My grandparents lost their eldest son on the Somme - he wasn't killed outright, but died of wounds a couple of months later. And no, I'm not that old, just a rather strung-out family. I can't remember the name of the website, but if anyone does a Google search on "Accrington Pals", it should be easy enough to find.
It's hard to comprehend the suffering, not just of the men, but of those left behind. One woman in Lion Street, Church, lost her husband and her three sons. It doesn't bear thinking about. My Sunday paper had a picture in one of the supplements of cheerful young men, heading off to unspeakable carnage, smiling and giving a thumbs up to the camera. It made me weep.
