YP Letters: Generation lost at the Somme still haunt nation

Memorial poppies placed in front of the Thiepval Museum in commemoration of the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Thiepval Memorial in Thiepval, France, where 70,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers with no known grave are commemorated.

I, ALONG with many others, have watched the poignant and horrifying reminders of the Somme.

The whistles, the camaraderie, the horror and then the eerie silence. A lost generation.

My grandfather survived the Somme and was given two medals, but was so badly gassed it shortened his life. When his youngest son died in mid-July 1945 at a Japanese prisoner of war camp just two weeks before VJ Day, he returned his medals to the War Office. My grandmother – a devout Christian – spoke of her sons as “cannon fodder.

From: David Craggs, Shafton Gate, Rotherham.

RIGHTLY, the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme has been given wide coverage.

I hope that the effect of this has been to encourage the young people of today to ask their elders how in heaven’s name did the leaders of the countries involved allow such slaughter to take place?

From: Eddie Peart, Rotherham.

PRINCE Charles appeared on your front page (The Yorkshire Post, June 2) wearing eight medals. I wonder if someone can tell me the names of these medals?