gun And that's what you are when you're soldiers I heard my friend cry And he sank to his knees, coughing blood As he screamed for his mother And I fell by his side And that's how we died Clinging like kids to each other And I lay in the mud And the guts and the blood And I wept as his body grew colder And I called for my mother And she never came Though it wasn't my fault And I wasn't to blame The day not half over And 10,000 slain, and now There's nobody remembers our names And that's how it is for a soldier
As an ex-serviceman I remember talking to and working with WW1 survivors when I was young. How they endured such hardships still fills me with respect.
This one hit me hard...as a Hobbs, with three brothers (one a David ) , it's all too easy to imagine what that family went through. Thanks for the great content.
The lands where these battles were fought are always so verdant and beautiful and must remind myself that they are fertilized with the lives of a generation of young men.
Gosh, that really hit home, Rob. I can't imagine what those parents went through also how Herbert felt. Thank you for bringing these stories to todays generation.
we forget familes and the effects the War Had on them and we also forget the men who came back who were changed by the War My Grandfather was a case in point he joined the RND age 18 left the UK as a very level headed happy man he was wounded at Galipolie and survived the Man that came home was angry and Bitter he made his wife's and children life hell My GRandmother said it may have been better for him to have been killed rather then survive I was born in 1958 and my Grandfather died in 1971 he never had a kind word for me He would hit me with his walking stick and he did it because he liked it Today there wold be help but then there was nothing and families suffered because of war long after it finished we like to think good about this genaration but they were not all good when they came home maybe just maybe the Hobbs family were saved from a great number of problems when they died on the battlefield RIP grandfather I am sure you had little of it in your own brain changed by a dreadful war
@@historyinyourhand1787 as a vetran I am not sure its fully understood today Vetrans from ww1 were treated badly and its the same today servicemen living in doorways ect
As the world turns again to the looming possibility of mass destruction we can only hope that we do not make another mother mourn 75% of her sons lost for no bloody reason. Incredible, brave men.
Absolutely right, you might enjoy my video about the Pals battalions at Serre if you haven't seen it already
3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4
Thankyou Rob another great video my grandfather's brother served in the same battalion. He was one of the lucky ones he came home although he was wounded at St Quainton in 1918.
Excellent presentation. Gut wrenchingly tragic tale of loss and I wonder how the Hobbs family coped with the grief. My grandfather served right through the Somme campaign and was involved in the eventual capture of Thiepval and the Schwaben Redoubt, the attack objectives of the 1st July. He survived, though gassed the following year and came home while so many remained where they fell. They are not forgotten.
Great documentary. Lots of grief and loss, my own grandmother Caroline, lost all of her three brothers (Joseph Gardner- RIR in 1914, Aaron Gardner- ASC in 1914, William Gardner- Inniskillings in 1915). To add to her grief she lost her only son William Mays-ARP only 16 in WW2 in the Belfast Blitz in May 1941. She couldn't give much more.
My great Uncle John Crozier 8th Bn Border Regiment was killed and never recovered on the 15th July 1916 on the Somme. Hus brother Peter Crozier C Coy 1st Bn sadly died of wounds on 15th April 1918 in hospital near Calais. It broke my Great Grandparents and the remaining 14 year ild son, my grand father
Thankyou for the wonderful informative video. I have visited the somme twice, and would highly recommend anyone to visit the battlefields of ww1 and 2. How family's suffered , I don't think there was a family who wasn't affected in some way.
A sad story of the Hobbs brothers, the family must have been left totally shattered the devastation of losing one son but to lose 3 and the fourth badly wounded would have been unbearable. Your video brought a tear to my eye, a lovely story and tribute to the Hobbs brothers.
Hey Rob, how are you? It's heartbreaking that Mrs. Hobbs had lost three of her sons. :(. Great shots. You do a great job of showing and describing key sites along the battlefield. Good map, Rob. Just trying to imagine what it must've been like with the barbed wire and so many troops bunched up - all while they're fired on - made my heart sank. I agree, it's incredible how they were able to get past German front lines. It's sad how all four brothers were missing. I'm glad Herbert was able to get treatment (though I can't imagine his pain). It's heartbreaking how his brothers and so many more were never identified (and that we may never know where they are). The cemetery is beautiful. The memorial is powerful. There are so many names. I know that there are other walls with names of many missing, but it always leaves a heavy feeling in my heart when I see them. Excellent video, Rob. I appreciate you sharing the story of the Hobbs' brothers. Take care. I hope you have a great week.
What a waste of young lives on all sides , all because goverments can't talk like adults I understand freedom and democracy has to be defended but what a cost' it's just so sad .
The Great War was not about 'freedom and democracy', at all. The belligerents were empires trying to maintain or increase their power. Most of the players involved were Monarchies. Britain was absolutely not the 'defender of small nations' (ask the Irish, or 1/3 of the peoples of the World in fact). The "freedom" lie is trotted out particularly by the Americans to justify their interference in other countries, especially in modern times. Britain adopted this practice after 'for God, King and country' lost its meaning (largely due to the reality of WWI). They are even retrospectively wrapping the WWI narrative in this lie. Take a look at the new plaques being added to memorials, the one in Harrogate for example. The second lie being promoted is that the soldiers were all "heroes" when in fact they were mostly, after January 1916, conscripted victims of war. That is not to denigrate their loyalty to each other, which by all accounts is all that was left after they got to the front.
You read, Covenant With Death, by John Harris? Sheffield City Pals regiment. Can Recommend. Currently reading, The 1st day of The Somme, by Martin Middlebrook. My dad's, dad was fortunate enough to have survived WW1. Not The Somme. Another engagement. Another good book. Lemmy: White Line Fever. Huge Motorhead fan/metalhead. Lemmy wrote about this in his song, 1916. It was nominated for a Grammy. Not Typical Motorhead. Very sad, so proceed with caution. Thanks. 👍♠
Ireland and Ulster paid a great price on the somme, the 36th (Ulster) division fighting so well on the first day and the 16th (Irish) division at guillemont and ginchy in september. after the somme, both divisions would go on to fight side by side for an entire year and would be instrumental at the battle of Messines in 1917.
As an Irishman I'm very proud of both divisions. thank you for the great content
🙂
Thank you. If you haven't already seen my video about the 36th Ulster's you would probably enjoy it
Everyone paid a massive price on the Somme.
@sugarkane4830 no one said they didn't.
Well told. A tragic story in a tragic war.
Spoiler alert.
16 years old when I went to the war
To fight for a land fit for heroes
God on my side, and a gun in my hand
Chasing my days down to zero
And I marched and I fought and I bled
And I died and I never did get any older
But I knew at the time that a year in the line
Was a long enough life for a soldier
We all volunteered
And we wrote down our names
And we added two years to our ages
Eager for life and ahead of the game
Ready for history's pages
And we brawled and we fought
And we whored 'til we stood
10,000 shoulder to shoulder
A thirst for the Hun
We were food for the gun
And that's what you are when you're soldiers
I heard my friend cry
And he sank to his knees, coughing blood
As he screamed for his mother
And I fell by his side
And that's how we died
Clinging like kids to each other
And I lay in the mud
And the guts and the blood
And I wept as his body grew colder
And I called for my mother
And she never came
Though it wasn't my fault
And I wasn't to blame
The day not half over
And 10,000 slain, and now
There's nobody remembers our names
And that's how it is for a soldier
Loafer. That is overly long modern doggaral .
As an ex-serviceman I remember talking to and working with WW1 survivors when I was young. How they endured such hardships still fills me with respect.
This one hit me hard...as a Hobbs, with three brothers (one a David
) , it's all too easy to imagine what that family went through. Thanks for the great content.
Thank you 👍
Tragic. Thanks for bringing us their story and keeping their memory alive. May they rest in peace.
The lands where these battles were fought are always so verdant and beautiful and must remind myself that they are fertilized with the lives of a generation of young men.
Heartbreaking. RIP Brave Lads 😔
Gosh, that really hit home, Rob. I can't imagine what those parents went through also how Herbert felt. Thank you for bringing these stories to todays generation.
we forget familes and the effects the War Had on them and we also forget the men who came back who were changed by the War My Grandfather was a case in point he joined the RND age 18 left the UK as a very level headed happy man he was wounded at Galipolie and survived the Man that came home was angry and Bitter he made his wife's and children life hell My GRandmother said it may have been better for him to have been killed rather then survive I was born in 1958 and my Grandfather died in 1971 he never had a kind word for me He would hit me with his walking stick and he did it because he liked it Today there wold be help but then there was nothing and families suffered because of war long after it finished we like to think good about this genaration but they were not all good when they came home maybe just maybe the Hobbs family were saved from a great number of problems when they died on the battlefield RIP grandfather I am sure you had little of it in your own brain changed by a dreadful war
So many of the 'forgotten casualties' are those men that survived, suffering from mental health that just wasn't understood back then
@@historyinyourhand1787 as a vetran I am not sure its fully understood today Vetrans from ww1 were treated badly and its the same today servicemen living in doorways ect
As the world turns again to the looming possibility of mass destruction we can only hope that we do not make another mother mourn 75% of her sons lost for no bloody reason. Incredible, brave men.
Brave?....Or Cluelessly Manipulated with Patriotic Propaganda?. Truly....SAD!
Because of the Pals Battalions many British small communities lost hundreds of young boys. Especially at the Somme.
Absolutely right, you might enjoy my video about the Pals battalions at Serre if you haven't seen it already
Thankyou Rob another great video my grandfather's brother served in the same battalion. He was one of the lucky ones he came home although he was wounded at St Quainton in 1918.
A tragic story but probably not uncommon as many brothers went to do their duty for King and Country..
Excellent presentation. Gut wrenchingly tragic tale of loss and I wonder how the Hobbs family coped with the grief. My grandfather served right through the Somme campaign and was involved in the eventual capture of Thiepval and the Schwaben Redoubt, the attack objectives of the 1st July. He survived, though gassed the following year and came home while so many remained where they fell. They are not forgotten.
Thank you
Great documentary. Lots of grief and loss, my own grandmother Caroline, lost all of her three brothers (Joseph Gardner- RIR in 1914, Aaron Gardner- ASC in 1914, William Gardner- Inniskillings in 1915). To add to her grief she lost her only son William Mays-ARP only 16 in WW2 in the Belfast Blitz in May 1941. She couldn't give much more.
Tragic, we never learn and never will !
Devastating 💔
My great Uncle John Crozier 8th Bn Border Regiment was killed and never recovered on the 15th July 1916 on the Somme.
Hus brother Peter Crozier C Coy 1st Bn sadly died of wounds on 15th April 1918 in hospital near Calais.
It broke my Great Grandparents and the remaining 14 year ild son, my grand father
Thankyou for the wonderful informative video. I have visited the somme twice, and would highly recommend anyone to visit the battlefields of ww1 and 2.
How family's suffered , I don't think there was a family who wasn't affected in some way.
A sad story of the Hobbs brothers, the family must have been left totally shattered the devastation of losing one son but to lose 3 and the fourth badly wounded would have been unbearable. Your video brought a tear to my eye, a lovely story and tribute to the Hobbs brothers.
Thank you
70,000 men dead. What a price to pay. 😢
Great video Rob!
Very moving, definitely a place to visit on the Somme.
Definitely!
Hey Rob, how are you? It's heartbreaking that Mrs. Hobbs had lost three of her sons. :(.
Great shots. You do a great job of showing and describing key sites along the battlefield.
Good map, Rob.
Just trying to imagine what it must've been like with the barbed wire and so many troops bunched up - all while they're fired on - made my heart sank. I agree, it's incredible how they were able to get past German front lines.
It's sad how all four brothers were missing.
I'm glad Herbert was able to get treatment (though I can't imagine his pain). It's heartbreaking how his brothers and so many more were never identified (and that we may never know where they are).
The cemetery is beautiful. The memorial is powerful. There are so many names. I know that there are other walls with names of many missing, but it always leaves a heavy feeling in my heart when I see them.
Excellent video, Rob. I appreciate you sharing the story of the Hobbs' brothers. Take care.
I hope you have a great week.
Thanks Alex. Have a great week
@@historyinyourhand1787 You too! Have a nice day, Rob :)
Thank you, very well presented. 🙏
You are very welcome
What a waste of young lives on all sides , all because goverments can't talk like adults I understand freedom and democracy has to be defended but what a cost' it's just so sad .
The Great War was not about 'freedom and democracy', at all. The belligerents were empires trying to maintain or increase their power. Most of the players involved were Monarchies. Britain was absolutely not the 'defender of small nations' (ask the Irish, or 1/3 of the peoples of the World in fact). The "freedom" lie is trotted out particularly by the Americans to justify their interference in other countries, especially in modern times. Britain adopted this practice after 'for God, King and country' lost its meaning (largely due to the reality of WWI). They are even retrospectively wrapping the WWI narrative in this lie. Take a look at the new plaques being added to memorials, the one in Harrogate for example. The second lie being promoted is that the soldiers were all "heroes" when in fact they were mostly, after January 1916, conscripted victims of war. That is not to denigrate their loyalty to each other, which by all accounts is all that was left after they got to the front.
A sad but fantastic and informative video as always Rob...👍👍
Never knew about this sad family tragedy, I will be at Thiepval in September and will pay my respects.
Another great video well explained thank you. How tragic - all those brave young men.
Those poor parents ,how tragic and no help at all from the powers that be.Thanks for that insight.
Looking at the state of my country today. Would those lads have bothered such a loss
Thank you for this most moving video.....full of poignancy.
Les Griffiths
Thank you
Very sensitively done. Great job
You read, Covenant With Death, by John Harris? Sheffield City Pals regiment. Can Recommend.
Currently reading, The 1st day of The Somme, by Martin Middlebrook.
My dad's, dad was fortunate enough to have survived WW1. Not The Somme. Another engagement.
Another good book. Lemmy: White Line Fever. Huge Motorhead fan/metalhead. Lemmy wrote about this in his song, 1916. It was nominated for a Grammy. Not Typical Motorhead. Very sad, so proceed with caution.
Thanks.
👍♠
I've read a couple of those but not Covenant with Death. I'll check it out