I’m a Corporal in the US Marines but many years ago a young Lance Corporal fought in the Somme and had he not done his bit and made it home I’d never be born. We’re here because we’re here
Hello mate , ex British infantryman here . I’m here because a gentleman was killed on the Somme , that gentleman’s wife married again after the war and had a daughter with her new husband (who’d also served on the Somme ). That child was my nan , that’s why I’m here . We’re here because we’re here 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
While the leaders are shaking hands, The generals of the loosing side are angry, The generals of the victorious side happy, A mother is still waiting for her boy to come home, A father is still waiting for his boy to arrive on his doorstep, A brother is still longing for play, A sister is still longing to chat, A grandfather is still waiting to salute his grandson A grandmother is still waiting to fix his collar A wife is still waiting to see him A daughter is still waiting to play with him A son is still waiting to play football A widow is weeping The family is weeping The children are weeping
I'm here today because a 17 year old boy who was seriously wounded and lost a leg below the knee survived the Somme . He came home got married and had two sons and two daughters one of whom was my late Mother . Cannot really appreciate what that wars casualty list was like but lack of men in towns and villages throughout the UK was highlighted in subsequent censuses . This Art Project was very poignant .
Though you may not see this because your comment was a while back that's really moving. I get that as I am the same - my Great Grandad came home to a wife dying of Flu in 1918 and when she died he kept and cared for my (then baby) Grandma as a single parent rather than abandoning her, which showed incredible strength and resilience for a working, widowed man at the time. This led to her eventually having my mum who in turn was adopted in WW2 by the wife of another ex-WW1 soldier who had survived the trenches as a stretcher bearer. I will always be in their debt for not only my existence but also my own sons. Lest we forget.
Those cards were a stroke of genius.they read the cards looked at the young man who gave them and made the connection. Flesh and blood not just numbers.well done all concerned.
I write this with tears. I am very touched watching this. Flesh and bones, souls, sons, humans with names, personalities, with their whole young lives ahead of them. I complain because I am getting older, something they did not get the privilege to do. I will stop complaining right this minute. We won't forget you.
In my youth I knew many WW1 veterans. They would have liked this, that the memory of so many of their comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice in that slaughter of a damn war have not been forgotten even today. They should never be forgotten.
My father, my grandfather, and my great grandfather before me all served, as did I, war is not something I want and have personally felt its rip away, I pray every day we can find more common ground with one another not to butcher but to talk and understand. I will always remember your war dead along with my own.
@@tippy4674 My great grandfather was in WW1. Nuff said. My grandfather served in the Home Guard in WW2, mainly because he was a railway engine driver and his contribution to the WW2 war effort was better served hauling coal and iron ore to the steel works, oil to the refineries, steel away from the steel works and chemicals from the refineries to facilitate the munitions factories. In any event he was probably well above the enlistment age, but despite this had a few interesting adventures with the Luftwaffe attacking trains. My uncle Oliver was an observer on Fairy Swordfish biplanes (known as string bags) off of wooden decked carriers. One of these torpedoed battleship Bismarck's rudder crippling her from any maneuver other than going around in a circle. I asked how the aircraft managed that. A very stable weapons platform I was told, flying too slowly for Bismarck's anti aircraft guns that were set up for faster aircraft. He mainly attacked German coastal shipping at night with wing racked bombs or an underside torpedo. He was the guy who pulled the toggles to drop them off. Scary stuff? At night the pull out from a dive of a string bag is slow, the radial engine exhaust collector ring glows blue, and, if you have not crippled the vessel, tracer bullets coming up with six rounds between each tracer pinging through the wing fabric starts you thinking which bullet has my name on it. My uncle Mike was a regimental sergeant major in the army after WW2. Even so he served in the Aden and Suez crises in the late 1950's. They all said this about conflicts.......thank God it is over, and we pray it never happens again. Unfortunately since their service there have been multiple wars. Wars continue to be such a damn waste of good people.
Es ist schön das diese Engländer ihre Toten Soldaten Ehren das würde ich mir auch in Deutschland Wünschen Warum so viele Millionen Junge Männer auf beiden Seiten der Front für die Interessen weniger Starben 🧐 die daran viele Milliarden verdient haben wenn die Toten Auf den Militär Friedhöfe sprechen könnten würden sie den Lebenden NIE WIEDER KRIEG Entgegen Schreien 😭🤨😳👍🏻👍🏻
@@tippy4674 But the problem is that some countries are becoming these cliche "villains" that just want to have a hegemony in this world, so I don't think that we will live in peace for next 20 years. I say that as Ukrainian
I’m also from the states But I found this because of a world war 1 song Called “We’re here because we’re here” Basically that’s the entire lyric There ain’t no point in this war But we’re here because uh well we’re here
@@JavaScrapperLike so many wars, to include Iraq and Afghanistan. Our politicians, whose kids never pay the price, are cheerkeaders of deat. Like that stupid US Senator Graham.
What a brilliant, moving idea to commemorate the war dead . Watching it, I felt as though those soldiers brought 1916 back to the streets of Manchester 2016. The underlying tragedy once again resurfaced.
My beloved Canadian grandfather was gassed in the trenches. He survived, that’s why I’m here. He wrote home weekly and we still, in 2024, have all his letters including the ones he wrote in the trenches . In one of the many letters he told his sister that they could hear the “huns” talking in their own trenches at night. The vibrant optimistic young man in the letters was very different from the reserved quiet man that I knew growing up. I adored him, he remains my hero even 63 years after his death.
The theatrical element itself is amazing, and the uniform history presented here shows that whoever was a part of making sure these gents were dressed did an outstanding job with research, but there is another thing I want to highlight. There are scenes in this video where we see elements of the modern world interacting with a representation of an old one. The women taking selfies with the men, the lines of them marching down busy city streets, them boarding the bus or waiting for the train. Its a touching thing to see. I think some people might find the selfies and whatnot rude or disrespectful, but I believe that in a way, it is the natural progression of how we interact with art and theatre. In the past, we had to live in the moment because the moment was all we had. Now, we have the great technological ability to preserve and re-experience our past through high-quality photo and video. Its not disrespectful to want to capture a moment for later, we just have to pick a good time and place for it. Where the citizens of today can take a photo or video to ensure the memory is saved, these men had to dress up and reenact in order to create a poignant reminder. If the goal is remembrance, are these not similar means to an end? Just something interesting I thought about.
I'm here today because a Scottish piper fought in Singapore and became a pow under Japan for almost four years,worked on the death railway, survived the bombing of three hell ships and mitsui coal mines . My grandfather my hero 😊
I’m here today because a 18 year old boy signed up to fight a war he had no idea about and fought for 4 years in places he didn’t know existed. Thankyou Grandad love from your descendent’s.
This was one of the greatest pieces of art I have ever witnessed. We free nations stand on the backs of the fallen heroes that preserved our freedom. God Bless them one and all.
This video is EIGHT YEARS OLD!!! Yet, it's the first time it has come to my attention. This needs to be in the MILLIONS... why doesn't YT recommend it? It only has 501 comments on it. This brought a tear to my eye, because these young lads were representing the young lads that died for us to have the freedom to have the society we have today. Even though that was a lie told to get them out there. God bless them all.
@@Hounkey not really my youngest great cousin is 22 and my oldest great cousin is 38 and I'm 18. So there parents may of been born in the war or after then they was born in the 40s or 50s. It depends really on there parents siblings ages.
From Canada this should be done everywhere. From a Canadian who takes Remembrance Day very seriously this has reduced me to tears. We must never forget we must forever remember.
Here in Manchester, New Hampshire USA - we lost beautiful young men here to the war and will always remember them. Thank you for this beautiful expression of compassion.
My grandmother’s brother William Beddows joined the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1914 and fought right up to August 1918 when he was killed and has no known grave. God bless him. Very touching video thank you.
I saw this in home town of Plymouth to me they represented ghosts of the dead of the battle of the Somme walking in plain sight of the living each one of these men carried a card with a name of one soldier killed in that opening day of the battle .60,000 men on the first day 20,000 dead 40,0000 missing and wounded. It was very moving.
Still teary eyed watching these lads , I’m very glad to see the people of my home city giving them a respectful reception especially the older gentleman standing with them in a dignified show of solidarity.
"It's the same, old theme, since 1916, in your streets, in your streets, they're still marching" R.I.P Dolores 'O Riordan and young lives tore away in the battle of the Somme
I mean the song was more based on the sectarian/nationalistic violence between Irish Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists in Northern Ireland. 1916 was also the year of the Easter Rising in Dublin, hence it's reference in the song. But music is open to interpretation and a lot of the themes they put into the song carry across conflicts. Lest we forget
This is very moving. We need to see similar demonstration s like this worldwide on both tv and internet internet. To remind everyone the true cost of wars.
This was unexpected but i thank the algorithm for showing me this. God bless everyone who died in the Great War. German, British, French, Russian and ever other. God bless you all. Danke an alle Gefallenen, denn Ihr gabt euer alles für Deutschland. Euch gibt es nicht mehr aber der Danke, die Bewunderung und die Erinnerung bleibt für immer. Gott mit Euch.
This is pretty amazing. I always have in my mind do something like this, with actors and uniforms roaming London, Dover, and other cities near the channel. Mainly polish, Czechslovaks, danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Belgium and some French all in British WW2 RAF and Army uniform to remind those usually forgotten who kept on the fight under British command and uniforms but were not British.
Here in Canada, at Rememberance Day you’ll hear the media say, “they fought for our freedom”. Absolutely, in WW2 against Nazis evil. But the Great War was a complete failure of political leadership. I think Rememberance Day should be remembered for the crass incompetence of our global leaders and a reminder to them to do the right thing. As Wilfred Owen wrote “you smug faced crowds with kindled eye, who cheer as soldier lads march by, sneak home and pray, you’ll never know the hell where youth and laughter go” My fathers uncle Sidney was killed at Passchendaele (South Staffods Regt) two days later my wife’s grandfather Fred was maimed on the same postage stamp size of land (31st Bn Alberta)
My great grandfather served with the Anzacs at Gallipoli, though there for a few months before being sent off sick with malaria or some other disease, he recovered in France before being shipped to the western front to fight in the trenches, he got caught in a gas attack but survived, recovered in England and returned to the front. His final injury was a bullet to the shoulder. he survived, but the injury put him out of the war and stayed with him for the rest of his life until he died of cancer in the 80’s. This is a fitting memorial, I can only imagine the men he fought with only to watch die, the men he called brothers not come home with him. It hurts, but this makes me happy in a way, it spreads awareness and reminds us not to glorify war, and to realise that every man woman and child that died in the war was a real human, a human with dreams, with goals. A human with family, family who watched them leave and never come home. It brings a tear to my eye. It is why we must honour them in memory so their sacrifice will be remembered. Lest we forget
My gt grandad was killed July 1918 serving his country for the freedom we have today... i thank him every day...Everyone single person on this majestic island of ours should grateful, not for my loss but for the millions lost during the conflicts this nation is involved in.. Including those who migrated here, unless you think its better from your origin country...
We honour their service thank you for your great granddads ultimate sacrifice brave young men ! My great great grandfather served with the 17th infantry battalion Australia imperial forces he was injured twice during his service . First occurrence at the second battle of Bullecourt 3 May 1917 . Then returned and sustained second injury on 14th May 1918 at the Combat of Morlancourt . He was lucky enough to make it home but was scarred for the rest of his life . I never got to meet him but I’m proud to be his great great grandson . We’ve recently found his travel trunk im yet to go and photograph the items within it but I’m sure it will unlock much stuff . Keep well Shayden 🇦🇺
I love this, my Grandad flew with the RNAS aged 18, bombing the uboat pens at Ostend he was invalided out nearly losing his legs having been shot down in 1918, but still joined up in 1939. I think this sums him up.
I was not aware of this project until now. It just popped up as a TH-cam suggestion. What a brilliant idea. An incredibly moving tribute to the many thousands that left their homes and families, never to return. The idea of each man having calling cards to give to passers by, naming the individual whom they represent was a stroke of genius. I was truly stunned when I paused the video to read the the card the young lady received and saw my own family surname on the card.
A great show of respect to remember those who gave their lives must not be forgotten . Yes they should do this more often. Thank you for all who took part. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Yea no I dont think anyone will It might get twisted into an adventure. again. but its the biggest piece of story for movies . ww1 may be forgotten. ww2. not until ww3.
Since history is one of my primary interests I have been exposed to many awful things involved in wars via photo and video, and from listening and reading, especially the brutal Soviet-German battles and the Mongol conquests; it is rare for me to respond emotionally to historical events because I have more-or-less desensitized myself by overexposing myself to carnage. But 3 things I encountered related to WWI in the West brought tears to my eyes: the first was a shot in a video of memorials in France of a military academy showing losses suffered by the graduating classes of officers from 14 to 18 - for the year 1914 there was no long list of names of those who were killed, it just said 'the class of 1914' because they ALL died by the armistice. The second was a video showing memorials near the Somme where one was dedicated to the "missing" - the number listed was over 70,000. The third was a lecture about the Somme where the British historian mentions the soldiers' disillusionment as a result of the battle, and he actually sang "We're here because we're here, because we're here...." and that sort of hit me in the way this video did.
Something about the silence feels so unsettling yet so real at the same time. This feels as how returning soldiers came back from WW1 felt returning to their home country, changed men.
My great great grandfather was a hun. He survived the western front, came back home and raised a family in Stuttgart. He was later arrested by nazi officials for refusing to sieg heil. He was conscripted and sent to the eastern front in ww2, where he met his end. Rest in peace, Gotthilf.
What a sorry story. He was a good man who would not kneel to evil. And then to have to endure the eastern front? He was probably glad it was over. RIP.
This video is amazing. A incredible and truthfull masterpiece! I might have been randomly brought to this video, but I certainly don't regret watching it. Good job.
I’m here because a 20 year old man was in England with the 6th Canadian Reserve Battalion when the war ended. Luckily he never crossed the channel in anger but he did have to go to France after the fighting ended. Miss you Grandad.
I was just fascinated about them walking with pride, then when the lady came walking to the camera just to pan what the man gave to her, that’s when it hit. 3:50
This is such an incredibly moving tribute to an entire generation - an impeccably designed, massive, and moving (literally and figuratively) work of art! Bravo to these gentlemen - lovely work by the young men volunteering to portray the soldiers (they all represent actual young men and had bio information cards about their solider), and (chef’s kiss to borrow historical clothing queen Bernadette Banner’s exclamation!) beautifully done uniforms! It’s so eerie and SO WELL DONE how each young man looks like a ghost caught in time and silently drifting in the wake of the mad modern world - the whole effect is magical, like a photograph taken by a time machine. Such a beautiful tribute to the once very alive and vibrant and hopeful young men (I’m thinking now of the letters I’ve read written by the Great War’s soldiers and the real experiences of men like Tolkien and C. S. Lewis and Wilfred Owen) just at the start of their lives in trades or at university, many in love with their sweethearts in that overwhelming blush of first love, some newly married and hoping for a life filled with a happy family “after the war” - which for so many never ended even if they survived. These young men were holding to the most precious things in life - their families back home and their best mates. Some were brand new young fathers with growing babies back home, some the only sons/brothers of their families and cherished members of small communities, some who spoke Welsh or Gaelic at home yet English in the field - all lost in Western France, among the poppies. As a Yank I’d love to see this in the US for our Vietnam vets or our Civil War vets or all of our wars - we should never, ever forget the daily cost of the lives of these young men swept out of their homes and communities into a monstrous machine that churned out only their memories, a machine that turned these boys into lists of names, the lost, on the pages of newspapers.
They didn’t speak to anyone, they gave cards to people bearing the names of the fallen, one of the most touching acts of remembrance I have ever witnessed in my country
To see them as if they just rose from the dead as alive as you or me. Look up once more and swear you'll never forget their SACIRIFICE. They loved and were loved and now they lie in ETERNAL PEACE. GOD REST THEIR SOULS.
If only we had eyes to see, those who fought for you and me. Thank you to all those involved in this, thank you for honoring those lost and remembering those who we have forgotten in our day to day floating through the tides and current of time.
I see and feel what they are there for ! They are there because they were there and gave their young lives to war ! My eyes are full thinking of the dedication of these young men remembering and honoring their fallen ! 😰💔😰💔😰
This is an amazing tribute to those young lives that never grew old. God rest their souls every one. My two Grandfathers survived the trenches or I wouldn't be typing this! RIP Frank and Charles.
*Suddenly pops up in recommended*
Indeed it has.
Ikr, well worth it though, youtube does recommend something good occasionally.
yeah lol
BF1 being free with all it's DLCs and other news articles about WW1 coming out this week caused the algorithm to spaz.
Same
"he says he's dead." something about the way she said that, and the mens' sombre silence....this is a true work of art
idk why this video got recommended after 8 years, but fantastic
My thoughts exactly
Me as well
Eu tbm
Ditto
A Warning
I’m a Corporal in the US Marines but many years ago a young Lance Corporal fought in the Somme and had he not done his bit and made it home I’d never be born. We’re here because we’re here
Magical world
He volunteered to go, that's enough.
It's incredible that you have that connection, respect to you Sir.
Hello mate , ex British infantryman here . I’m here because a gentleman was killed on the Somme , that gentleman’s wife married again after the war and had a daughter with her new husband (who’d also served on the Somme ). That child was my nan , that’s why I’m here .
We’re here because we’re here 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
Im assuming this is a memorial thing?
While the leaders are shaking hands,
The generals of the loosing side are angry,
The generals of the victorious side happy,
A mother is still waiting for her boy to come home,
A father is still waiting for his boy to arrive on his doorstep,
A brother is still longing for play,
A sister is still longing to chat,
A grandfather is still waiting to salute his grandson
A grandmother is still waiting to fix his collar
A wife is still waiting to see him
A daughter is still waiting to play with him
A son is still waiting to play football
A widow is weeping
The family is weeping
The children are weeping
😢
What if the father was in the war too
@@proboanimationsDo you read the children's part? Son? Daughter? Family?
@@proboanimations FIGURE IT OUT.
'Losing', not, 'Loosing'.
I'm here today because a 17 year old boy who was seriously wounded and lost a leg below the knee survived the Somme . He came home got married and had two sons and two daughters one of whom was my late Mother . Cannot really appreciate what that wars casualty list was like but lack of men in towns and villages throughout the UK was highlighted in subsequent censuses . This Art Project was very poignant .
Dang man, Godbless you and your family 🙏💪💯
Though you may not see this because your comment was a while back that's really moving. I get that as I am the same - my Great Grandad came home to a wife dying of Flu in 1918 and when she died he kept and cared for my (then baby) Grandma as a single parent rather than abandoning her, which showed incredible strength and resilience for a working, widowed man at the time. This led to her eventually having my mum who in turn was adopted in WW2 by the wife of another ex-WW1 soldier who had survived the trenches as a stretcher bearer. I will always be in their debt for not only my existence but also my own sons. Lest we forget.
Those cards were a stroke of genius.they read the cards looked at the young man who gave them and made the connection. Flesh and blood not just numbers.well done all concerned.
I write this with tears. I am very touched watching this. Flesh and bones, souls, sons, humans with names, personalities, with their whole young lives ahead of them. I complain because I am getting older, something they did not get the privilege to do. I will stop complaining right this minute. We won't forget you.
I was fortunate enough to visit the Somme some years back and I have never been the same since.
There's a lump in my throat watching this.
Well said
I think I love you lady.
Now they’re countries over ran by Muslims and thugs.
In my youth I knew many WW1 veterans. They would have liked this, that the memory of so many of their comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice in that slaughter of a damn war have not been forgotten even today. They should never be forgotten.
My father, my grandfather, and my great grandfather before me all served, as did I, war is not something I want and have personally felt its rip away, I pray every day we can find more common ground with one another not to butcher but to talk and understand. I will always remember your war dead along with my own.
@@tippy4674 My great grandfather was in WW1. Nuff said. My grandfather served in the Home Guard in WW2, mainly because he was a railway engine driver and his contribution to the WW2 war effort was better served hauling coal and iron ore to the steel works, oil to the refineries, steel away from the steel works and chemicals from the refineries to facilitate the munitions factories. In any event he was probably well above the enlistment age, but despite this had a few interesting adventures with the Luftwaffe attacking trains. My uncle Oliver was an observer on Fairy Swordfish biplanes (known as string bags) off of wooden decked carriers. One of these torpedoed battleship Bismarck's rudder crippling her from any maneuver other than going around in a circle. I asked how the aircraft managed that. A very stable weapons platform I was told, flying too slowly for Bismarck's anti aircraft guns that were set up for faster aircraft. He mainly attacked German coastal shipping at night with wing racked bombs or an underside torpedo. He was the guy who pulled the toggles to drop them off. Scary stuff? At night the pull out from a dive of a string bag is slow, the radial engine exhaust collector ring glows blue, and, if you have not crippled the vessel, tracer bullets coming up with six rounds between each tracer pinging through the wing fabric starts you thinking which bullet has my name on it. My uncle Mike was a regimental sergeant major in the army after WW2. Even so he served in the Aden and Suez crises in the late 1950's. They all said this about conflicts.......thank God it is over, and we pray it never happens again. Unfortunately since their service there have been multiple wars. Wars continue to be such a damn waste of good people.
Es ist schön das diese Engländer ihre Toten Soldaten Ehren das würde ich mir auch in Deutschland Wünschen Warum so viele Millionen Junge Männer auf beiden Seiten der Front für die Interessen weniger Starben 🧐 die daran viele Milliarden verdient haben wenn die Toten Auf den Militär Friedhöfe sprechen könnten würden sie den Lebenden NIE WIEDER KRIEG Entgegen Schreien 😭🤨😳👍🏻👍🏻
@@tippy4674 But the problem is that some countries are becoming these cliche "villains" that just want to have a hegemony in this world, so I don't think that we will live in peace for next 20 years. I say that as Ukrainian
It’s like the ghosts of those who perished during the Great War are still wandering around the station from where they left to France 🫡
I wish they did this every year.
The next one will be in 3016 if they still remember
And if ur lucky one in 2040's for ww2 and ww2 soldiers
@@Hounkey 2039
@@Hounkey Why wouldn't it be in 2116 for the 200 year anniversary? Or can you not do math?
@@SStupendous I can see he where comes and I realised I did the same mistake too....Eventually I did think again.
I’m from the States and this just ran across this researching some stuff on the Somme. As a veteran, this touched my soul..
I’m also from the states
But I found this because of a world war 1 song
Called
“We’re here because we’re here”
Basically that’s the entire lyric
There ain’t no point in this war
But we’re here because uh well we’re here
@@JavaScrapperthat’s sadly pretty much all war. Zero point, poor men fighting for rich men.
@@JavaScrapperLike so many wars, to include Iraq and Afghanistan. Our politicians, whose kids never pay the price, are cheerkeaders of deat. Like that stupid US Senator Graham.
@@JavaScrapperThe song is just meant to be a trench version of Auld Lang Syne. It wasn't about attacking the war
@addicted2tone349 That might be the American perspective. For us in Britain it is and was about far more then fighting for richmen...
This needs to be an annual event.
Yes, for WWI and II
Yes but in different towns and cities, not all at one just a couple of different places each year
What a brilliant, moving idea to commemorate the war dead . Watching it, I felt as though those soldiers brought 1916 back to the streets of Manchester 2016. The underlying tragedy once again resurfaced.
I agree, Manchester is a tragedy.
This is one of the coolest monuments to the memory of those brave soldiers!!! Well done lads! Respect from Australia....
My beloved Canadian grandfather was gassed in the trenches. He survived, that’s why I’m here. He wrote home weekly and we still, in 2024, have all his letters including the ones he wrote in the trenches . In one of the many letters he told his sister that they could hear the “huns” talking in their own trenches at night. The vibrant optimistic young man in the letters was very different from the reserved quiet man that I knew growing up. I adored him, he remains my hero even 63 years after his death.
Wydajcie jego listy - proszę. From Poland.
This video make me feel like their souls is walking in the modern day, seeing what they able to fight for to make for today.
Exactly that.
They would be shocked to see what that world has become today and that which it became is shameful.
@@lcfflc3887 true, so many things have changed and so many things have burned
The theatrical element itself is amazing, and the uniform history presented here shows that whoever was a part of making sure these gents were dressed did an outstanding job with research, but there is another thing I want to highlight.
There are scenes in this video where we see elements of the modern world interacting with a representation of an old one. The women taking selfies with the men, the lines of them marching down busy city streets, them boarding the bus or waiting for the train. Its a touching thing to see. I think some people might find the selfies and whatnot rude or disrespectful, but I believe that in a way, it is the natural progression of how we interact with art and theatre. In the past, we had to live in the moment because the moment was all we had. Now, we have the great technological ability to preserve and re-experience our past through high-quality photo and video. Its not disrespectful to want to capture a moment for later, we just have to pick a good time and place for it.
Where the citizens of today can take a photo or video to ensure the memory is saved, these men had to dress up and reenact in order to create a poignant reminder. If the goal is remembrance, are these not similar means to an end? Just something interesting I thought about.
The only quibble I’d have is whether tin hats were worn when out of the line.
Well said.
It fills my heart with joy to see that there are still people remembering the fallen and not letting them be forgotten.
This is how we should preserve history in flesh and bone. Such a surreal sight to see them walking again. Great work
I'm here today because a Scottish piper fought in Singapore and became a pow under Japan for almost four years,worked on the death railway, survived the bombing of three hell ships and mitsui coal mines . My grandfather my hero 😊
The people never forget , it's the politicians that have the memory problems .
Or force memory problems.
Politicians will always be ready to line their pockets waging senseless wars with someone else’s blood and tears, never their own
@@mauriciogonzalez27spot on
I’m here today because a 18 year old boy signed up to fight a war he had no idea about and fought for 4 years in places he didn’t know existed.
Thankyou Grandad love from your descendent’s.
The most moving, honest and direct memorial ever.
6:59 the most comical moment of the entire video was seeing that goth girl passing by with a guy dressed in a ww1 uniform standing on the corner
Sure that wasn't a goth man 😂
@@oversecus833😒 corny ass comment
Fortnite lobby
I was looking for an comment about this girl hahahhaha
This was one of the greatest pieces of art I have ever witnessed. We free nations stand on the backs of the fallen heroes that preserved our freedom. God Bless them one and all.
A great campaign... Watching this video moved me deeply... We should never forget!!!
Many greetings from Berlin!!!
This video is EIGHT YEARS OLD!!! Yet, it's the first time it has come to my attention. This needs to be in the MILLIONS... why doesn't YT recommend it? It only has 501 comments on it. This brought a tear to my eye, because these young lads were representing the young lads that died for us to have the freedom to have the society we have today. Even though that was a lie told to get them out there. God bless them all.
Absolutely amazing.Everyone of them was my great cousin Harry.Killed Hill 60 14/2/1916.God bless
Wait thats illegal how is ur cousin in 1916 like say im 10 my cousins will be 12 or 8 it has to be your grandad
@@Hounkey They said great cousin which is your parents cousin
@@orbitalpenguin170 SO YOUR TELLING ME HIS PARENTS ARE BORN IN 1840
@@orbitalpenguin170 IF HIS GREAT COUSIN IS KILLED IN 1916 HIS PARENTS HAVE TO BE BORN AROUND THE SAME TIME HIS GRANDADS COUSIN WILL BE MORE ACCURATE
@@Hounkey not really my youngest great cousin is 22 and my oldest great cousin is 38 and I'm 18. So there parents may of been born in the war or after then they was born in the 40s or 50s. It depends really on there parents siblings ages.
Every soldier was well mannered props to this memorial
We're here because they were there. God bless their souls x 😔🇬🇧
From Canada this should be done everywhere. From a Canadian who takes Remembrance Day very seriously this has reduced me to tears. We must never forget we must forever remember.
Here in Manchester, New Hampshire USA - we lost beautiful young men here to the war and will always remember them. Thank you for this beautiful expression of compassion.
Wrong Manchester mate
@@Stairetoc Both Manchester's did lose a lot of men as a result of the war.
@@Stairetoc
But still lost sons.
@@Stairetocpretty sure that's why he put "new Hampshire usa"
@@Stairetoc Aye, we know that, mate. Apparently, you didn't.
This is amazing. Hit to the point. Somber and sorrowful. Those young lads paid the ultimate sacrifice for Great Britain during WWI
My grandmother’s brother William Beddows joined the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1914 and fought right up to August 1918 when he was killed and has no known grave. God bless him. Very touching video thank you.
I saw this as ghosts of the past still wondering the streets
I saw this in home town of Plymouth to me they represented ghosts of the dead of the battle of the Somme walking in plain sight of the living each one of these men carried a card with a name of one soldier killed in that opening day of the battle .60,000 men on the first day 20,000 dead 40,0000 missing and wounded. It was very moving.
That was exactly the point of the video.
This is the most moving videao i've seen on TH-cam.
We will remember them.
Still teary eyed watching these lads , I’m very glad to see the people of my home city giving them a respectful reception especially the older gentleman standing with them in a dignified show of solidarity.
My great uncle fell at Vimy Ridge, 9 April 1917. Edward Maunsell, 26 years old.
Sitting here, close to tears this hole video. Beautiful.
Salute to our heroes.
"It's the same, old theme, since 1916, in your streets, in your streets, they're still marching" R.I.P Dolores 'O Riordan and young lives tore away in the battle of the Somme
I mean the song was more based on the sectarian/nationalistic violence between Irish Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists in Northern Ireland. 1916 was also the year of the Easter Rising in Dublin, hence it's reference in the song. But music is open to interpretation and a lot of the themes they put into the song carry across conflicts. Lest we forget
Dolores was criticising the IRA. Damning them, rather.
Yeah, that wasn't about this war.
The accuracy right down to the sound of the hob nail boots is brilliant 🫡👏🏻👍🏻💪🏻
I sometimes wish they would do this every year.It brings it all to life.
This is very moving. We need to see similar demonstration s like this worldwide on both tv and internet internet. To remind everyone the true cost of wars.
A very moving tribute. Very well done!
This should be expanded to all countries that participated in the different wars.
This was an incredible idea. I love this. So amazing and would be so captivating to see.
Thank you. Both my grandads served and survived. That’s why I’m here.
May the Prince of Peace return soon, and all the wars cease. Amen.
This was unexpected but i thank the algorithm for showing me this. God bless everyone who died in the Great War. German, British, French, Russian and ever other. God bless you all.
Danke an alle Gefallenen, denn Ihr gabt euer alles für Deutschland. Euch gibt es nicht mehr aber der Danke, die Bewunderung und die Erinnerung bleibt für immer. Gott mit Euch.
This is pretty amazing.
I always have in my mind do something like this, with actors and uniforms roaming London, Dover, and other cities near the channel. Mainly polish, Czechslovaks, danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Belgium and some French all in British WW2 RAF and Army uniform to remind those usually forgotten who kept on the fight under British command and uniforms but were not British.
Here in Canada, at Rememberance Day you’ll hear the media say, “they fought for our freedom”. Absolutely, in WW2 against Nazis evil. But the Great War was a complete failure of political leadership. I think Rememberance Day should be remembered for the crass incompetence of our global leaders and a reminder to them to do the right thing. As Wilfred Owen wrote “you smug faced crowds with kindled eye, who cheer as soldier lads march by, sneak home and pray, you’ll never know the hell where youth and laughter go”
My fathers uncle Sidney was killed at Passchendaele (South Staffods Regt) two days later my wife’s grandfather Fred was maimed on the same postage stamp size of land (31st Bn Alberta)
Inspiring. As ex-Forces, I found that very moving . . .
The silence.. So heartbreaking.
Absolutely incredible, genius work of art.
My great grandfather served with the Anzacs at Gallipoli, though there for a few months before being sent off sick with malaria or some other disease, he recovered in France before being shipped to the western front to fight in the trenches, he got caught in a gas attack but survived, recovered in England and returned to the front. His final injury was a bullet to the shoulder. he survived, but the injury put him out of the war and stayed with him for the rest of his life until he died of cancer in the 80’s.
This is a fitting memorial, I can only imagine the men he fought with only to watch die, the men he called brothers not come home with him. It hurts, but this makes me happy in a way, it spreads awareness and reminds us not to glorify war, and to realise that every man woman and child that died in the war was a real human, a human with dreams, with goals. A human with family, family who watched them leave and never come home. It brings a tear to my eye. It is why we must honour them in memory so their sacrifice will be remembered.
Lest we forget
Wow very powerful. So proud of our service men and woman past and present. 🇬🇧 Lest We Forget🙏🇬🇧
My gt grandad was killed July 1918 serving his country for the freedom we have today... i thank him every day...Everyone single person on this majestic island of ours should grateful, not for my loss but for the millions lost during the conflicts this nation is involved in.. Including those who migrated here, unless you think its better from your origin country...
We honour their service thank you for your great granddads ultimate sacrifice brave young men ! My great great grandfather served with the 17th infantry battalion Australia imperial forces he was injured twice during his service . First occurrence at the second battle of Bullecourt 3 May 1917 . Then returned and sustained second injury on 14th May 1918 at the Combat of Morlancourt . He was lucky enough to make it home but was scarred for the rest of his life . I never got to meet him but I’m proud to be his great great grandson . We’ve recently found his travel trunk im yet to go and photograph the items within it but I’m sure it will unlock much stuff .
Keep well
Shayden 🇦🇺
I love this, my Grandad flew with the RNAS aged 18, bombing the uboat pens at Ostend he was invalided out nearly losing his legs having been shot down in 1918, but still joined up in 1939. I think this sums him up.
I was not aware of this project until now. It just popped up as a TH-cam suggestion. What a brilliant idea. An incredibly moving tribute to the many thousands that left their homes and families, never to return. The idea of each man having calling cards to give to passers by, naming the individual whom they represent was a stroke of genius. I was truly stunned when I paused the video to read the the card the young lady received and saw my own family surname on the card.
A strong reminder of all those young men, then and now. Thank you for your service.
This is an amazing story. Kudos to the people who came up with this. The lads would be proud.
A great show of respect to remember those who gave their lives must not be forgotten .
Yes they should do this more often.
Thank you for all who took part.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I am a cold war veteran - this is POWERFULLY memorable, they should do this every year, brings tears to the eyes how many young men were lost.
This was exceptionally well done. The uniforms, the body language all perfect! So many men died at the Somme it's utterly heart-breaking.
Have to say, impressed. The Poms do this very well & full marks to the person behind it.
It's sad to see that today's generation is forgetting about the sacrifices that the men made during WW1 and WW2.
I haven't forgotten. I won't let it be forgotten!
Not really. I'd say gen Z will be the ones to forget though.
@@kittye8340 Take comfort in knowing that you aren't alone. Lest we forget.
Yea no
I dont think anyone will
It might get twisted into an adventure. again. but its the biggest piece of story for movies . ww1 may be forgotten. ww2. not until ww3.
@@sutty8526Gen Z isn’t forgetting
They need to do this every 10 years I think it would be really respectful to see who they where it would make our history feel more personal
Merry Christmas Tommy. For hes a jolly good fellow!
So moving. It upsets me every time I watch it.... But we will remember them x
6:24 The man feel respect to those volunteers.
Seeing him standing with them like that was very somber yet powerful. He's old enough to have known actual WW1 vets.
Since history is one of my primary interests I have been exposed to many awful things involved in wars via photo and video, and from listening and reading, especially the brutal Soviet-German battles and the Mongol conquests; it is rare for me to respond emotionally to historical events because I have more-or-less desensitized myself by overexposing myself to carnage. But 3 things I encountered related to WWI in the West brought tears to my eyes: the first was a shot in a video of memorials in France of a military academy showing losses suffered by the graduating classes of officers from 14 to 18 - for the year 1914 there was no long list of names of those who were killed, it just said 'the class of 1914' because they ALL died by the armistice. The second was a video showing memorials near the Somme where one was dedicated to the "missing" - the number listed was over 70,000. The third was a lecture about the Somme where the British historian mentions the soldiers' disillusionment as a result of the battle, and he actually sang "We're here because we're here, because we're here...." and that sort of hit me in the way this video did.
Fantastic live installation! What a great taste and accuracy!
Greetings from Russian reenactment community!
That song stays with with me in a way I can't explain. They just accepted the situation they were in.
thank you youtube algorithm for bringing me here
0:34 notice how the man holds the card in both hands, business cards are very very important in Eastern culture, ESPECIALLY Japan.
Still so proud to see these guys God Bless every last one!
Beautiful.
Something about the silence feels so unsettling yet so real at the same time. This feels as how returning soldiers came back from WW1 felt returning to their home country, changed men.
its amazing how period accurate facial hair, haircut and attitude completes the look so much
My great great grandfather was a hun. He survived the western front, came back home and raised a family in Stuttgart. He was later arrested by nazi officials for refusing to sieg heil. He was conscripted and sent to the eastern front in ww2, where he met his end. Rest in peace, Gotthilf.
What a sorry story. He was a good man who would not kneel to evil. And then to have to endure the eastern front? He was probably glad it was over. RIP.
This video is amazing. A incredible and truthfull masterpiece!
I might have been randomly brought to this video, but I certainly don't regret watching it. Good job.
I’m here because a 20 year old man was in England with the 6th Canadian Reserve Battalion when the war ended. Luckily he never crossed the channel in anger but he did have to go to France after the fighting ended. Miss you Grandad.
Fantastic idea! My friends and I will try something similar.
Warm greetings from Germany.
I was just fascinated about them walking with pride, then when the lady came walking to the camera just to pan what the man gave to her, that’s when it hit. 3:50
This is such an incredibly moving tribute to an entire generation - an impeccably designed, massive, and moving (literally and figuratively) work of art! Bravo to these gentlemen - lovely work by the young men volunteering to portray the soldiers (they all represent actual young men and had bio information cards about their solider), and (chef’s kiss to borrow historical clothing queen Bernadette Banner’s exclamation!) beautifully done uniforms!
It’s so eerie and SO WELL DONE how each young man looks like a ghost caught in time and silently drifting in the wake of the mad modern world - the whole effect is magical, like a photograph taken by a time machine. Such a beautiful tribute to the once very alive and vibrant and hopeful young men (I’m thinking now of the letters I’ve read written by the Great War’s soldiers and the real experiences of men like Tolkien and C. S. Lewis and Wilfred Owen) just at the start of their lives in trades or at university, many in love with their sweethearts in that overwhelming blush of first love, some newly married and hoping for a life filled with a happy family “after the war” - which for so many never ended even if they survived. These young men were holding to the most precious things in life - their families back home and their best mates. Some were brand new young fathers with growing babies back home, some the only sons/brothers of their families and cherished members of small communities, some who spoke Welsh or Gaelic at home yet English in the field - all lost in Western France, among the poppies.
As a Yank I’d love to see this in the US for our Vietnam vets or our Civil War vets or all of our wars - we should never, ever forget the daily cost of the lives of these young men swept out of their homes and communities into a monstrous machine that churned out only their memories, a machine that turned these boys into lists of names, the lost, on the pages of newspapers.
They didn’t speak to anyone, they gave cards to people bearing the names of the fallen, one of the most touching acts of remembrance I have ever witnessed in my country
For my family member: Lt. Frank Timothy Quinlan, 5th Canadian Railway Troops, Killed in Action, Sept 9th 1917 at Ypres, Belgium Age 27
God Bless His soul ❤ may we never forget the lives lost
To see them as if they just rose from the dead as alive as you or me. Look up once more and swear you'll never forget their SACIRIFICE. They loved and were loved and now they lie in ETERNAL PEACE. GOD REST THEIR SOULS.
Most of those young lads will never come back.
They didn't it was in memory of the battle of the somme
Everything looks so authentic.
except for the blacks
@@WestlehSeyweldever heard of the British Empire? You know, the whole chunk of Africa they colonised?
If only we had eyes to see,
those who fought for you and me.
Thank you to all those involved in this, thank you for honoring those lost and remembering those who we have forgotten in our day to day floating through the tides and current of time.
what a fantastic idea it worked the uk do some things really well and this was one of them
I see and feel what they are there for ! They are there because they were there and gave their young lives to war ! My eyes are full thinking of the dedication of these young men remembering and honoring their fallen ! 😰💔😰💔😰
i can say with pride both my grandfathers where in the Manchester regiment
This is an amazing tribute to those young lives that never grew old. God rest their souls every one. My two Grandfathers survived the trenches or I wouldn't be typing this! RIP Frank and Charles.
Absolutely bloody brilliant. Thoughtful, thought provoking dramatic & deeply poignant.
I loved it how casual they all seemed. You almost think you took a step back in time to over a 100 years ago.
It really looks like they stepped out from a black and white film. Fantastic.
What an incredible day of reflection.
Great idea and done very well. The men they commemorate gave so much and yet most of them didn't even have suffrage.