The Somme battlefields from the air - Serre to La Boisselle

A meandering flight over this poignant section of the Somme front, identifying the cemeteries and memorials as we fly over them.
Pilot: Mark Ramsden
Co-producer: Steve Ramsden
Production and music: Dave Foister
With thanks to Simon Moston for inspiration

[@QuenBrad]

I’m a bit lost for words. I hope you are proud of this. Amazing footage. Emotive soundtrack. Well done and thanks for sharing.

[@rickystaunton]

Wow and very moving too

[@bethzolin6046]

Thank you so much for posting this, and especially for adding the identifying text that makes it possible to make sense of it all. What a tragedy it all was, a whole generation sacrificed for a few square miles. Your film really brings it home, especially when you flew over the Sucerie cemetery, where my grandfather’s best friend, Brandon Platt, is buried. He was right next to my grandfather when he was hit, and died in his arms. Just one tragic death amongst so many. May they all rest in peace.

[@davefoister8821]

Thanks for your kind comments, and the sad story of your grandfather and his friend. Where were they when this happened, do you know?

[@bethzolin6046]

@@davefoister8821 yes indeed. They had been at Betrancourt, and the Battalion war diary ( 21st West Yorkshire, ( Pioneers) gives what they were up to: ‘July 7th 1916: A company repairing roads. B company repairing trenches. D company clearing battlefield. Battalion moved at 8 PM to BEAUSSART in consequence of bivouacs being flooded by deluge of rain. Night working parties cancelled. July 8 (Saturday) A company 3 officers and 120 OR repairing roads. Remainder repairing trenches. B, C and part of D company repairing trenches. 2 officers and 50 men D company clearing battlefield. Casualties: one killed ( NB this was BRANDON PLATT, best friend of Thomas Hilditch) , 2 wounded. ‘. We even know the details as I have grandfathers letters from the time. Grandfather (Tom) was in D company. He was detailed to go up to the front to collect bodies from No Man’s Land that night. Brandon had been out the previous night , and didn’t need to go out that night, but insisted on going with Tom. They were walking side by side down the zig zag of the trench, when a whizz bang burst overhead. Brandon called out ‘ I’m hit Tom’, and collapsed to the ground. The medical officer arrived very quickly - within seconds as he was close by - and at first they couldn’t find a wound on Brandon. Eventually they found that a tiny bit of the shell had gone down the neck of Brandon’s tunic and gone into his heart. He died a few moments later, in grandfathers arms, and grandfather buried him the next day. He is buried at the Sucerie ( sugar factory) cemetery at Mailly Maillet, close to where he died. Grandfather and he were boyhood friends, lived very close to each other, went to school together and walked the 38 miles round trip, over the Pennines, from their home in Denshaw to their medical in the tram shed in Halifax in January 1916 - 50 years later the memory of stripping off in the bitter cold still made grandfather shudder! They were great friends. Both had girlfriends - my grandfather was already engaged to my future grandmother - and the four used to go out together. Brandon’s death affected everyone. You can read more about Brandon here. www.pixnet.co.uk/Oldham-hrg/World-War1/Somme/soldiers/pages/other-regiments/platt-brandon.html I still have several photos of him, including this one, and as a family we have never forgotten him.

[@davefoister8821]

Thank you for sharing this very moving story, sadly one of many similar occurrences of the time. Have you been to the cemetery?

[@richardbaxter2057]

The combination of aspect, music and the knowledge of what occurred here, made this particularly moving. It moved me to tears actually, although our family didn’t lose anyone here, our loss was at Hooge, just along the Menin Road from Ypres. As suggested by others, this is worth the re-annotating of, adding the overlay of opposing frontlines in particular and where the offers of assistance in this matter have been made, that they are taken up and made use of....it would certainly enhance the superb work that you have already produced and it would make it an even more beneficial, historical tool, for those who view it in the coming years. Well done, very well done indeed and thank you.

[@davefoister8821]

Thank you for your kind comments. I'd be happy to let somebody loose on it if they thought they could add this level of annotation but I don't have the resources to do it myself.

[@tomburton8239]

Well done - surprising that no one had done this before, as it brings new insights. Perfect music too. Could enhance via: (a) a map showing the main front line & aircraft track, and (b) a list of times/places. Glad to help. To anyone wanting to understand more of what the Somme battles were really like, I suggest: - focus on a small area (e.g. Newfoundland Park / Beaumont Hamel); - get the trench maps from the IWM (incredibly detailed, 1 map covers a small area) - read up on the battles in that area (specific books, regimental diaries) - visit the area, stay nearby (e.g. Ocean Villas, Avril Williams - at 3:38), for a few days - WALK THE AREA: and so understand the realities of distances, slopes, etc.

[@davefoister8821]

Thanks for your kind comments - especially the music, which is me! Agreed more information would be good but I just don't have the resources. Say hi to Avril next time you see her!

[@Tim60076]

The air plane viewing of the Somme battlefield left one wanting. One should have put an overlay of old maps made from the Somme battlefield, I’m sure they had detailed plans and maps from that time period. With today’s technology you could simulate a as it was then and how much it has changed. This would have a profound impact and affect the viewers experience . I’ve read much about this war and Somme battles. The UK still feels it’s pain 😢😢😢😢

[@davefoister8821]

Agreed that would be a good idea, but it would be a massive project for which I don't have the resources. Contemporary trench maps are indeed available and I'm sure if you got hold of some you could start to see the relationship between the battlefield at the time and the terrain today.

[@andrewhacker5034]

It would be great if there were trench overlays on your imagery, red for Germany and blue for allies.

[@davefoister8821]

It would indeed be great, but I don't have the facilities to do that. If you do, let me know and we can collaborate.

[@Jeffybonbon]

Good video were you about 5000ft Could you have flown lower or is it controlled air space

[@davefoister8821]

Actually below 2000ft which was as low as we dared! The GoPro's wide lens makes it look higher.

[@davefoister8821]

I should also say that we didn't set out to make a video - we set out to fly over the area for our own interest, and clamped a GoPro to the bottom of the plane to record it for our own records. I just felt the result was interesting enough to annotate it and share it, so I'm glad you liked it!

[@Jeffybonbon]

it was really good to watch good effort you should consider doing more its a different aspect @@davefoister8821

[@holyfieldism]

Amazing this is.❤❤