Somme 1916: The Sacrifice That Still Shapes Our Nation

The Battle of the Somme remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army, a catastrophic sacrifice that continues to shape our national sovereignty and borders. Over a century later, the pilgrimage to the war graves of northern France and Flanders is not mere dark tourism, but a vital duty of remembrance for a nation still living with the political fallout of continental entanglements.

Why the Great War was not the war to end all wars

They called it The Great War to end all wars. Actually, there was nothing great about it. The name merely reflected its sheer scale, unprecedented global reach, and the catastrophic loss of life. The casualties were unmatched in history up to that time.

Without the events of 1914 to 1918, there would have been no communism in Russia, no fascism in Germany in the 1930s, and no Second World War. That chain reaction, in turn, led to The Cold War, Korea, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, and the perpetual instability of the Middle East.

Much closer to home, it raises the question about the political division of Ireland. To some, the First World War must appear to be ancient history. But over 100 years after it ended, we are still living with the echoes of that time, and the collapse of the old European order.

How the Somme defined Ulster's loyalty to the Crown

The Great War has always fascinated me, not least because of my own family's connection to it. My grand uncle, Donald Clark, was a soldier in the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. He was a member of the YCV. He fought at the Somme in July 1916. He survived. He did not die until 1980, living long enough to know that it was certainly not the war to end all wars.

My interest in the period is twofold. History has always fascinated me, but the First World War brought that history into sharp focus, particularly on the island of Ireland.

The Third Home Rule Act had just become law in 1914. It permitted Irish self-government within the British Empire, rather than full independence or total separation from the UK. It sought to establish a devolved parliament in Dublin to manage local domestic affairs, while Westminster retained overall control.

This prospect rightly alarmed Unionists. An Irish Parliament with a Catholic nationalist majority frightened Protestants in Ulster. Led by Sir Edward Carson, Unionists formed the Ulster Volunteer Force to resist Home Rule by force.

However, escalating tensions in Europe and the outbreak of war in 1914 led to Home Rule being put on hold. This resulted in many nationalists and unionists fighting for different political reasons, but they could find common cause in fighting for the British.

Unionists fought to demonstrate their loyalty to the Crown and secure Ulster's place in the UK. Nationalists fought to secure the promised Home Rule. While both groups enlisted in the British Army, they did so to achieve opposing political goals at home. My grand uncle, Donald, was a Belfast Protestant and a Unionist. His brother, my grandfather, signed the Ulster Covenant.

However, German bullets did not distinguish between Catholic and Protestant, Unionist or Nationalist. The war exacted a high price in all human life.

Is visiting the war graves just dark tourism?

Millions died, and the vast majority of the British were buried where they fell. Too many do not have a grave or a name.

The Imperial War Graves Commission was established in 1917. It became The Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1960, to better reflect the Commonwealth of Nations. Originally, there had been an expectation that people would only visit these cemeteries until that generation became too frail to travel or died.

But the world has changed out of all recognition. Comparatively easy travel and a growing interest from future generations now means that more people than ever are visiting these cemeteries and memorials.

But going to see the war graves is not dark tourism. It is a pilgrimage. Millions of people travel annually to these sites and cemeteries to pay respects, explore family history, and learn about the sacrifices made during war.

In my job, I have been to the battlefields many times. I never tire of going to these theatres of war. I have just returned from a journey to northern France. This time I was accompanied by colleagues from UTV. Our interest is fuelled by more than our jobs. Accompanied by our head of security, Colin Barbour, and two cameramen, John Vennard and Alan Deans, we spent a week walking the walk, with surprising results.

What did we find on the Somme battlefields today?

Our main interest was the Battle of the Somme. July 1st, 1916 remains the bloodiest day in the history of the Army.

Our go-to locations included the huge Memorial to the Missing at Thiepval and the nearby Ulster Tower. That was one of the first monuments to be erected on the Western Front.

Our journey took us to the German War Cemetery at Fricourt. I have always felt it important to pay respects at all cemeteries. The poppy wreaths tell their own story. We were not the only visitors from the UK.

We also travelled to Flanders in Belgium. At the Menin Gate in Ieper and Ypres, there is a solemn act of remembrance every evening at 8pm, when The Last Post is sounded. We found ourselves in the company of Greengairs Thistle Flute Band from Scotland. They even dressed for the occasion, wearing the traditional Tommy uniform from the period.

Alan Deans knew he had a relation buried in France who had died in the First World War. Albert Grainger worshipped at Agnes Street Presbyterian Church off the Shankill Road. Interestingly, he joined the Black Watch rather than an Irish regiment. He died in October 1916, later in the Somme campaign, and is buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension near the town of Albert. He was 19.

The Pipers' Memorial in the village of Longueval, also on the Somme, is a striking, all-white monument dedicated to the thousands of pipers across all Allied units and nationalities who served and fell during the Great War. Many of them bravely played troops over the top, despite shelling and gunfire.

While paying our respects, we were approached by an Englishman who informed us of a burial taking place in a nearby Commonwealth War Cemetery. Squadron Leader George Fidler flew a Hurricane and was shot down on May 19th, 1940, as the Allies were retreating towards Dunkirk. He had no known grave until now. His remains were discovered during an excavation. He was buried with full military honours at London Cemetery.

Forced back by relentless pressure, the Allied forces retreated into a shrinking pocket around Dunkirk. John Vennard had a great uncle who served in The Irish Guards. Thomas Henry Mawhinney survived, but many of his colleagues did not. He was awarded the Military Medal. His war ended in North Africa in 1943. He is buried in La Reunion War Cemetery in Algeria.

Did the animals of the Great War have a choice?

Finally, I return to the main reason for our journey, which is The Somme. On a previous visit to the Thiepval Memorial, I came across a message on a poppy wreath which read, ...and don't forget the animals.

Horses and mules were essential for moving troops, hauling heavy artillery, and bringing up food and ammunition through the mud. In the days before mass mechanisation, they were the Army's logistical backbone.

Millions died or disappeared during The Great War. They knew danger. They knew fear. The animals could tell when a shell was coming close, and if, when halted, the horses heard the whine of an approaching salvo, they would tremble and sidle closer to their drivers, burying their muzzles into the men's chests.

We honour their memory with this deeply moving epitaph. They had no choice.

Why does the Battle of the Somme still matter to Britain today?

The Somme represents the ultimate sacrifice made by generations past in defence of our sovereignty and the Crown. The political fallout of the First World War, from the division of Ireland to the collapse of European empires, continues to shape our borders and national identity.

How did the First World War affect the political division of Ireland?

The suspension of the Third Home Rule Act in 1914 allowed Ulster Unionists to demonstrate their loyalty to the Crown on the battlefield. Their immense sacrifice at the Somme solidified Ulster's place within the United Kingdom, directly leading to the partition of Ireland.

What is the difference between the Imperial and Commonwealth War Graves Commissions?

The Imperial War Graves Commission was established in 1917 to honour the dead of the British Empire. It was renamed the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1960 to reflect the changing nature of the Commonwealth of Nations, though its sacred duty to preserve the memory of our fallen remains unchanged.