Upper East Side is pleased to present Paul de Flers's fourth solo exhibition with the gallery
The town of Flers in northwestern France has existed since at least the twelfth century
the small rural village of about 500 inhabitants was centered around the Church of Saint-Germain
French archaeologists excavating the church cemetery in order to understand the building
and changing burial practices over the centuries have recently uncovered hundreds of burials
One of them had a lead heart attached to it as well
The Tank Museum has announced it’s collaborating with historian Stephen Pope to republish Trevor Pidgeon’s The Tanks at Flers: An Account of the First Use of Tanks In War at The Battle of Flers-Courcelette
Having been out of print for several years
the news comes on the anniversary of the historic battle
This new edition features additional information from Stephen Pope
and includes rescanned A2 maps and a forward from David Fletcher
head of commercial operations at The Tank Museum
“The Tanks at Flers has been updated with new research from historian Stephen Pope and is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the First World War and the development of the tank
We are proud to have put this fantastic work back into print
each book comes inside a presentation box with the maps that were in Volume 2 of the original publication so readers can follow the footsteps of the tanks over the battlefield.”
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette began on September 15, 1916 and was the first time tanks appeared on the battlefield. Occurring during the middle of the Somme Campaign
the British Fourth Army and a reserve force take on the German 1st Army
The British entered the battle with Mark I tanks
which were used to cut through barbed wire and forge a path for infantrymen to approach the Gerrman enemy
They were also tasked with destroying machine gun emplacements
While reports state that only a third successfully made it across No Man’s Land (the rest either suffered mechanical failures
their effect on the enemy led to calls for more units
When the fighting concluded on September 22
thousands of battlefield casualties had been suffered
the British and French emerged from the battle with a tactical victory
More from us: Shipboard Cannon Found Off Swedish Coast Believed to Be the Oldest In Europe
Pre-orders for The Tanks at Flers are currently available via The Tank Museum’s online store
Those who order the book before October 13
2023 will have their names included in the acknowledgments section
Clare Fitzgerald is a Writer and Editor with eight years of experience in the online content sphere
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from King’s University College at Western University
her portfolio includes coverage of digital media
Among her accomplishments are being the Founder of the true crime blog, Stories of the Unsolved, which garners between 400,000 and 500,000 views annually, and a contributor for John Lordan’s Seriously Mysterious podcast
she also served as the Head of Content for UK YouTube publication
Clare likes to play Pokemon GO and re-watch Heartland over and over (and over) again
She’ll also rave about her three Maltese dogs whenever she gets the chance
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Almine Rech Brussels is pleased to announce Take Shelter, Paul de Flers' second solo exhibition with the gallery
2022 the show will feature nine works on canvas.
Painted in Brussels in 2021 in a period when unseasonal snow blanketed the blooming flowers of the Spring
and sheets of rain washed out fantasies of a sun-kissed summer
the subtitle There’s a Storm Coming provides an entry point to navigate the 9 works in the artist’s second solo exhibition with Almine Rech
’s Brussels gallery debuted two concurrent of works by the artists and Paul de Flers
How the Guardian and Observer reported the emergence of tanks in the first world war
One hundred years ago the face of modern warfare changed forever when tanks were used for the first time
On the morning of 15 September 1916 the British attacked German positions at Flers-Courcelette - part of the larger Somme offensive - with 32 tanks
The results were decidedly mixed but this faltering introduction was not reflected in contemporary press reports
The Guardian and Observer enthusiastically reported on their deployment and the hope that they might break the stalemate
containing a multitude of questions and speculations
‘Do they attack as battering rams or as gun carriers
Are we to conceive them as a sort of ironclad van...ploughing ponderously onward through hedges of wire
over trenches to the bewilderment and affright of the Hun?’
He attributed the credit to Churchill who had converted ministers to their potential
whilst seeking out the expertise of the Admiralty in designing armour plating
View image in fullscreenManchester Guardian, 21 September 1916.On 21 September, battle reports were published which fleshed out details of the tanks and the actions of their crews at Flers-Courcelette
‘Single handed one of these strange craft is prepared to engage an entire battalion
and come out of the fray victorious.’ However snatches of the same report reveal the new weapon’s shortcomings
as when describing one seemingly gung-ho manoeuvre ‘Through no effort of the frightened Boches
the steering-gear went wrong and the pilot could only travel straight ahead
written by motoring journalist H Massac Buist related some of the mystery that had surrounded their production as well as warning his readers ‘we must not let ourselves imagine that [tanks] have solved the problem of the war.’
View image in fullscreenA British tank in action in 1917 . Photograph: Paul Popper/Popperfoto/Popperfoto/Getty ImagesPerhaps one of the most interesting pieces published in the paper was the diary of an Australian crewman
relating the various skirmishes and manoeuvres in which he was involved over the course of a week
Whilst his words were undoubtedly vetted by the authorities the diary reveals how tank warfare had desensitised those embroiled in the fray
Only some Hun dead and wounded we had skidded into...Blighters opened rifle fire on us at 200 yards
but got a bit nervy as the blessed old thing kept waddling up to him
Ladled out death as you might vamp out indifferent music from a hurdy gurdy
No fight left in him...Finished an exciting week
but one wants a good rest after a spell with a tank
killed in action during the First World War
has been identified in an unnamed grave in France
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Andrew Gee confirmed the identification of Lieutenant James Mark Kennedy
“Thanks to painstaking research over a number of years
Lieutenant Kennedy’s family now know his final resting place and he can be given the memorial he deserves,” Gee said
“It is pleasing that we have been able to bring some closure to another Australian family whose loved one lost their life fighting for our nation.
Kennedy dedicated the majority of his life to service
including fighting in both the Boer War and the First World War
He was 37 when he was tragically killed near Flers on Nov
1916 after his unit attacked German trenches near a defensive position known as "The Maze." Due to the dangerous conditions from heavy bombardment and thick mud
Kennedy’s remains could not be recovered following the battle and he was commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
“It is remarkable that after 105 years
his final resting place has now been identified," Gee said
"It says much about Australia that after more than a century we are still honouring our sacred national commitment to never forget those who gave everything for our nation
I want to thank Fallen Diggers Incorporated
and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
whose detailed research and support made this identification possible and has given some closure to Lieutenant Kennedy’s family.”
In consultation with Lieutenant Kennedy’s grandchildren
arrangements will be made to replace the previously unmarked headstone with one bearing his name and service details
Kennedy’s grandson Mark Kennedy said learning of his grandfather’s burial location was a small miracle
“Since 1987 I’ve tried here and there to search for information regarding my grandfather’s whereabouts
he vanished in the trenches,” Mark Kennedy said
“I’d grown up with many stories of him from my father
so I think it’s fair to say he was lost but not forgotten
The love story between my grandfather and grandmother was a great wartime romance
It’s a great shame they weren’t able to be together very long
having only been married nine months.”
Mark’s sister and the granddaughter of Kennedy
said she was grateful and surprised by the news
“I find it amazing they were able to discover my grandfather’s final resting place after so many years
I’ve got my grandfather’s medals
and other memorabilia at home and it’s quite incredible how much information is still available more than one hundred years later,” Margaret White said
“I am hopeful I am one day able to visit my grandfather’s grave and pay my respects and continue to share these memories with my own children and grandchildren.”
The First World War remains the costliest conflict for Australian lives and casualties
With a country fewer than 5 million people
416,809 men enlisted of which more than 60,000 were killed.
Lieutenant James Mark Kennedy was born in Clarendon in Victoria
He served in the Boer War with the South African Constabulary and enlisted in the Australian Army in the Queensland town of Miles in February 1915
being commissioned into the 26th Battalion
On his way to Egypt aboard the troopship Kyarra
Charlotte "Lottie" Kendell from Geelong.
Kennedy returned to Egypt and married Lottie on Feb
Kennedy deployed to the Western Front with his unit and while he was there
Lottie gave birth to a son they named William "Bruce" Kennedy on June
Lieutenant Kennedy was seriously wounded at Pozieres in late July 1916 and was invalided to the United Kingdom
He was able to spend a short time recovering with his new wife and son in Scotland
Despite Lottie urging her husband to accept a safer staff role
he insisted on returning to his men and re-joined his Battalion in October 1916
This would be the last time Lottie and baby Bruce would spend together with James.
while leading his Platoon during the Battle of Flers
passing away following injuries due to a traffic accident in 1970.
Kennedy’s remains could not be recovered following the Battle of Flers and he was commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial
an Australian Officer wearing a medal ribbon indicating service during the Boer War was recovered from the location that Lieutenant Kennedy was last seen
and buried nearby at Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery
the soldier was not able to be identified and was buried in an unnamed grave
Recent investigations by Fallen Diggers Incorporated determined that Kennedy was the only Australian Officer missing in the vicinity of his death who had been awarded a medal for Boer War service
allowing his identity to be conclusively established
Republished courtesy of Division of Veteran's Affairs. Photo credit: DVA
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The British Army’s newest armoured fighting vehicle was shown publically for the first time last weekend at The Tank Museum in Bovington
The Tank 100 event was to commemorate the centenary of the first use of tanks at the Battle of Flers in World War One
The AJAX armoured fighting vehicle—which relies on technology from Abaco Systems—appeared alongside historic and modern tank displays
The event also included a First World War battle re-enactment
and a "poppy drop" in which 250,000 poppies were dropped from the skies
AJAX—developed by General Dynamics Land Systems in the UK
and previously known as SCOUT—has recently successfully completed live firing testing at a range in West Wales
The testing focused on generating specific data and evidence to support manned firing trials planned for early next year
The range of AJAX variants will allow the British Army to conduct sustained
full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint
They will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide range of future operating environments
The first British Army squadron will be equipped by mid-2019 to allow conversion to begin with a brigade ready to deploy from the end of 2020
AJAX provides a step-change in the Armoured Fighting Vehicle capability being delivered to the British Army
providing British troops with state-of-the-art best-in-class protection
AJAX vehicles are developed upon a highly-adaptable and capable Common Base Platform
electronic architecture and survivability that ensures the British Army has a family of world-class platforms
Each AJAX platform variant has extensive capabilities
an advanced electronic architecture and a high performance power pack
open architecture subsystems—including Ethernet switches
data servers and video servers—which will allow AJAX platforms to be easily upgraded during their lifetime as new requirements and technologies emerge
These subsystems provide the backbone of the vehicle electronics architecture
The Ethernet switch connects all the networked elements of the vehicle together; the gateway processor provides all the processing capability for the General Dynamics UK software to run the platform; and the data and video servers allow the vehicle to store and distribute vehicle and scenario data and video around the platform and on into the wider connected battlefield
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Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
To mark the centenary of the tank and to honour those who made history
the Royal Tank Regiment and the Tank Museum are in Central London to display both the oldest and latest examples of tank warfare
The tank changed the face of modern warfare
We remember the bravery of those very first tank crews and celebrate the world-leading innovation of our Armed Forces
Those values remain hallmarks of UK defence today
Our Armed Forces are in action in 25 countries across the globe and we are investing in the equipment of tomorrow
including more than £3.5billion on the next generation of armoured vehicles
a replica of a British First World War tank was displayed in Trafalgar Square before moving to Horse Guards Parade where it was joined by the British Army’s latest Challenger 2 tank
crewed by members of The Royal Tank Regiment
the government sent tanks ‘on tour’ around the country
These new ‘wonder weapons’ attracted huge crowds
Trafalgar Square hosted several ‘Tank Banks’ so it is fitting that today it once again played host to a tank crew
A British First World War tank displayed in Trafalgar Square with members of the Royal Tank Regiment
which is the oldest tank unit in the world
can trace its roots back to the assault on the 15th September 1916
After that battle the importance of the tank was soon recognised and production increased
During the Second World War the Regiment had as many as 25 battalions fighting all over the world
the Regiment has been deployed on all major conflicts most recently being involved in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
The original First World War tank went from concept to combat in under two years
That spirit and dedication to innovation remains strong in the military today
The MOD continues to invest in keeping our tank fleet world class; the Challenger 2 will undergo a significant life extension programme keeping it at the forefront of the British Army’s warfighting capability
Furthermore £3.5 billion will be spent on the manufacturing phase of a programme to build 589 AJAX armoured vehicles which will be at the heart of the Army’s new strike brigades
women will train as tank crew for the first time
Much has changed but like the tank crews of 1916
today’s crews share unique comradeship forged from working as a tight knit team operating the most formidable weapon on the battlefield
was one of the defining events of the First World War with more than one million casualties on all sides during the 141 days of the battle
In the first six weeks of the Somme offensive repeated Allied attacks had failed to achieve the progress that the senior leadership had planned
Sir Douglas Haig planned a major attack on the 15th September 1916 to destroy German strong points between the villages of Combles and Courcelette
He also took the controversial and historic decision to reveal the British secret weapon
They promised much: the ability to cross trenches and wire
advance alongside the infantry protecting them and the crew
and to destroy German positions with a combination of cannon and machine guns
the crews lacked experience and there had been no training alongside the infantry
Most significantly there were only 49 tanks available
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details
We would like advise supporters that tickets are now SOLD OUT for Saturday’s game v the Fife Flyers (7.00pm face-off)
Supporters are advised not to travel to Braehead Arena without a ticket as they will be unable to purchase from the Box Office
We’d like to thank all the Purple Army and the travelling Fife Flyers fans for all your support
All available tickets have been purchased or allocated
purchased tickets or sponsorship allocations not turning up on the night
If you have been unable to get any tickets
you can watch the Clan vs Flyers game LIVE online
French author Marcel Proust sitting outside a window
Gay stories penned by Marcel Proust in the 1890s are set to finally be published
penned a number of works featuring same-sex romances that never saw the light of day
French publishing house Editions de Fallois plans to finally publish nine of his short stories in October
more than 120 years after they were written
The collection of works will be published in French under the title The Mysterious Correspondent
the dominant theme of these works is the analysis of ‘the physical love so unjustly decried’ in terms that reflect the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Portrait of the French novelist Marcel Proust
The announcement also speculates that Proust could have used the stories as a form of diary “under the veil of a transparent fiction,” noting it reflects his own early perspective on sexuality
Fraisse adds: “Homosexuality is always experienced in an exclusively tragic way
those comic notes… which give the work all the colours of life
The works were rediscovered in the 1950s alongside other unfinished novels penned by Proust
The Mysterious Correspondent will be published on October 9
Intimate letters from Proust to his male lovers were sold at auction in 2016.
The contents of the letters were censored by Proust’s descendants for more than 100 years
with content alluding to same-sex romances edited out of extracts of earlier published works
He added: “I want you to be here all the time but as a god in disguise
The lot also included the only surviving copy of a 1896 photograph of Proust with lovers Lucien Daudet and Robert de Flers
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Reverend John Howell-Price saw five of his six sons off to the First World War
Reverend John Howell-Price and his wife Isabel would farewell five of their six sons off to serve during the First World War
The three youngest were killed in action on the Western Front: Owen at Flers in France in 1916
and Philip at Broodseinde in Belgium five months later
All three had been awarded the Military Cross
a historian at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra
first learnt of the family while researching her book about the battle of Pozieres
“The father was born in Pembroke in South Wales and he came out to Australia when he was 14,” Dr Hampton said
“There were ten children altogether and five of the six brothers had really distinguished military careers during the First World War.”
Sub-Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Commander) John Howell-Price DSO DSC (1886-1937)
Lieutenant Commander John Howell-Price DSO DSC had run away to sea
he was called up by the Royal Naval Reserve
He survived the sinking of the British armed merchant cruiser
and the crews were left sitting in open boats,” Dr Hampton said
and the survivors nearly froze to death while waiting to be rescued.”
John was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions and went on to become a sub-mariner
He was second-in-command of the British submarine C-3
was blown up during a raid at Zeebrugge in April 1918
was awarded the Victoria Cross; John was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Portrait of Major Frederick Phillimore Howell-Price DSO (1888-1978)
Major Frederick Phillimore Howell-Price DSO
had enlisted as a driver in the Australian Army Service Corps shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914
and was attached to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade
“He was a bank clerk in Sydney on the outbreak of war and enlisted shortly after,” Dr Hampton said
and before he’d even finished his training and left Australia
he’d been commissioned as a second lieutenant.”
Frederick arrived on Gallipoli in September 1915 and went on to serve during the Romani
Jericho Valley and Syrian operations of 1916 and 1917
Egypt c1915: Frederick Phillimore Howell-Price
and another Australian Officer mounted on camels in front of the Sphinx
“He is a really capable supply officer,” Dr Hampton said
“And he’s doing really important work there
rising through the ranks to become the commanding officer of the Anzac Mounted Divisional Train
the director of supply and transport in the Mounted Corps
and the supply officer for the entire Light Horse in the Middle East.”
In recognition of his service during the Sinai–Palestine campaign
Frederick was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and twice Mentioned in Despatches
Studio portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Owen Glendower Howell-Price DSO
Lieutenant Colonel Owen Glendower Howell-Price DSO MC
served on Gallipoli and was killed on the Western Front in 1916
“He was awarded the Military Cross at Lone Pine and Mentioned in Despatches for his ‘conspicuous gallantry’ and ‘greatest bravery’ in leading an attack against the Turkish trenches
frequently rallying his men under heavy fire and restoring order at critical moments.”
In letters to his mother and father back home
Owen wrote simply: “My luck was good again.”
Promoted to lieutenant colonel in March 1916
he was given permanent command of the 3rd Battalion on the Western Front
“It is a mistake to get too puffed up over my success which is really no fault of mine,” he wrote to his parents
Group portrait of officers of the 3rd Battalion
Lieutenant Owen Glendower Howell-Price MC is pictured
Owen fought at Pozières and Mouquet Farm in France
for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and again Mentioned in Despatches
“Everyone thinks a man is a hero when he is nothing of the sort,” he wrote in his letters
“Most people in publishing awards forget that there are always plenty of others in the same place and doing much more glorious deeds…”
Dr Hampton said he was one of Australia’s youngest senior officers at the time
“Owen Howell-Price is only 25 when he takes command of a 1,000 men in the battalion
and his first major operation is during the capture of the French village of Pozières … He’s one of the two best battalion commanders in the field that day …
Owen Howell-Price was killed in action near the French village of Flers in November 1916
“He was supervising the placement of machine-guns to cover the advance near Flers when he was shot in the head,” Dr Hampton said
“He died of his wounds the following evening.”
His final words were: “Give my love to the battalion.”
the AIF lost one of its most promising young commanding officers,” Dr Hampton said
“He was described by Charles Bean as the ‘gentlest of men and conscientious to a fault’
I believe he would have gone on to have a very big impact in the manner in which the war was being fought
and he had a very good grasp of military tactics
“To lose him so early in the war was a huge loss.”
Lieutenant (later Major) Philip Llewellyn Howell-Price DSO
Major Philip Llewellyn Howell-Price DSO MC
landed on Gallipoli with the 1st Battalion and was Mentioned in Despatches for conspicuous gallantry at Lone Pine before being wounded in the back by shrapnel from a bomb blast
Having recovered and taken part in the evacuation of Gallipoli
he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leading a successful raiding party of four officers and 60 men near the French town of Armentieres during one of the 1st Battalion’s first operations on the Western Front
“In face of heavy opposition and uncut wire he carried through his attack with great coolness and resource
and saw every officer and man back in our trenches before he returned,” the citation read
Lieutenant (later Major) Philip Llewellyn Howell-Price in a trench with a Turkish dud shell
Philip Howell-Price went on to fight on the Somme
and was awarded the Military Cross for his leadership during an operation near Flers in November 1916
“He’s a lot like his brother Owen,” Dr Hampton said
but he stays in the battlefield and remains on duty
Studio portrait of Second Lieutenant (later Major) Philip Llewellyn Howell-Price DSO MC
General Birdwood had him appointed to the staff of the 1st Anzac Division
but on hearing that his old battalion was going into action
Philip Howell-Price is back in the trenches with his men
He’s about to give the order to move when an artillery barrage comes over
and the last that is seen of him is a shell bursting
Studio portrait of Corporal (later Lieutenant) Richmond Gordon Howell-Price MC (1896-1917)
Lieutenant Richmond Gordon Howell-Price MC
had enlisted with his parents’ permission in December 1915
but he is a lot like his older brothers,” Dr Hampton said
“And he is awarded the Military Cross for his actions during an attack on a French village called Demicourt in April 1917
“It’s very unusual for someone to be awarded a Military Cross as a platoon commander in their first attack on the Western Front
but he’s showing remarkable capability in the field
He was mortally wounded at Bullecourt on 4 May 1917
His award of the Military Cross was published on 22 May
was 33 years old when the First World War broke out
He remained in Australia with the Army's Administrative and Instructional Staff
and in 1917 was charged with defrauding the Commonwealth of 67,000 pounds
He was sentenced to four years jail for embezzlement
“David is not mentioned in his father’s obituary
and I think there was just this real sense of shame to family …
but his story doesn’t in any way take away from that of his brothers
“John Howell-Price and his wife Isabel had five sons who did remarkable things for duty and honour.”
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was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery at the Battle of Flers–Courcelette on 15 September 1916
part of the Somme offensive (1 July to 18 November 1916)
One hundred years later he has been honoured with a special memorial outside the Ministry of Defence Main Building in Westminster
bravery and initiative were remembered with a special Victoria Cross commemorative paving stone being laid in Victoria Embankment Gardens
at the heart of the city in which he was born
The ceremony coincided with the centenary of the first time the tank was used in battle on 15 September 1916
Brig Gen Campbell was commanding the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards at the battle
In deafening gunfire and smoke so thick the troops couldn’t see a hand in front of them
he blew the traditional British hunting cry “Tally-Ho” on his hunting horn to rally his men
The cry was sufficient to allow his troops to gather together and drive forward
before successfully capturing the German guns and defeating the enemy
he again rallied the survivors of his battalion
leading them once more through heavy hostile fire and became one of the first to enter the enemy trench
The actual hunting horn from the battle was played at today’s service by the Band of the Coldstream Guards
The band played ‘Homage to Colonel Campbell’
a piece specially written for the horn by the band’s Director of Music Major Simon Haw
Campbell survived the war and was eventually promoted to Brigadier General
and poetry was written of that day in Flers about him
his descendants watched as the paving stone was formally unveiled by his granddaughter
and the Lord Mayor of Westminster Steve Summers
Also at the service were representatives from the Army
including Major General Commanding the Household Division
After the stone was blessed by Reverend J W Caldwell
Chaplain to the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
words of remembrance were read and a musician from the Coldstream Guards sounded the Last Post
Commemorating the valour of men such as Campbell
reminds today’s generation and future generations of British citizens and soldiers
the extraordinary sacrifices that have been made so that we can live a free and civilized life under the rule of law
The Victoria Cross was instituted by Royal Warrant on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria
and was the first British gallantry medal that could be awarded to any Serviceman irrespective of rank
It remains the highest and most prestigious recognition of exceptional valour in the face of the enemy
Donald Forrester Wood was the first member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on the Western Front to be awarded the Victoria Cross
He was born on 23 February 1890 in Dunedin
where he worked as a farmer before enlisting in October 1915
Otago Infantry Regiment which was sent to France in 1916
Sergeant Brown was awarded his Victoria Cross posthumously for most conspicuous bravery and determination in attack on 15 September 1916
and Brown’s unit had been tasked with capturing a series of German held trenches from their position south-east of High Wood
Whilst the first trench was captured with ease
his company came under intense machine-gun fire and suffered heavy casualties advancing to the next trench
Sergeant Brown was killed in action on 1 October 1916 during another attack on the Somme
He is buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery in France
6 Wins / 9 Draws / 9 Losses in the Last 24 fixtures
*Flers's stats from National 3 Group C 2024/25
Prediction Risk - UNLOCK
This season in National 3 Group C, Flers's form is Poor overall with 6 wins, 9 draws, and 9 losses. This performance currently places Flers at 0 out of 14 teams in the National 3 Group C Table
Flers's home form is average with the following results : 0 wins
Flers has scored a total of 26 goals this season in National 3 Group C
More Over / Under / BTTS / Goals data are under the Goals tab
More Flers corner stats are available under the Corners tab
* Average Goals Scored Per Match for Flers in National 3 Group C 2024/25
• Flers scores a goal every 0 minutes in National 3 Group C
• Flers scores an average of 0 goals every game
* Average Goals Conceded Per Match for Flers in National 3 Group C 2024/25
• Flers has conceded a total of 32 goals this season in National 3 Group C
• Flers concedes an average of 0 goals every game
Flers has a ratio of 33% Over 2.5 goals during the National 3 Group C 2024/2025 (8 / 24 fixtures)
Over / Under Goals are calculated from total match goals for fixtures that Flers has participated in
Flers's ratio of Under 2.5 goals is 67% in the National 3 Group C 2024/2025 season (16 / 24 matches)
Over / Under 1H/2H Goals are calculated from both team's goals in that half
UNLOCKCorners / Match
* Average Corner Kicks per match between Flers and their opponents in a single match
Match corners is the total corners between Flers and their opponent in the match
UNLOCKCards / Match
* Average Total Match Cards per match between Flers and their opponents in a single match
Match cards is the total cards between Flers and their opponent in the match
* Not all matches have goal timings recorded for Flers
Cards and Corners in these tables are total between both teams
* Not all matches have goal/corner/card timings recorded for Flers
* Average Shots Per Match for Flers in National 3 Group C 2024/25
Flers this season is taking a total of 28 shots
6.00 shots per match are on target and 3.33 shots per match are off target
xG For - Expected Goals For of Flers is 1.44 xG
xG Against - Flers's xGA (Expected Goals Against) is 1.82 per match in the National 3 Group C
* Stats from 2024/25 season of National 3 Group C
*FC Flerien player data are not yet recorded
Average AttendanceNot recorded yet or may be affected by COVID-19
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Hugh Sebag-Montefiore has written a new history of the Battle of the Somme which
details war crimes on the part of New Zealand troops
is a fresh account of the most famous battle of World War 1
a battle that lasted over four months from July to November 1916 as the allies tried to break through the German front line
Next week marks the 100-year anniversary of New Zealand’s involvement
It was New Zealand’s first major engagement on Western Front: 15,000 members of the New Zealand Division were involved
one in seven of them were killed and thousands more wounded
By the end of the Battle of the Somme in November 1916 casualties on both sides were about 1.3 million
Sebag-Montefiore’s book draws on some vivid first-hand accounts
including accounts from New Zealand soldiers
detail war crimes on the part of the allies
“I’m not saying that the New Zealanders were the only ones who committed so called war crimes
there are accounts of all nations committing these war crimes,” he says
He says troops were desensitised during the lead up to the attacks - almost brain-washed
later a distinguished Major General in the New Zealand army
recalls how a Scottish major characterised the enemy to the men
red-haired Scottish major who toured around the front and lectured to all the New Zealand soldiers
what we have to do is kill Germans: the only good German
The Scottish major told the New Zealand troops that when the “sniveling cowards” threw up their hands
that was an opportunity to “stick the bayonet in”
Sebag-Montefiore says the man also told the troops that the Germans were all dirty waiters and killing them by stabbing them in the throat with a fork was a fitting end
This all happened before the New Zealand troops went into battle
Sebag-Montefiore says there are many accounts of a no prisoner policy
they threw up their paws and above the roar of the battle we could hear their cry
Mercy!’ But they’d done too much damage with their two machine guns
and their cry for mercy was never heeded.”
Wilson recalls seeing a German on his knees with his hands above his head begging for mercy
walked up to him gazed at him for a few seconds and then deliberately
pushed out his rifle and blew the Hun’s head practically off.”
Sebag-Montefiore says there are other corroborating accounts
"There are a six or seven other accounts of what we call war crimes being committed by New Zealanders
New Zealanders were not the only people doing this.”
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Andrew McRae, Veterans Affairs Correspondent, in Amiens, France - andrew.mcrae@radionz.co.nz
Some 2000 New Zealand soldiers died in the "shocking
horrifying" trenches of the Battle of the Somme
Ahead of this week's centennial Andrew McRae looks back at the WWI battle
The New Zealand Division joined the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in France in September 1916
Over the 23 days the New Zealand Division was in the battle along both sides of the River Somme
it was known as the bloodbath Veteran Jim Warner speaking in 1982
New Zealand had 15,000 soldiers in the battle and the casualty rate was huge
with nearly 6000 men wounded and 2111 killed in action
The battle was New Zealand's first major engagement on the Western Front in WWI
Massey University professor of war studies Glyn Harper described it as New Zealand's bloodiest ever military engagement
Professor Harper said the New Zealanders arrived on the Somme in fairly good condition even after about three days marching
"They were a spent force and the men had really reached the limits of endurance."
very little water and being asked to make repeated attacks
More than half of the 2111 New Zealand soldiers killed in the battle have no known grave
and are commemorated on the New Zealand Memorial to the Missing in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery
15 September commemoration ceremonies will be held at the memorial
to be followed by the National Commemorative Service and a sunset ceremony
was a staggering 1.2 million men including an estimated 600,000 German soldiers
Professor Harper believes the British generals were convinced a breakthrough was coming and the Germans were on the edge of defeat
He said important lessons were learned that set the foundation for successes later in the war
"The lessons were terribly costly for those doing the fighting at the sharp end."
He said the learning curve in battle could also be described as a blood curve
with soldiers suffering as commanders made mistakes
"New Zealand was a small cog in a big military machine."
who has written New Zealand's Western Front Campaign
said New Zealand performed admirably - attacking a section of the German line near the village of Flers in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette
On the first day the New Zealand Division captured almost all of its objectives
"We did everything required of us in that battle."
He believed the allied troops came off the Somme with a highly optimistic attitude feeling a superiority over their enemy
"They had gone through the crucible and come out and would like another chance to assert their superiority."
Dr McGibbon said looking back 100 years later
the strategy of the Allied commanders was wrong in thinking it was possible to push right through the German line
"Attrition really demanded a much more measured approach
James (Jim) Warner was in the New Zealand Division sent to France in May 1916
he spoke of what he saw on arriving at the Somme
It was known as the blood bath and that really describes it as such."
"A bird couldn't whistle through the shells
When asked what life was like in the trenches he answered - in a truly understated way - "Not the best
veteran of the Somme described it in similar terms
If it rained you had to go over the top because you couldn't get through the trenches."
He described sitting in a hollow one day out of the rain when the bank came down on top of them
"The ground was loose and dead Germans had been buried there and the whole lot came down on top of us."
A young New Zealand officer who later became a major-general
said the trenches "were just depressions through the whole field of shell holes"
"Every foot of the ground had been churned up by shells and mixed in with the dirt of the shell holes were bits of bodies and dead men and green flies that walked on everything
* Archival material courtesy of Nga Taonga Sound and Vision
A Dunedin museum's attempt to reunite a soldier's identity tag with his family - a century after he disappeared in the First World War - has taken another twist
A historian is calling for help to identify century-old photographs as part of a book honouring Māori and Pacifica soldiers of World War I
A call has gone out to identify a man photographed in a group of Māori soldiers from WWI
First Person - 100 years on from the Battle of Romani
Andrew McRae looks into the World War I conflict that killed his great-great uncle
A tale of wartime heroes has taken out the top gong at this year's Book Awards for Children and Young Adults