An Irish Soldier describes The World War One Somme, 1976 

I disagree... he was rambling and talking in circles. I respect his story but c'mon now, get to the point.

Came looking for this. When that weasel chimed in I couldn’t believe he wasn’t hanging on every word. Fuck the commercials, this history!

@@MikeyPaper what a stupid attitude. This story is only truly known by people like this man telling it. The amount of propaganda from that time period has made it really hard to get a genuine image of what places like the Somme were actually like.

@@MikeyPaper show some respect. He wasn’t talking in circles, every word was gripping and built his experiences and story up. These stories will never be told first hand again. He should’ve told his full story until he was done, not just skipped to the death count. Disgusting behaviour bro.

@@MikeyPaper fool

I was about to comment the exact same thing. What an absolute shame. My great great uncle fought in that exact battle he was going on to describe. Would have been great to know all the intrinsic details of the day.

You should see the amount of time they give people to talk nowadays.

I think he paused and asked because the details he was about to go into were likely too graphic for TV in those days.

Watch the BBC great war interviews, they basically do just that

Exactly my thoughts. The journalist should have let the gentleman talk. But no. Interrupted. Incredible. Journalists sometimes arrogant.

There’s TONS of these testimonials. It’s absolutely shocking to hear these stories. And to hear overlapping details of the same stories from different men separated by decades. Amazing really.

I used to love listening to these men's interview's when I was a kid I knew a few local men who were in the old IRA as we called it.

You can listen to recordings of Anerican civil war soldiers and black slaves when they were old (1920-30s)

Technology these days

An absolutely insane and incredible set of experiences that we won't ever experience. We're lucky enough to live in a time of comparable peace (despite how it seems at times) and if we ever have a conflict on the same scale, it won't be with the same tools and equipment that necessitated these lengthy, messy and personal battles with poor medical help and lacking things like vacuum-sealed rations or the internet. I can't imagine how horrible early war truly was, and I don't think anyone but people like this man can truly understand it.

Amen Sir!

Honourable man! May Allah have mercy on his soul ameen

@@notyourdinner3446 he's Christian

My Grandfather was also assigned to the Machine Gun Corps (from the Berkshire Regiment). He always said it saved his life because the machine guns were held back from the first wave when they went over. I believe every other Lieutenant who joined the regiment with him was killed. He ended the war as an Acting Major, still only in his mid-20s.

@@RonSill1986 Doesn't matter, they're the same entity.

@@lawenda2099 not to a Christian who believes Islam is a false prophet and false religion.

So sad

King's officials.

Very sad

The tragic truth of the stalemate on the western front

It was so horrific that many are still angry about it to this day, even though there are no veterans remaining

What a champ ⚔️🇮🇪

God bless your Grandad.

May Allah have mercy on his brave brave soul. Ameen

RIP to a great man

Was it the Irish whisky that killed him, should have had a decent scotch huh. 😑

BALLS TO WARS

stand by your man

Beautiful to hear

“But by the Grace of God go I...”

My grandfather was one of the 98

I know I was hanging on his every word...yiy can tell this man was a professional

Exactly what I was thinking.

I agree, I was really interested to hear that story. Now we never will

YES - my thought exactly just now! What things remained unsaid forever just because of that interviewers negative response!

Yes, but it was television and not RU-vid. There were time constraints. I do hope his story in full was recorded at some point elsewhere.

Thanks. That explains why he's so well versed and is such a competent interviewer.

One vet to another. Mad respect between them i would guess

Cathal o'Shannon was one of Ireland's outstanding broadcasters, having been a journalist since the war ended. His father also was a celebrated journalist, politician and trade unionist,

Must be a coward

My great grand uncle was killed Sep 1 1914 in the Irish Guards at Villers-Cottres. He was 20. All my relatives in the UK and Ireland never went to the grave though they said they wanted too. I made sure when I finally got to France this year from the US that I went to his grave. I got a rock from the wall behind the grave. It is going to his parents' grave next time I am in Galway.

What's the name of the film? Some life.

​@@cigh7445 It's a documentary called 'Emmet Dalton remembers'. You can find it on RU-vid.

Thank you for the details you gave regarding Collins etc. Collins was Ireland's biggest loss. He was a military man but was forced to get involved in politics when the Polititions hadn't the guts to do their duty.

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

1 of?The First World War trench warfare was the worst experience in human history, nothing compares to it. With all respect to World War II veterans in St Petersburg and the siege Of Leningrad, who had similar experiences, but they kept the chance to run in open plan, must have given "some" Feeling, of flexibility that you could possibly survive. However, the trenches, not only disease terrible noise, but the feeling Every single 2nd but you were going to die, Or be permanently maimed, has to be unique

....then the Australian general ,,General Monash,, arrived . With his meticulous detailed planning the war soon ended following his arrival .

Now we just hand it over without a whimper...

In war nobody wins

@@charlesdickens6706 Australians killing their European brothers is nothing to boast about.

Don't forget the ANZAC, Australian New Zealand Army Corps

in fairness this would probably have been going out live

Like the Accrington Pals who lost around 600 of their 720 strong battalion killed wounded or missing in the first twenty minutes of the Somme battle 1st July 16

A whole generation of brave young Newfoundlanders lost but never forgotten.❤🍁🪨🇨🇦

An honorable soldier imo

Thanks for posting this important detail. Colins was a true Irish soldier.

Wasn’t Hitler also in a Bavarian regiment?

pig

Similar story to my family. My great-grandfather was captured at Mons, my great-uncle died in the RAF in 1944. Lots of Irish in the wars, and deserving of more recognition.

@@celtbell if he was fighting for an independent Ireland no longer controlled from London, that’s his right, Ireland belongs to those who live there, it’s upto them not, London.

@@nigeh5326 yeah fair enough...his name is Emmett Dalton..he was with Michael Collins when he was killed

@@celtbell I’m English through and through but I’m not a nationalist or an imperialist. I’m presuming here that you are Irish, as far as I’m concerned we have far more in common than we have differences. Stay safe

@@nigeh5326 if only more thought like you mate. We would all get on fine

@@terencebigballs8531 well I’ve raised my 2 sons to think the same way. Thanks 👍

German casualty lists were roughly the same too. I think it was, combined, the Somme sector, from 1916 to 1918 1.1 million casualties. With gains of up to 3 miles...crazyness.

@@lordfogg9728 on the first day of the somme the Germans had around 6,000 casualties mainly due to the French . It was and is the worst rate of Casualties in British military history .

@@branofattrebates2847 ahhh ok. So Boche didn't get it the first day like the Brits eh. I'm pretty sure they were similiar when the Somme was over no?

@@lordfogg9728 no More ! German casualties were between 500,000 to 650,000 I don't know the deaths but I am sure they suffered heavy losses. Altogether 300,000 deaths from July 1st to November 18th November 1916 , 140 days .British deaths were around 125,000. It took the pressure off verdun which was a stalemate . It must of been horrific to say the least .

@@branofattrebates2847 unbelievable isn't. Like lambs to the slaughter. Unreal. Its surprising Europe bounced back. As little as it did, until it was time for another. I never met my great grandfather who died at a younger age, I'm told he was shot in the neck and face, went back to the front and got hit with shrapnel, went back to England again but the war had ended after his second stint in hospital. I took a class on WWI and WWII, where my professor, took the entire period to really get across on how tough that generation was.

They died for nothing. It was a pointless, murderous war. A gargantuan waste of human life. Nothing heroic about it - just futile.

@@turloughkelly3829 all of what you have said can be true yet it still does not deny that these men volunteered to give their lives in order to protect their family and friends, which is the most heroic thing a person can do.

@@Iukeeey protect their family and friends from what?

@@bluechip297 from the perceived threat of a German invasion. There were propaganda posters at the time depicting Germans invading Irish homes, with the posters telling Irishmen to join the army before it's too late.

@@Iukeeey The propaganda recruiting posters for Irishmen to join the British Army went into overdrive after the sinking of the Lusitania.

Quite, some understatement.

Emmet Dalton was not the only Irish veteran of WWI who was awarded for bravery and later would join the IRA. Martin Doyle(Royal Munster Fusiliers)was awarded both the MM and the highest British award the VC. He served later with the Co Clare IRA. Michael Bishop(Irish Guards) was awarded the MM twice and would later serve with the Co.Waterford IRA. Joseph Clancy(Royal Munster Fusiliers) was awarded the DCM and would later serve with the Co.Clare IRA. John Prout served with the New York 69th the famous fighting Irish 69th which was part of the AEF(American Expeditionary Force). He was awarded the Croix DevGuerre and would later serve with the Co.Tipperary IRA. By the way Dalton helped found Ardmore Film Studios in Co.Wicklow where many great movies were made. Hope this info is useful. Stay safe in these challenging times.

Almost as if characterisation of the IRA as terrorist was a touch simplistic..

@@ironmantooltime There is a new book coming out about Irish veterans of WW1 who joined the IRA during the Irish War of Independence. These men were invaluable to the IRA and their role has never been given the proper credit or analysis. I have given in my above post IRA decorated veterans of WW1 which shows the calibre of these men. I have numerous examples of IRA veterans who played a crucial part in some engagements against the Crown Forces. Check out the Dromkeen Ambush(early February 1921 in Co.Limerick)where Maurice Meade(ex Royal Irish Regiment) marksmanship accounted for a lot of Black & Tans. The famous successful Clonfin Ambush in Co.Longford in February 1921 was credited to Sean McEoin but it was Michael Gormley(ex Irish Guards) who chose the ambush location or KZ(to use modern military parlance). There was also the Rineen ambush(Co.Clare September 1920) where Ignatius O' Neil(ex Irish Guards) unleashed rapid covering rifle fire against British reinforcements(Royal Scots) and helped the IRA unit withdraw safely and escape. There was also the famous Tom Barry(ex Royal Field Artillery) who would become the most successful IRA commander in the field. Check out his role at Kilmichael ambush(November 1920) and Crossbarry(March 1921). James Flagherty(ex Connaught Rangers) played a pivotal role in the Carrowkennedy ambush in Co.Mayo in June 1921. The impact these IRA veterans of WW1 had on the guerilla army was immense. The training in terms of weapons etc was crucial. I have alway's been fascinated by IRA veterans of WW1. We must not forget that some Irish veterans of WW1 were executed by the IRA during the struggle for Independence for alleged spying. Hope this info is useful. Take care everyone in these challenging times.

@@johnroche7541 true, its like the israelis post war, they didn't take any sh1t and look where they are now: in charge of their own destiny. Not everyone agrees obvs and I'm not saying Ireland is the same, but you get my point.

Another horrifying fact for you: The entire graduating class of 1914 of St Cyr (France's equivelant to Sandhurst and West Point) was dead by Christmas of that year. How about another? Everyone talks about the first day of the Somme but what happened the next day? The British continued the Battle of the Somme in exactly the same way, if not the same intensity, until November. Just over 4 months of doing exactly what cost them 60,000 casualties on the first day but on a smaller scale.

@@dankirk25 The human meat grinder... and to think it happened all over again 20 years later

Officers are targeted I warfare.

Unreal eh

@@dankirk25 I remember reading about that or something the rather, that the French were exhausted by the end of 1914. Their capabilities were down to nothing and the generals just gave each other a hard time. France thought it should be in control of foreign armys after it had just lost his. It was new to them all, even the Boche generals struggled with the fast pace in 1914, meeting deadlines, logistics, major communication problems, sending men to the eastern front but they managed to squash the French in the process. I remember another good one. France started the war with 98 trucks and at the end the army had 18,000...I think, don't quote me on that number but it was pretty big for the day and a huge ratio difference. What a waste eh. A pissing match more or less wiped out a generation.

Dozens of IRA men were veterans of WW1 and a couple had been decorated for bravery.

Mr Smith didn’t you ever hear of shell shock if that’s not post t s d ? Get your facts right and study

@@zeez9053 he meant that it wasn't recognized during the time. Socially there wasn't really support for the men with shell shock and ptsd. Mr Smith was on the right track and highlighting how hard it must have been for them to "just have to get on with it". He wasn't being malicious or off putting. Maybe you read his intention a bit wrong the way he wrote it.

@@Minime163 my great uncle did the same.

Infantry advancing towards machine guns is slaughter on an epic scale. Hundreds of thousands of men died in that battle, and all for nothing. An entire generation of Englishmen and Germans lost.

@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 There was Irish(from both sides),Scots and Welsh there too. Check out the movie "The Trench" which stars a younger Daniel Craig. The majority of the movie takes place on 30th June just literally hours before the Battle of the Somme. It is almost like a play due to it's condensed environment. It also stars Collian Murphy and Danny Dyer.

Yeah and it was all done on purpose. Pre-meditated mass genocide under the guise of a 'World War.' Research the 'Kalergi Plan' if you doubt me and you'll be quickly horrified. It should also make you feel extremely pissed off if you have half a brain and half a decent heart with empathy for the suffering of completely innocent civilians and yes even all the young/old soldiers on all sides in every single war

@@blindmelonstubbly there's always one tinfoil hat idiot

@@blindmelonstubbly genuine conspiracy theory nonsense. Not everything has a big huge secret sometimes people wanna shoot each other

Yeah man, Russia had the third largest population before ww1

Emmet Dalton held the post of Director of Training as part of the IRA(GHQ) in Dublin during Irish War of Independence 1919-1921. His brother Charlie was also in the IRA and Charlie took part in the "Bloody Sunday(21st November 1920) assassinations against British intelligence. Emmet was awarded the MC at Guinchy in September 1916 during the latter stages of the Battle of the Sonme while serving with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Like many Irish veterans of the Great War he joined the IRA when he got home to Ireland. He was not the only Irish decorated veteran of WW1 to join the IRA. Emmet in later life set up Ardmore Studios in Co.Wicklow,Republic of Ireland where many famous Hollywood movies were made right up to today.

You found those relics buried or just laying there? Tu peux me répondre en français ou en anglais comme tu veux.

@@lecobra418 Non non, sur le sol. Au fil des années à se promener dans la forêt mon pote avait accumulé une sacrée collection, bayonnettes, casques, douilles... Les bois de Seine et Marne sont pleins de trous énormes faits par les obus.

@@s.z.9517 En Seine et Marne ?! Je pensais que tu parlais des bois de la Marne ou de la Somme là où le gros des combats à eu lieu, je sais que des combats ont eu lieu très proche de Paris mais pas qu'il restait autant de matos littérallement à même le sol surtout dans ces coins là ! Plutôt cool, j'espère que ton pote à fait un petit travail de conservation sur ce qu'il a trouvé, ça vaudrait le coup. ;)

@@lecobra418 Oui après je trouve ça un peu dérangeant perso, collectionner ce genre de trucs. Mais oui, en Seine et Marne surtout à l'Est c'est plein d'anciens champs de bataille.

You can watch the whole interview and more here... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WM32nOhOz1Q.html Emmet was awarded the MC and not the VC as he was in an Irish regiment. VCs and MCs are at the same level in terms of rank.

Irish regiments that were in Dublin in 1916 were used to suppress the 'Rising".

All they are taught today is how wars disproportionately affect minorities.

Do you not think he should have done a better job of protecting his Commander in Chief in Cork? What was he playing at??

@@jakenconor he wasn't just one man and it was the sneakiness of DeValera and he had suffered trauma from WW 1 and you are who??to judge him?let no one judge your life so harshly as you've done here today sir

@@jakenconor how many times have you laid down your life? Just so we can be aware of your credentials to judge over this man.

@@B8kedBean how many times did this man lay down his life?? He died in his bed..an old man

@@karmakat8016 Devalera my arse. This was the man who's duty it was to protect his Chief. What did he do? He got the whole crew drunk and let them engage in a pointless firefight where the only casualty was the man he was sworn to protect! Incompetent at best! At worst... Criminal!!!

You mean the Third Battle of Ypres? There were only 2 battles at the Somme and the Second Battle of the Somme took place in 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.

Your final remark concerning the pointlessness of the deaths is correct. The young men on both sides should have walked away from a conflict (instigated by the Aristocracy) involving weapons and should have instead, settled their dispute through competitive sport and other non-murderous activities....instead they "Fed the Guns."

Common soldiers? No such thing. Plenty of common civilians though!

Imagine writing a letter to 800 mothers!

Dalton brothers?

@@lennykump8396 Emmets brother Charlie also served with the Dublin IRA and took part in Bloody Sunday(November 21st 1921). Emmet Dalton was not the only IRA veteran of WW1 who had been decorated.

Not 'losses' but 'men killed'.

I can't resist.The parapet or the war?

@@dnhy7951bad taste...

@@vern146 I thought it was funny....