Deadly World War I battle marked

THIEPVAL, France — Officers wept, families traced the steps of fallen relatives and church bells tolled across northern France on Saturday to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, one of history's worst bloodbaths.

Prince Charles called the World War I battle "a most profound shock" for Britain, and "an unutterable hell."

Ceremonies around the world honored the soldiers of some 20 nationalities who died and those who survived the British-led push against German forces. Four months of vicious trench warfare ravaged the gentle hills of the Somme region and left more than 1.2 million on both sides dead, wounded or held prisoner.

The battle has nearly receded from living memory, but its legacy remains.

Monuments — from simple markers to major museums — in the wheat fields and towns of the Somme serve as a reminder of how the Great War changed Europe forever, and how young European unity is.

Britain's deadliest day

Britain feels the battle's scars most deeply. July 1, 1916, was the deadliest day the British army ever saw, leaving 20,000 killed.

Britain led allied forces into battle hoping to end 18 months of deadlock with a decisive victory over German forces and relieve pressure on the French army at Verdun. Yet when it ended Nov. 18, Britain had only advanced about six miles.

"I'm quite glad that there are Germans here today," said Richard Allen, a Briton who recently discovered a relative had been killed at the Somme and came to Saturday's ceremony at Thiepval Memorial.

The German ambassador to France laid a wreath at Thiepval, and a German general attending a ceremony honored a Canadian regiment that saw two-thirds of its troops killed or incapacitated in the first half-hour of fighting in the Somme.

Even 90 years later, the day was fraught with emotion.

Two World War II officers stood silent, eyes filled with tears, looking at a wall at the Thiepval Memorial etched with the names of 72,000 British soldiers who died at the Somme.

The Harvey family of Sussex huddled in another corner of the monument searching for the name of one of their ancestors.

Vets from other wars

Veterans from other wars, jackets sagging with medals, joined units of young soldiers from several countries marching at Thiepval. Many wore red poppies, symbol of British war dead. The British and French national anthems played in the background.

"Standing on this hallowed ground, it is impossible not to be overwhelmed by a mix of deep emotion, humiliation and awe, sadness and pride," the Prince of Wales said.

Until the Somme, Britain had thought it could beat the Germans easily. Troops went in with high expectations, believing most German positions in the area had been wiped out after a heavy British artillery campaign.

But when the British-led soldiers climbed out of their trenches that morning, volley after volley of machine gun fire greeted them, mowing them down. Torrential rains turned the battleground into a muddy quagmire.

Searing sun

This year, no clouds were in sight, and rescue workers whisked away a few onlookers and participants overwhelmed by searing sun on the open fields.

Church bells rang in villages across the undulating fields along the banks of the Somme River, marking the moment 90 years ago that two British mine shots launched the battle. Later in the battle, the British army introduced tanks into warfare for the first time.

Princess Anne, speaking at the Canadian memorial at Beaumont-Hamel, said "the scale of the confusion makes it impossible to say" even now what exactly happened that first day of battle.

Restored trenches at the memorial weave through now-tranquil grassy hillocks.

Allen lamented that the survivors "were so scarred, they stopped talking about it. It's really a shame."

One of the few remaining World War I veterans joined in the 90th anniversary tribute: Henry Allingham, 110, who was not at the Somme but is thought to be the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland.

Along with British troops were Irish, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Indians — and French, including many soldiers from Algeria and other French colonies, soldiers whose feats were long ignored.

The Republic of Ireland rekindled its bitter memories Saturday of the slaughter of 3,500 Irishmen on the Somme battlefield, a sacrifice long forgotten because those who died were soldiers for the British army.