Ógra activist visits the 'Green Fields of France'

Damian White of Armagh Ógra Shinn Féin went on the Messines Project trip to France and Belgium run through the “Armagh together programme” and said that it was a huge success. A report of the trip in his words..............



The Messines project centres on the battle of Messines during World War 1, when the 16th (Irish volunteers/republican) and the 36th (UVF/loyalist) Regiments joined together and fought together side by side.

As the Unionist outreach officer in Armagh, this trip was important to go on, we as republicans don’t associate ourselves with the World War’s and they are seen as part of the British establishment in Ireland. But there are few points to note, John Redmond of the Home Rule party, actively encouraged Irish Republicans to go and fight, under an agreement (later broken by the British) that there would be Home Rule for Ireland after victory in the War.

There were more Irish Republicans than Loyalists that went to fight in the war. The youngest soldier killed in the war was an Irish Volunteer from Waterford City aged just 14.

The other major reason why Irishmen fought in the war was to help defend other small nations, Belgium a small catholic country needed our help and so the Irish volunteers responded.

Belgium has never forgotten what other nations did for it and as part of the trip we went to the Menin gate where every night at 8.00pm a large crowd gathers and the road is closed as Belgians say thank you to all who died in the war with a wreath laying ceremony and last post, this ceremony has been carried out over 27,000 times.

We also went to the Somme site in France where the biggest loss of life in such a short space of time was recorded. Largely down to bad military tactics, one of which was to walk across, instead of running across the Battlefield on the morning of the first attack, as the commanders ignored all intelligence that stated, that the massive artillery fire had not achieved any of its objectives, interesting point to note is that both the 36th and 16th ignored British rules (like good Irishmen) and charged across the battlefield and were one of two regiments that had any kind of success that day taking the positions they were meant to.

We also visited the Island of Ireland Peace Park were a 32 foot high tower stands to represent the 32 counties of Ireland and the men of each county that fought, the tower is made from stone shipped over from Ireland. In the park also lies plaque with quotes from members of both the 16th and 36th regiments. We then moved on to the 36th Ulster Park which has some great work going on at the minute and is one of the best sites in both France and Belgium, 3 years ago they bought the forested land where the 36th Regiment front line trench where and are creating a walking tour (a work in progress) of the trenches and the week we were over they has just began work on a new bunker complex. The whole site gave the closest view as to what it would have been like to be there.

The four day trip passed very quickly there wasn’t enough time to see everything; Republicans may never understand why Irish Volunteers went to the war when a greater war was to be waged at home. I’m really glad I went it was a real eye opener an experience that I don’t think I’ll forget.

Our wee tour ended like the Battle of Messines as on the last night the group like the 16th and 36th came together only not to fight but to sing. Songs were sung from both traditions and sung so well that Dutch, Germans staying in the hotel and even the bar staff all came to join our group and enjoyed the craic till the small hours of the morning.