Gr8at: Shrouds of the Somme

Even now, over 100 years later, the words Battle of the Somme send a cold shiver down the spine. Though any war is brutal and casualties can be heavy, the battle between the British and French troops against the Germans in northern France is infamous for the horrific loss of life. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. To mark 100 years since the end of the First World War, 72,396 shrouded figures have been laid out in rows, shoulder to shoulder covering an area over 4,000 square metres across the South Park Lawn in the Olympic Park, best known for being a pivotal part of the 2012 Olympics. Each figure represents a British serviceman killed at The Battle of the Somme who has no known grave, many of whose bodies were never recovered from the battlefields. The Shrouds of the Somme is a poignant tribute.

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Film Quiz: Non-World War II War Films

After doing a quiz based on World War II films, I had to show that there was more to war on film than those that depict the 1939 – 1945 conflict. Covering various different battles, the films below cover a wide range in tone, style and narrative. How many do you have? Do you have a favourite among them? if you can work out mine, feel free to give yourself an extra point.

  Film 1 (1930s)

 Film 2 (1930s)

 Film 3  (1950s)

 Film 4 (1950s)

 Film 5 (1960s)

 Film 6 (1960s)

 Film 7 (1970s)

 Film 8 (1970s)

 Film 9 (1980s)

 Film 10  (1980s)

 Film 11  (1980s)

 Film 12 (1980s)

 Film 13 (1990s)

 Film 14 (2000s)

 Film 15 (2000s)

Answers below

Gr8at: Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red exhibition

To commemorate 100 years since the start of World War I, an exhibition entitled “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” was created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins and theatre designer Tom Piper.  It has truly captured the heart of a nation, having been visited by more than four million people, equating to about 70,000 people a day. While a spectacular vision, it also masks the tragedy of war. Each of the 888,246 poppies represents a British or Colonial soldier’s life lost in World War I. With today being the Armastice, it seemed fitting to put the photos up that my mum took when she visited recently.