Irish Soldiers recall The Battle Of The Somme, 1989

One of the bloodiest battles of the First World War, the Battle of the Somme, was fought seventy-three years ago. To commemorate the half a million Irishmen who fought in the First World War, the Belfast-based Farset Youth and Community Development Project organised a trip to France to honour the sacrifice of the dead. Unionist and nationalist politicians joined the war veterans on the special journey.

Report shows black and white archive footage of the trench warfare during World War One.

Somme war grave in France.

Interview with Leslie Bell, veteran of the Battle of the Somme.

Archive footage of the war.

Commemoration ceremony at Thiepval in France where a tower was erected in memory of the Irishmen who fought there.

Attendees including Reverend Ian Paisley and James Molyneaux and many veterans.

Memorial cross to the Sixteenth Irish Division at Messines in Belgium and nearby war graves.

Commemoration ceremony at Messines.

Grave of Major William Redmond (brother of Irish politician, John Redmond), Sixth Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment.

Interview with Dr Ian Adamson, Chairman, Farset, on the role played by all Irishmen, North and South, in the First World War, and the role of John Redmond.

Interview with David Campbell, Farset, Somme Co-ordinator, on the role of Irishmen in the war.

War veterans looking for the graves of their friends in the war cemetery.

Interview with Leslie Bell.

Interview with Charlie McLean, a veteran from Banbridge, County Down.

Piper playing lament.

Unknown graves in the war cemetery.

The reporter is Gary Honeyford.