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The Mail and Empire

5¢

GRUESOME BATTLE OF THE SOMME RIVER

As you may know, there I watched them run in The weather did not
has been a battle in Sommes straight lines towards help either. Whenever it
for a month now. The battle machine guns firing at them would rain, the trenches
in northern France is taking from all sides. I saw so many would flood which
place to alleviate pressure men shot and killed, blood increased rates of
on the French Army fighting splattering everywhere, disease. The soldiers
at Verdun and to weaken the lifeless bodies being were exceptionally
German Army. They sent swallowed by mud as bullets inspiring. They held on
British, Newfoundlander, hit them.The Newfoundland for as long as possible,
Australian, New Zealander, Regiment ceases to exist due knowing they might not
South African, and Canadian to the 90% of casualties. see tomorrow. They
soldiers to fight against the Seeing so many men shot tried to keep morale up
Germans. I was sent to down so quickly was inside the trenches. It
report on conditions of the terrifying. was miserable to see
battle in its first month. them cry while writing
I witnessed such appalling back to their families
conditions; pure and hear them tell
manslaughter, disease and stories about their
illness, dreadful living children.
environments, and much
more. The first day of the Life in the trenches wasn’t
battle was the worst of all. exceptional either. I was only
The British had over 60,000 there for a month but I felt as if I
casualties on the first day. was in a pigsty. There was such a
Their original plan was to fire Ultimately, they are still
foul smell in just the first week husbands, fathers, and sons
lodes of artillery towards the alone, it was unbearable. Rats
opposing side and then When will this gruesome batt
were very common as they would end? How many more hav
march to take over their run around the mud floors of the
trenches. to die? How many more
trenches. I have seen so many family members will have
soldiers not only die from battle to bury their loved ones? It’s
wounds but disease and illness as sad to say but the only thi
well. Trench foot was extremely we can do is wait and hope
common in the trenches. It was that they come home.
horrible to see so many soldiers
suffer in such conditions.