Battle of the Somme Commemoration, Dublin

Pretani Associates were delighted to attend the screening of the film, The Battle of the Somme, which marked the centenary of the end of the Battle. This film was an extraordinary and unique documentary produced by the Imperial War Museum. The event took place in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, on Saturday 19^th November 2016.

Dr Ian Adamson, OBE of Pretani Associates and Vice-President of the Somme Association was delighted to meet Captain (Rtd) Seamus Greene, Chairman of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association, Major General David O’Morchoe, CB, CBE, KLJ, President of the Royal British Legion – Republic of Ireland and Mr Tom Burke, MBE, Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association.

 

Battle of the Somme Commemoration, Holywood, Co Down

 Pretani Associates also attended a commemoration event by the Somme Memorial Flute Band in the Orange Hall, Holywood on Saturday 26^th November 2016. Dr Ian Adamson, OBE, Vice-President of the Somme Association read the following poem by Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), originally published in The Times newspaper on 21^st September 1914.

 

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
 England mourns for her dead across the sea.
 Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
 Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
 Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres. There is music in the midst of desolation. 
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
 Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. 
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
 They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
 At the going down of the sun and in the morning
. We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
 They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
 They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
 They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
 Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
 To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
. As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
 Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
 As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
 To the end, to the end, they remain.