First World War - "In Flanders Fields"

[@dervolkstribun6240]

Thanks again, Steve. Your work can`t be estimated to high, because you preserve the memory of the fallen and keep up the honor of those survived. I was really struck by the toys at the gravesite of this young lad, died age 15. They all deserve to be remembered.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. We will remember them.

[@SteveMikre44]

Thank you for creating another Great Episode! I truly appreciate the historical significance...

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@matthewmcelroy5369]

Thank you for the videos you release. I doubt that I will be able to visit most of these places so your videos are an excellent way to get a feel for the areas you visit. I enjoy them greatly. Please keep up your work.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@elijacobson3896]

I just watched a documentary about these battles. Wow, bringing the term quagmire to a whole new level. Once again excellent Steven, thank you for making it more tangible.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@siskothekid4620]

Thank you for another excellent video that you deserve much credit for. To this day I still find it so humbling how the majority of the surviving soldiers that returned home, no doubt suffered from PTSD undiagnosed. Yet they endured on, establishing families and continuing life while eventually witnessing and possibly seeing their own sons involved in another world scale war. Lest we forget so they may sleep eternally in peace.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. Statistically, 1 in 6 Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans are suffering from PTSD (of those who were actually in combat). Add to that those whose were there but were not in actual combat - the support services - then the majority of veterans do not suffer from PTSD. Now that I have said that, for those who do suffer it is a terrible condition and one for which there is not enough support given.

[@pcgamez4ever14]

It makes me sad that more and more people seem to forget this war and all the soldiers who died for our present. I'm Belgian and a lot of people around me don't even know what happened here in Belgium 100 years ago, they don't even know that Ypres was a very important city in the First Worldwar. We must not forget the soldiers who gave their future for our presence.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. We will remember them.

[@derekking5386]

Sacred ground, your town and surrounding area. I visited in november 1999, last year of the century. I walked the area for 4 days. What a special place. I stayed in a guest house called the shellhole, run by an ex falklands veteran and his belgian wife, so many wonderful memories

[@martincolclough4387]

Very moving Steven, and very interesting as usual. Thank you.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@clive.r1414]

Thank you Steven, your films and commentaries are gratefully watched by many.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@DonM1945]

Thank you for posting this Steven.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@deanshaw2128]

Beautifully and respectfully done. Thanks once more Steven.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@harryfaber]

Thank you for posting this. Although I have been to Ypres many times, this is a place I had missed. I have a great uncle in Ramparts Cemetery.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I had a walk along the ramparts on the same day as filming this.

[@robm9999]

Steven, I just found your videos yesterday and I have enjoyed several of them very much. I really appreciate your sensitivity regarding the brutal conditions these brave soldiers faced and, in many cases, succumb to. Thank you very much for bringing these WW1 battlefields and memorials to life through your videos. They are very well done indeed!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@robertgregory2618]

Awesome, It amazes me that people don't seem to be around in these videos. I would visit if I could. That drone gets me right there, my imagination runs wild. Thank you...

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@geordie1032]

Nicely done, Steven. Thank you for your great work.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@candhbennett]

Thank you for this, Steve. I really appreciate all your videos - short and simple, but so very effective. You may know that Howard Goodall set the words of "In Flanders Field" to music in his oratorio "Eternal Light". Wonderful.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I did not know that about Howard Goodall.

[@dougthomas1582]

That poem is very moving. No matter how many times I hear it, it brings tears to my eyes.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I had a problem reading it for the film; puts a lump in the throat.

[@catfeline1530]

Beautiful poem. Have you ever done a video on JRR Tolkien experiences and location on these battlefields? We are so fortunate he managed to survive this cataclysmic war, makes you wonder what other talents were lost on these fields that we will never know and enjoy. A Beethoven could be lying in one of those graves.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. What you say is very interesting. We will never know what we lost. I have not thought about where Tolkien served.

[@RobertPaterson]

Tolkien's batman was the model for Sam

[@robertwalker7960]

Love all your content ..brings bk memorys ...was privaliged too visit most of areas you've covered not all by a country mile ..when I joined British army during my 12 week basic training we had bus tour around all the battlefields...above ground and under it .. abviously dint take bus underground like..😆 but throughout felt honoured too be on this .....trip too see were are great grandfathers ..were sent ...I'll never ever forget how it made me feel

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@drecksheep]

Thank you for this new Video.It's very interesting.Good work.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@michaelcanfield3307]

Hello, Steven - I’m from Buffalo, N.Y. I have ancestors who fought for the US during the Great War, as well as ancestors who fought for the BEF. I’m obsessive about the war, and your videos are an amazing resource. I hope to see much of what you’ve filmed for myself someday, but until then, thank you for everything you do.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I hope you get to visit.

[@diddyreason]

A wonderful, informative and emotional tribute. Many thanks for your dedication and remembrance.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@margarethubbard2146]

Lovely to be able to dip into these clips again Steven, as we're not able to re visit these poignant sites at the moment. Interestingly, as an aside, I always read that John McCrae died of TB and Meningitis before the Flu pandemic.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching and you post.

[@markgoddard2560]

Thanks for taking the time to make this film. A 15 year old! Children say they are ‘pressured’ today. It gives some idea of the pressure put on children in those days to conform by our government. I hope you keep making these films. I think our generation remains haunted by these events. Not sure why, just that some of us are.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. There were 250,000 underage soldiers in 1916.

[@iksexplorationsfollower2588]

Great to hear from you again, still great video's, thank you.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@glennbroadwater9185]

Could never get my grandfather to go visit as he called it a mud hole just shook his head.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@siskothekid4620]

To this day I still find it so humbling how the majority of the surviving soldiers that returned home, no doubt suffered from PTSD undiagnosed. Yet they endured on, establishing families and continuing life while eventually witnessing and possibly seeing their own sons involved in another world scale war.

[@wolfpack4694]

Another well done video Steven. I get a lot out of each one you produce and appreciate your hard work in making and editing them. It’s apparent to me you put in a lot of time editing and producing these and I appreciate your hard work.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@ddom678]

As an American, I do not know too much about World War I compared to later wars, but your wonderful videos are so touching and insightful - a beautiful balance of the history of various battles and the human costs of those battles

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@JohnRandolph1969]

I live in South Texas and have become a space fan since SpaceX has been launching rockets from the beach near my home. With NASA landing a Rover in a crater I came across one of your videos with the word crater in the title. You've taken up most of my Saturday now but it was time well spent. Thanks for all the videos.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@lex1945]

It took me 1,5 years to visit every single CWGC cemetery in the Ypres Sailient.Nowadays i am to be found weekly in northern France in and around the Pas-de-Calais and Somme area.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I wish I could go weekly!

[@RobertPaterson]

Thank you Steven - McRae was a close family friend of my grandfather who was also at 2nd Ypres and like your grandfather was gassed but later in the war. I have visited Essex Farm and was struck by the boy's grave. I saw all these poppies and toys and wondered who this was. Then like so many other visitors I saw his age

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@Dynamite.SA23]

Great to see you back mate

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@SSHitMan]

Another fantastic video Steven! Hopefully I'll get there one day, along with WWII sites. But closer to home I'd like to visit Gettysburg... bucket list growing!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I have visited Gettysburg. Its a very interesting site. I would like to film it with a drone.

[@SSHitMan]

@@StevenUpton14-18 I'd love to see that but I think they banned drones in national parks.

[@coinhandler61]

Great job and Thank you soo much...from Canada...

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@leaturk11]

I always have the greatest respect for the Canadians, thank you soo much from the UK.

[@coinhandler61]

@@leaturk11Thank you Sir and i feel the same about your country and people also. My great grandfather was wonded on 21 Oct 1916 at Regina trench and died 8 days later. He left 5 little children behind and a very faithful wife .He's buried at Contay Cemetery and my Great Grandmother visited his grave for the first and last time at the age of 90 back in the 1980s. She lost everything when he died and brought all the children up alone. She passed away at the age of 92 after finally saying goodbye to her best friend and husband . There are hundreds of thousands that never went to France but died a hero becuse of the great war.

[@glennbroadwater9185]

Great videos ! Is there anything to film at Cunel, France. My grandfather was severely wounded there. I have viewed it from Google earth but is limited.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. Cunel is not far from Montfoucon. The US army fought there in 1918. I have been there and there is a tower build as an American memorial to the fighting there. Not sure there is much to film as at that time the Germans were in retreat and trench warfare had ended.

[@steves5172]

Hello Steven, another interesting and informative video - thank you! Shameful how some people have such little respect for our boys in WW1 and the sovereignty of the country today!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. Yes, definitely. Some the comments posted here show such ignorance and disrespect. I delete the worst ones.

[@siskothekid4620]

@@StevenUpton14-18 unbelievable that any disrespectful comments could happen, I'm grateful that you have the ability to correct it and do so!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

@@siskothekid4620 - There are some that I just cannot reply to and have to delete. There will always be the ignorant 1%.

[@jamesmartin3431]

Once again thank you Steven

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@alainelskens353]

Thanks Steven, respect for the Boys !!!!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@danberesford995]

Can you do one on mametz woods please!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. There are a number of important woods on the Somme I would like to film and Mametz is one of them.

[@Bagginsdad]

My great grandfather was there, he survived the war, but later in life had parts of his lungs removed from the gas. He was 38 when he enlisted.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. At 38 he was one of the older recruits.

[@zirndorfredleg7688]

My mother's father was his nephew.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@louisgunn]

cheers for taking me there

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@arkyump]

As usual, a solemn dedication to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@2011woodlands]

My grandmother had 3 uncles go over as part of the CEF, only 1 came back and he suffered from the effects of poison gas for the rest of his life, died of pneumonia probably in the 20s or 30s.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. My GF also suffered form the effects of gas for the rest of his life and died at 51.

[@rpm1796]

Thank you Steven.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

I think the cemeteries are more striking in the winter, although the flowers are nice in summer. I filmed this cemetery in 360 VR a couple of years ago.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@sugandhakohli]

I can't listen to the poem without being teary-eyed. In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@russharbaugh2028]

well done...........one of the most poignant and powerful poems ever penned.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@BGH1961]

When I visited there I thought it very poignant that there are two graves, at the very far end of the cemetery, both unknown, side by side, one German, one British.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@davehollingworth5537]

Thank you. Lest We Forget.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. We shall remember them.

[@pellelarsen4397]

Will you make a video from the German perspective?

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. Good question. I have recently read a series of books all from the German perspective. There is no question that the First World War experience was similar for all sides. I will be back at Ypres in June and as I have made several films featuring British cemeteries it could be time to film the German cemetery at Langemark.

[@Joe-gu6oe]

THANK YOU STEVEN.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@redtomcat1725]

Well done !! thank you !!!!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@ronaldwhite1730]

Thank you . ( 2024 / Oct / 17 )

[@StevenUpton14-18]

@@ronaldwhite1730 - Thank you for watching.

[@bushman4689]

You spelled fields wrong FYI

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I have fixed it.

[@neilb43]

We were only there recently and missed the dug-outs completely! Doh!

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@leaturk11]

Top job sir.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

The poem sums it well.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@backchat8086]

Thx Steve

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@garytracey1690]

We have my grand uncle burried there

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I am sorry for your families loss. Had I known I would have included his grave. We shall remember them.

[@outdooradventureHungary]

So much lost of Life ,the best of every Nation

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@Joe-gu6oe]

Hard times brothers.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@Jin-Ro]

15yrs old, poor lad. Poor buggers thought the war was going to be a hoot.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. There were over 250,000 under age soldiers in the British army in 1916. My great uncle was wounded twice at Gallipoli at only 16.

[@jonmeeus7687]

ypres my city

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching.

[@neffetsrenheor]

hallo Steve , all the Canadians and Newseelanders as you know as an ex soldier: Volonteers , are semselves to blame.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. I do not understand your point that those that volunteered to serve in the ware are to blame for it.

[@neffetsrenheor]

@@StevenUpton14-18 hi, I mean volonteers do it on their own risk . What did they do in a Europeen war ? I have seen all places you discribe and many more. The arial view is very interesting. I hope you find more places. Regards

[@StevenUpton14-18]

@@neffetsrenheor - What they did was help win it. Without then, and again 20 years later, we would be living under a totalitarian regime.

[@neffetsrenheor]

@@StevenUpton14-18/ how do you know ? Wilhelm II was a relative of the British Royal Family . Germany had a parliament too , with a strong Social Democratic Party (like the Labour Party)

[@StevenUpton14-18]

@@neffetsrenheor - I said: "... 20 years later ..." this is referring to Nazi Germany and WW2.

[@markfark5491]

Steven.....FYI - misspell in title....most unlike you.

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching and for spotting my error. Just corrected it.

[@ja37d-34]

Damn, that´s alot of cemeteries.. Knew there would be but seeing it.. And that 15 year old... That is even worse than, what is already horrible, the slightly older mates..

[@StevenUpton14-18]

Thank you for watching. These cemeteries are a lasting reminded of the cost of war. My great uncle joined up at 15, was in the front line and wounded twice at 16. He survived the war, I knew him.

[@ja37d-34]

@@StevenUpton14-18 Yeah, that´s awful.. I was like a child when I did my service, quite a few years older than that.. ifferent times and they was grown up quiclker, i guess, in some ways.. But.. Still a child..