Film: fighting at the Somme and Messines

This film shows action at the Battle of the Somme in September 1916 and the Battle of Messines in June 1917. It includes scenes of tanks being used and descriptions of what the battles were like from New Zealand troops who were there.

Although the narration implies the film shows New Zealand troops, it is likely that they are in fact British. 


Narrator: Trained and equipped, the division reached France in April 1916. And after a quiet initiation to trench warfare, they were committed to the artillery duels of the Somme.

Soldier 1: They concentrated every artillery weapon that they had. They were just wheel to wheel. And I think zero hour was at breaking dawn, and the whole place blew up you see, just like a volcano erupting. The whole of the artillery all opened up and away she went.

*sound of explosions*

Narrator: 03:10 hours, the 7th of June.

Soldier 2: The first tanks came over at Messines, cos they were only 5 miles an hour but they put the fear of him up and you thought ‘what in blazes is coming over me?’ Sod knows, neither did we! But anyway, they were ferocious looking things.

Soldier 3: You just imagine having a weapon of that sort, having a steel monster coming at you, you can imagine how demoralizing it was.

Soldier 4: When the whistle blew you just got up and took your… There was flashing and noise going, shells dropping, you’d keep up as close as possible to your own barrage, and while the Jerry was dazed you’d hop in.


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MaryAnn Mann

Posted: 28 Oct 2018

My Mothers father, my Grandfather, Private Stanley Roy Webby fought in this battle. Where the mines blew at 3:10am on 7th June, 1917. Although he received a penetrating bullet through his right ear and came out his left side neck, he did survive but had a servere headache every day.of until commiting suicide in 1945. Left behind his wife, my mother Glsdys Ethel Webby, uncle Gilbert Edward Webby and Aunty Enis Isobel.Webby. All true "HEROES" - One and all.. R.I.P.
My husband Mr Colin Mann and myself, Mrs MaryAnn Mann presented wreaths at the Centenary of the Battle for Messines Ridge, 7th June, 2017.