One hundred years ago today British Army soldiers were waiting nervously and fearfully in the trenches they had dug along the River Somme in France. At 7.30am their officers blew their whistles and over 100,000 soldiers entered the hell that would become known as the Battle of the Somme.
Large numbers of students and staff from RCSI were at the Battle of the Somme having enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). They hoped their surgical and medical skills could help in the treatment of their fellow wounded and injured soldiers.
Two RCSI students that were present at the Battle of the Somme were George Evans, born 1891 in Kerry, and John Power, born 1892 in Clare. Both Evans and Power had not completed their surgical education but felt the need to do their bit for the War Effort. Unfortunately neither lived to complete their studies as they died in the final months of the battle. Evans was buried in Delville Wood Cemetery in Longueval while there is no known grave for Power. They are both commemorated in the RCSI Roll of Honour 1914-1918.
Conditions in the trenches were horrendous and the surgeons, medics and stretcher bearers had to adopt, adapt and improvise with whatever materials and supplies they could to treat the ever increasing numbers of wounded. This included dealing with those not physically injured but mentally suffering from 'shell shock', which can clearly be seen on the face of the soldier crouching on the left in the photo below.
By sunset on 1st July 1916, 20,000 soldiers had been killed and 40,000 injured. Today is a day to remember those brave young men who fought and died for freedom, a freedom which few of them got to see. But not to remember them as rows and rows of crosses in foreign soil but as the smiling carefree individuals from the Highlands of Scotland, the valleys of Wales, the cities of England and the rolling green hills of Ireland.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
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| Getting ready to go over the top Courtesy of Scott Addington |
Large numbers of students and staff from RCSI were at the Battle of the Somme having enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). They hoped their surgical and medical skills could help in the treatment of their fellow wounded and injured soldiers.
Two RCSI students that were present at the Battle of the Somme were George Evans, born 1891 in Kerry, and John Power, born 1892 in Clare. Both Evans and Power had not completed their surgical education but felt the need to do their bit for the War Effort. Unfortunately neither lived to complete their studies as they died in the final months of the battle. Evans was buried in Delville Wood Cemetery in Longueval while there is no known grave for Power. They are both commemorated in the RCSI Roll of Honour 1914-1918.
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| Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval Courtesy of CCBR |
Conditions in the trenches were horrendous and the surgeons, medics and stretcher bearers had to adopt, adapt and improvise with whatever materials and supplies they could to treat the ever increasing numbers of wounded. This included dealing with those not physically injured but mentally suffering from 'shell shock', which can clearly be seen on the face of the soldier crouching on the left in the photo below.
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| Soldiers being treated in the trenches Courtesy of The Great War in Colour |
By sunset on 1st July 1916, 20,000 soldiers had been killed and 40,000 injured. Today is a day to remember those brave young men who fought and died for freedom, a freedom which few of them got to see. But not to remember them as rows and rows of crosses in foreign soil but as the smiling carefree individuals from the Highlands of Scotland, the valleys of Wales, the cities of England and the rolling green hills of Ireland.
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| Three lucky but wounded soldiers enjoy a much deserved cuppa after being treated. |
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy