Battle of the Somme

Ninety years since the terrible slaughter of the first day of the above battle we should perhaps reflect on the lost values of those who fought. Both my grandfathers fought in but survived the Great War. One Great Uncle was not so lucky and was killed at the Somme and in tribute I reproduce the obituary as published in his local Harrogate newspaper: 2nd - LIEUT. E. PERHAM, West Yorkshire Regiment, who was killed on July 24th, at the age of 23, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Perham, of Kent Road, Harrogate. He was educated at Giggleswick, won the Hastings Scholarship for Queen's College, Oxford, and graduated there with classical honours. A fellow-officer writes: - "The battalion has suffered, but none will be more regretted than Lieut. Perham. He was always so plucky ancd cheerful in the trenches and out that everybody, including the whole of his company, got to look forward to his coming. On this last occasion he was left behind owing to his damaged ankle, but the battalion had so many casualties that he insisted on going up to help."