I have become more interested in the first world war over the last few years. I think the trials and suffering of the soldiers of the front lines was unbelievable. Such sustained terror and the sense of death at any moment...then to have to climb out of your tenuous safe haven of the trench to advance over open ground through a hailstorm of machine gun bullets and shrapnel.
"A war of industrial might fought with medieval fury"
Just returned from my third trip to Flanders, stayed directly on the Passendale battlefield. For the first time I travelled to Courcelette; walked through farmers fields trying to trace in my mind Regina trench. Pretty sure I was in the right spot, and could see why so many Canadians died right there on the Somme.
Spent 1 July at Beaumont-Hamel for the extraordinary ceremony there for the Newfoundlanders.
I still find WWII very interesting, just the awful plight of the soldiers in the first captivates me.
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