110th anniversary of the battle of the Somme

Today marks the 110th anniversary of the start of the battle of the Somme which began on Saturday 1st July, 1916. The blood sacrifice given by so many from Ulster helped ensure freedom and liberty in Europe and that when Northern Ireland was created in 1921 it remained in the United Kingdom.

After the whistles blew at 7.30am that summers’ morning and they emerged from the cover and protection of their trenches to attack the German positions. Thousands of our brave young men from all over Ulster and further afield as members of the 36th Ulster Division would face hell on earth in an industrial scale slaughter.

Many of these young men were members of Orange Lodges and as it was July 1st, the old calendar the date of the Battle of the Boyne, they wore their orange sashes or orange ribbons to mark the event. They would be cut down in waves like a scythe against stalks of corn by German machine gun fire as they attempted to cross no-man’s land.

In the ultimate sacrifice for King and Country and the finest display of bravery in human history the 36th Ulster Division would be the only Division to achieve its objectives against unsurmountable odds that day but at a trebly high price in terms of lives lost.

When relieved the following day the 36th Ulster Division had over 5,000 casualties. The dead numbered 2,069 and the 36th Ulster Division was no longer a fighting capable division as it was so decimated.

Their many selfless acts of bravery was confirmed by having 4 VCs awarded to members of the 36th Ulster Division between the 1st and 2nd of July, 1916.

Captain Wilfred Spender of the 36th Ulster Division's HQ staff said “I am not an Ulsterman, but yesterday as I followed their amazing attack I felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else in the world”.

The first day of the Battle of the Somme would be the worst day for casualties in the long history of the British Army with 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 killed. For this they gained just three square miles of territory.

Lest We Forget

A little poem penned for today, the 110th anniversary:

Seven thirty; July the first’s morn; “For God and Ulster!” up went the battle cry,

From trenches safe; as whistles blew; over the top thousands in glory to die.

The Thirty-Sixth Ulster Division; Ulster's finest, in proud, loyal and British array,

At the battle of the Somme; across no man’s land; O to be an Ulsterman that day.

Like stalks of grain to the scythe; by machine gun fire to fall; yet still they advanced,

A bitter harvest, blood sacrifice; brother with brother; such bravery unsurpassed.

Hell on earth was Flanders Fields; where death rained and clouds of gas did blow,

For liberty and freedom, freely; they gave all; against an aggressive German foe.

Long march to France in service for God, King and Country; held so dear,

Never to return to an Ulster forever changed; by mother’s tears and father’s fears.

The loss for generations across Ulster; so deeply soul felt; that hearts still ache,

“No Surrender!” in foreign mud for the freedom of Europe and Ulster's sake.

The Somme's bloody battle; lest we forget from nineteen sixteen the year,

Poppies bloom crimson red; yearly on hallowed ground in remembrance; appear.

One hundred years, and ten may now have gone from living history past,

But the Thirty-Sixth Ulster Division’s; sacrifice and valour forever in history is cast.

The 110th anniversary of the Thirty-Sixth Ulster Division at the battle of the Somme

1916 - 2026, by Stevan D. T. Patterson, 1st July, 2026.