Memory

Today is the 102nd anniversary of the death on 19 July 1916 of my great great uncle Percival, missing in action presumed dead, at Delville Wood during the battle of the Somme. His unit had arrived in France about two weeks' earlier. His mother was awarded a pension of 8/= a week for his loss. 

I thought it apt to mark the day with an image of the First World War monument in Moscow, relatively recently commissioned.  The conflict was dismissed by the Soviets as the "War of the Imperialists" and consequently ignored - hence the long time taken to get any recognition for the almost 2 million soldiers who died during the war.  Those who survived had the Revolution and ensuing Civil War to look forward to.

There are several famous battles inscribed on the back of the monument and these include ‘the attack of the dead men’ at the fortress of Osowiec (now Poland), where in August 1915 the Russian defenders, having been gassed by the Germans, and presumed dead, responded unexpectedly.