I was there earlier this year to visit my two great uncles, both lost in 1916. Through research and by watching video's such as this, I was able to pretty accurately trace the positions of the trenches where both brothers lost their lives, in January and September. It is an emotional experience to stand on any high ground in the area and turn through 360 degrees, as at almost every moment there is a cemetery, memorial or significant landmark in view. I also came across some unearthed ordinance, waiting for collection.

Visited the Somme some years ago. Very sobering battlefield.

Hi Paul , absolute love this kinda stuff, never did i think i'd see this in the flesh myself ,when back in 2006 my team reached the champion league final in paris & at the last minute we got tickets so i booked a stop over on the N25 in a village called Saulty ,you can imagine my excitement ( if i can call it that ) to come across a WW1 cemetery on the N25 turns out after a bit of research it was originally a casualty clearance station but they started burying there dead there & at the beginning of the cemetery is a section of i'm guessing 30/40 German graves .couldn't believe how many more cemetery we'd encounter on the way down to Paris, Oh & a big shout out to the ppl of the war commission & local ppl that keep these cemetery's in such an immaculate condition

110 years later we will remember them may they rest in piece and never forget them.

20 years Paul. Hard to believe. Congratulations on keeping the faith and doing your bit to keep  the history of the Great War alive.

Sounds great, will enjoy this series.👍

Like many others my late Grandfather served with the 1st/5th East Lancashires first at Gallipoli then they moved them over to France/Belgium, how he survived to tell the tale and lived on into the 1980s despite being on the receiving end of a poison gas attack I will never know, He was an Accrington man but not part of the Pals battalion, as he was in at the start of the War in 1914 but he knew many of those men who fell at the start of the Somme battle. I have visited the Pals memorial at Serre,a very moving experience, thank you for this video.

My great uncle fell in the Somme, part of the Loyal North Lancs Regiment. RIP.

I climbed the Butte back in 1974 ..Half way up a rabbit had scratched out
a hole, and with it revealed a soldiers button, which turned out to be from the Royal Fusiliers,
The Trees and bushes were less dense and the view was very clear..
There was an old wooden cross at the top then that has since been removed,
or had been when I last visited about 3 years ago. 🍷

fascinating.

Incredible to think that one can drive from Butte de Warlencourt to the starting lines of the Offensive in 10 Minutesa distance that cost.1.2Million casualties...

I stayed with friends in Ovillers about 30 years ago. Very atmospheric place when you bore in mind you were standing right on the German front line on 1 July 1916. Looking to the west you could see Sausage Valley and Mash valley and to the south La Boiselle where the mine was blown. You could back then still pick up artefacts from the landscape just around the village, barbed wire, buttons, bullet casings. My mate found a very rusted and unexploded Mills Bomb.

Paul, I appreciate your posts. Always informative and thought provoking. Look forward to crossing the pond in a couple years after retirement and seeing firsthand some of what you cover.

Great presentation 👍

My great grandfather was killed on 16 August at Gullimont with the King's Liverpool Regiment 13th Battalion

Hi Paul, how are you? I would love to visit the Walencourt Cemetery.

Helpful map.
I also want to visit as much as I can of the battlefield.

Your overview and introduction of the series is very helpful too😊. I really appreciate all you are doing to teach us about the war.

It's incredible how many artifacts continue to be found. I remember Sander and Rob showing the artifacts they've found and it is incredible how intact they are.

Superb video!

RIP🕯️

Paul, please keep up your fantastic work, should be funded by the lottery as it's world history you are keeping people informed of

Are there records from WW1 that shows how many men served from the beginning of the war and survived to the end .

Paul, can you tell us where you got that map you are using in the video please?