Scottish history you won't know. When the men of the Black Watch faced the elite Prussian Guard.

[@kathleenrobson1803]

Thank you for this very moving video 😢

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@BrigidC]

A touching and tastefully done video. I too found myself tearing up 🥺. So beautiful and well kept memorials. Thank you for sharing this with us. It’s hard to fantom the number of lives that were loss… 😢

[@scotlandonashoestring]

It took me a few takes to get the Black Watch Corner bit done, A thin line of men in kilts against the best the Germans had to offer.

[@FrankC321]

@@scotlandonashoestring I'm glad to see / hear your Scottish Patriotism and Heritage. It's very profound.

[@janicebrown8589]

Very very moving thamk you

[@janicebrown8589]

should be thank you sorry

[@scotlandonashoestring]

I knew what yu meant :) Thanks for watching.

[@magicmonette]

If “Leaders” had to send their sons, daughters, brothers, and other family members before the unknown maybe there would be far fewer memorials needed. Brilliantly shown “advertisement” for futility of war. Thank you.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Absolutely. We did visit the grave of Queen Victoria's grandson, I suspect when he died erly in the war no one knew just how awful it would become.

[@sandiandgregh]

This was an absolutely fantastic video and not just because of the Canadian history content. We will be re-watching. The number of graves and those buried in mass graves is staggering. Even after studying WWI and WWII in school and watching many documentaries as an adult, I still find it all so shocking and, as you say, "unimagineable". And the distances between enemy lines...so short! I have a Great Uncle who was with the Ulster Rifles at the Somme and he survived. My Dad said he suffered from "shellshock" (as PTSD was called then) and was quite nervous for the rest of his life and never talked about the war. He was, however, a very kind, gentle and loving relative and my Dad always said he never could imagine him as soldier. I'm sure there were many, many like that...

[@scotlandonashoestring]

There's a bit I filmed where the camera decided to play silly sausages and not work, the lines were literally 3m apart... they must have been able to hear the guys on the other side cough.

[@deedorothypapineau6920]

This was a very thought provoking video. Thank you. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a Sergeant in WWI who suffered the gas poisoning and lost a kidney as a result. He fortunately returned to Canada unlike a cousin on my father’s side. Nova Scotia lost practically a whole generation to the war.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

The commonwealth nations paid such a high price. It ended Newfoundland as an independent place.

[@annwagner5779]

What a moving video - thank you for sharing your travels with us.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SimonMarks-rx1ct]

T A Hind. My great uncle’s name, on the Menin Gate. Visited in 2001, thanks for this video, we must never forget how privileged we really are ❤

[@scotlandonashoestring]

That's cool!! The Menin Gate is one of those places you never forget.

[@jodiemcarthur6661]

As a proud Canadian who had a great uncle who died at the Somme and my grandfather who fought there and at Vimy Ridge, thank you for this wonderful video. My husband and I toured many of these sites in 2017 as well as sites in France. It was so great to get this refresher. We especially appreciated your highlighting the Canadian stories. I know how you felt when you were describing what happened at Black Watch corner. Thank you again. 🇨🇦

[@scotlandonashoestring]

There's always been a strong bond between Scotland and Canada going back centuries. All of the Scottish regiments had their Canadian equivalents, just finished a book on the Black Watch of Canada. Vimy is an amazing memorial, need to get back there.

[@noraleestone2859]

Dear Iain, I had no idea about the poll, but I'm very happy there was a positive response. 🥰Thank you so much for this.❤ As a senior Canadian, I am very familiar with many of the place names you mentioned, especially Passchendaele. I especially enjoyed your take on the cemeteries, the memorials, and, in particular, the futility of war.🤔🤨😒 The British military brass were already well known for their jingoistic attack plans, using Commonwealth regiments for the dirtiest battles (Gallipoli, as an example).😬😞 Our species is so inherently xenophobic and hostile that I believe there will never be peace on the entire planet. 😭💜 See you next week, wherever you are. 😍😘🤗😁🍁👌👍👋

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Thank you ! That wee hill at Paschendale really brings it home...

[@eleanorlaurent2303]

I enjoyed this little detour very much 🩷 I know you don't claim to be an expert, but I do feel like I learn a little from you here and there anyway 😁

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Thank you. I love the place so much I couldn't not do an episode :)

[@belindawallace5203]

Such a moving film, I studied 20th century history at school but this really makes it feel more real. Thank you for taking us along on your travels. Just wondering if you sailed across the channel from Dover?

[@scotlandonashoestring]

We sailed from Dover to Dunkirk, usually use the tunnel but the boat was 1/3 the price. Not done it that way before, it was a nice wee cruise.

[@belindawallace5203]

@@scotlandonashoestring I live within about ten miles of Dover, if I’d known you were passing through I’d have given you a wave from the beach 👋

[@parkdigwig3447]

Thank you from a recently subscribed Canadian! I appreciate your tour and showing so many Canadian places. Canadians (who were no doubt predominately Scots heritage anyways ) were often used as “shock” troops by the English. The Germans even called them Stormtroopers. A Canadian was beaten by a German Colonel after being taken prisoner “I don’t care for the English, Scotch, French, Australians or Belgians but damn you Canadians, you take no prisoners and you kill our wounded”

[@scotlandonashoestring]

I've just read a really good book on the "CanScots" in the first world war it's called "Brave Battalion" and really focuses on what they went through. I wonder if they'd had the leadership from Vimy at Paschendale how different it could have been.

[@tanithmessenger3581]

Thank you for taking us with you. So many lives lost on both sides, its good to see graves and memorials for both.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

You're welcome. It was a great place to visit, I couldn't not do an episode :))

[@tanithmessenger3581]

@@scotlandonashoestring 🙂Look forward to anymore you decide to visit!

[@marjane4344]

War is hell but trench war very hell for the troops. Unknown burials has to be tragic for those who were left behind. Black Watch Pipers music was played in our house in memory of family passing anniversaries. The cemetery burials are the fallen of war ones who valiantly fought for Freedom against aggressor's advances. Bless them all. The memorial and sculpture so awe inspiring. Bus loads of tourists crowd the views. Unknown soldier's graves in thousands unidentified to fathom speaks of the war's fury. A view of the loss of war. Beauty of the views.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

It's just unimaginable, some of the tales people told about what they'd been through are heartbreaking.

[@maryannewillequer3305]

Oh, Ian, if anything illustrates the lasting horrors of war, it is memorial graveyards like these. We Americans, for the most part, do 't do a darned thing to remember those who lost their lives defending our freedom. Thank you so much for this video.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

You're very welcome. I'm slightly taken aback by how this one has been received. Brilliant to see.

[@AkijuAkito]

Hey there! Im from ieper!, and id like to point out a little fact! Did you know are so many undiscovered bombs that resurface from the war durring plowing the fields that allot of bombs make it up the surface again. Lots of people and farmers have lost their lives thanks to this, but. Every farmer lays the found bombs on the front of the farm or end of the street. Since the military often every morning comes and picks up these bombs, kinda as a routine thing, you know.. tho lots of farmers do end up waiting for the military at the front of the farm just to make sure nobody else might take it or do something dumb with it. Yeah, that's mostly it! Ty for listening and greetings from ieper! And ty for visiting our lovely city! ^-^ hope you had fun! ❤️

[@scotlandonashoestring]

We always love coming over in Spring just after the farmers have been ploughing their fields to see what has been discovered. The first time I was over I was working at Paschendale and the farmer there told us about the Iron Harvest :) It’s an amazing place!!

[@AkijuAkito]

@scotlandonashoestring I was born in ieper and raised there. We take our city and our province as our whole heart and we're glad your having fun here ❤️

[@nancycartwright6770]

As an American we rarely focus on these graveyards. Thank you so much for sharing. So interesting.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

You're very welcome!

[@melindaroewe5765]

Perspective is important. My teenage Grandfather survived to return to Texas and so here am I. Thank you for the story.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

It definitely is. The numbers killed were huge but many many more made it back home.

[@annegoodwin4620]

Such a moving, thought provoking video! Thanks so much for posting! 💔

[@scotlandonashoestring]

You're so welcome!

[@lydiaross2554]

😢 known unto God

[@scotlandonashoestring]

And so many..

[@FrankC321]

Thanks for sharing your travels to Mons. These comments really say it all. Beautiful gardens. Attention to detail's, landscaping, is the best.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

That's one of my favourite places, just so picturesque and interesting.

[@cathyp4342]

All I can say is thank you sincerely for all your efforts in doing this video.!

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@dallysnapiorkowski1245]

An excellent video, thank you

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Thank you !!

[@brendastewart39]

Thank you for doing this video...

[@scotlandonashoestring]

You're welcome. I could have gon on for hours :)

[@ralyndacumbie8967]

Thank you Iian for this wonderful history of WW1. I really enjoy learning and seeing these old historic cemeteries, museums, artifacts and monuments. I am one of those people that ask strangers where they are from if they have an accent from anywhere across the pond from the USA, just because it ticks me off when people ask where I am from and get it wrong. I hope you and yours have a wonderful and safe trip and thank you again.

[@scotlandonashoestring]

I love accents, but am REALLY bad at identifying where they're from :)

[@grapesodatravels]

44,000? In just one cemetery? Lord... that's more than the entire population of a decent sized town. If/when you come down to Cambridge, we'll take you to American War Cemetery near us. N&Nx

[@scotlandonashoestring]

Boggles the mind, doesn't it.