Sunday, July 3, 2016

Somme sums

From a write up about the anniversary remembrances in Europe of the Battle of the Somme:

In Britain, this [the start of the attack] was commemorated by two-minutes of silence which was broken at the same time when British officers led their men over the top.
Charles Pinele, 68, is the grandson of a British officer who led his men in the Cheshires. Pinele spoke about that day many years ago, saying:
"Six officers went out. Only two came back. He did not talk about it."...


...[Another interviewee's]  great uncle was a coal miner from Bedlington, Northumberland, who fought with The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Dunlop said: "His name does not appear on the memorial in Bedlington. We think his mother hoped he would come back.

"Many mothers wouldn't let their sons' names go on memorials. They hoped they would come home. He never did."


Somme sums can be about not concluding, Not concluding, not drawing a line and writing a summation: this is kind of like "remembering the Work." Not...concluding....

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