Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers, Minister of State Jonathan Bell, Irish Minister of State Dinny Mc Ginley, Distinguished Guests, My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the Somme Association could I welcome you to our annual Somme Commemoration ceremony.
On this day, 1st July 1916, 96 years ago, at the commencement of the Battle of the Somme, the men of the famous 36th (Ulster) Division advanced out of Thiepval Wood towards this point on the Schwaben Redoubt and on reaching here, passed into the pages of history, legend and high renown. This advance, when they sustained 5,500 casualties, under continuous fire, is for us the most memorable single episode of the First World War.
This memorial, erected on this sacred site by public subscription, raised in the North of Ireland, was modelled on Helen’s Tower at Clandeboye, near Bangor,where the 36th (Ulster) Division trained.
In Helen’s Tower at Clandeboye there is inscribed in letters of gold a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, of which the first four lines have been slightly altered in the memorial room in this Ulster tower to serve as a fitting tribute to the sons of Ulster who fell here.
Helen’s Tower here I stand
Dominant over sea and land;
Son’s love built me, and I hold
Ulster’s love in lettered gold.
And so we have come with the Somme Association to visit Thiepval once more and to walk again in the gardens of Valhalla so lovingly cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. On this sacred day we commemorate the sacrifice of our loved ones who died for freedom. We do not seek to glorify war but rather to see that it does not happen again.
Construite par l’amour d’un fils
J’abrite en lettres d’or l’amour d’Ulster.
En ce jour sacré nous commémorons le sacrifice de ces héros tombés pour la liberté. Nous ne cherchons pas seulement à les glorifier, mais à veiller à ce que un tel désastre ne se reproduise plus jamais.
To the people of France we say:-
“People of France, mother of nations, we thank you for your generosity and kindness to these our children who rest now in peace in the most beautiful gardens on earth. We pray that their sacrifice will not be in vain and that there will be no more war and that the peoples of Europe will walk together in mutual forgiveness, understanding and respect until the end of the world”.
Au people de France nous disons:-
“Peuple de France, mére des nations, nous vous remercions de votre générosité pour nos enfants qui reposent en paix dans les jardins les plus beaux du monde. Nous prions pour que leur sacrifice n’ait pas été vain, pour qu’il n’y ait plus de guerre, et pour que les peuples d’Europe puissent marcher ensemble et se pardonner, se comprendre et se respecter mutuellement jusqu à la fin des temps”.
Zu den Franzosen sagen wir:-
Bevölkerung von Frankreich, Mutter von Nationen, wir danken Ihnen für Ihre Grosszügigkeit und Freundlichkeit für unsere Kinder, die in diesen schönen Gärten in Frieden ruhen. Wir beten, dass das Opfer unserer Kinder nicht umsonst gewesen ist und dass es zu keinem weiteren Krieg mehr kommen wird, dass die Völker Europas in Vergebung, Verständnis und Respekt miteinander in die Zukunft gehen können.
To the sons of Ulster and Soldiers of Ireland we say:-
“Sons of Ulster, Soldiers of Ireland do not be anxious. The war is over – both here and in you beloved Ireland. The Western Front is no more and Ireland at last is at peace with herself and with her people. We will always remember you, so long as the sun shines and the rain falls and the wind blows and the great river Somme runs gently to the sea”.
Innui, deir muid le fir Uladh agus le fir na hÉireann:-
“A Fheara Uladh agus a Shaighdiúirí na hÉireann, ná biodh imni oraibh. Tá an Cogadh thart – ní amháin san áit seo, ach in bhur dtír dhílis féin in Éirinn. Níl an Fronta Thiar ann níos mó, agus, so deireadh, tá tír na hÉireann faoi shíocháin léi féin agus len a pobal. Ach chomh fada is a shoilsíonn an ghrian, agus a thiteann an fhearthainn, agus a shéideann an ghaoth, agus chomh fada is a théann abhainn mhór an Somme go caoin chun na farraige, bedh cuimhne againn araibh go deo”.
And in honour of the brave American and Canadian soldiers who also fought here, I speak in Lakota (Oglala Sioux), the Hymn of the Warriors
Ho Tunkasila Wakan Tanka
Oyate oyasin unsiwicalapo na owicakiyapo
Nahan waci wicasi na waci winyan wopila tanka
Nahan oyate oyasin canku luta ognamani owicakiyapo
Lecel wacin ho hecel lena, oyate kin nipi kte.
Mitakuye Oyasin
Which in Wasicu(English) is
Grandfather Great Spirit, Almighty God,
Have pity on and help all the People
Many Thanks for the Performers, male and female,
Help all the People to walk the Red Road of Peace
This I ask so that the People will prosper
You are all my relatives
The Somme Association would like to thank The Band of The Royal Irish Regiment(TA); The 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment;Rossen Platoon, 4th Battalion The Royal Welsh, (Clwyd AFC) and especially The Rev Martin Smyth.
Thank you..
Exhortation by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt Honorable Theresa Villiers MP
The Placing of Official Wreaths…Depots des Gerbes Officielles
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NI RT HON THERESA VILLIERS MP
JONATHAN BELL MLA ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINISTER FOR NI
COL MURRAY-PLAYFAIR – MA BRITISH EMBASSY PARIS
DINNY McGINLEY TD IRISH MINISTER OF STATE FOR IRISH GAELTACHT AFFAIRS
SOUS PREFET – JOEL DUBREIL (LA PREFET DE LA REGION PICARDE PREFET DE LA SOMME)
STEPHANE VRUNEL LE CONSEIL GENERAL DE LA SOMME
MIKE NESBITT LEADER OF THE ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY
MAYOR OF THIEPVAL
MAYOR OF GUILLEMONT
MAYOR OF GINCHY
BRIG RJ THOMSON COMD 38 (IRISH) BDE
a. MAJ W NICHOLS 2nd BATTALION THE ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT
b. BRIG GEN TOM BEHAN IRISH DEFENCE FORCE
c. COL GILLES HEYRAUD La DELEGATION MILITAIRE DEPARTMENT DE LA SOMME
JOHN CRISFORD NATIONAL CHAIRMAN RBL
MON JEAN-LUC FOURDINIER VICE PRESIDENT PAYS DU COQUELICOT
Lt COL (Retd) C BENNETT SOMME ASSOCIATION
MR BARRY MURPHY DIRECTOR COMMON WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
During the final hymn there was an opportunity for organisations and individuals to place wreaths led by the Reprsentatives of the Local Authorities starting with Belfast as the Capital City and the other Local Authorities in alphabetical order
Photographs courtesy of Councillor Sandra Hunter and John Kennedy