It's hard not to shed a tear when standing in those fields. Pray we never forget these men and boys of all nations that gave everything :( Nice one mate ;)
Imagine how his family felt, the horror that if you had been more determined, more assertive on your child they may have gone to their authorities and been unenlisted.
Hey, Rob. I checked out this video after watching your latest one about places to visit on the Somme. Sad that Private Iles' family did not see him after he left to go back to battle. He was brave, but I can't imagine the pain his family felt. Excellent points. I didn't realize that the German trenches were so close (they look farther on the maps than they did in your video), but it's sad how many died before they could reach the trench. I can't imagine the horror. Being cut down by artillery and machine guns - that is horrifying. I know that happened throughout the war, but it definitely hits the heart when I hear about it. Such a high casualty rate also (nearly half killed in minutes)... So many missing and wounded as well. Florrie's letter made me teary. This video is very moving. I agree. There's so much tragedy and his death is so tragic. Powerful and excellent video, Rob. Keep up the excellent work. Take care, friend.
A year younger than my daughter. When they grow up so quickly then to lose them forever before you know it, hard to comprehend. I don't understand why his mother never reported his under-age enlistment
According to the BBC documentary Teenage Tommies (first broadcast 2014), the British Army recruited 250,000 boys under eighteen during World War I. They included Horace Iles, who was shamed into joining up after he was handed a white feather by a woman when he was fourteen. He died at the Battle of the Somme at the age of sixteen.
