Latest news with #BattleoftheSomme
ITV News
4 days ago
- General
- ITV News
Fallen soldier's painting restored after years of neglect
Howard Davis died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. After months of restoration, his story has been brought back to life by a Jersey paintings conservator.
Evening Standard
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
‘Gut feeling more important than social media likes', says festival promoter
Mr Giddings said that he remembered the classic Isle of Wight Festival of 1970, which saw 600,000 hippies descend on the island causing the event to be outlawed for 32 years, and added: 'I remember walking over the hill, it was like going to the Battle of the Somme and you could smell them before you saw them.'
Daily Record
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
One-man show marks 155th birthday of Lanarkshire music hall legend Sir Harry Lauder
Tenor and broadcaster Jamie MacDougall is reviving the much-loved Scottish Opera show Lauder this summer. He was Scotland's first successful international entertainer – a South Lanarkshire lad whose unique stage image and performances brought world fame. Now, to mark the 155th birthday of legendary Scottish entertainer Sir Harry Lauder, tenor and broadcaster Jamie MacDougall is reviving the much-loved Scottish Opera show Lauder this summer, in Edinburgh. It will be at Portobello Town Hall on Monday and Tuesday, August 4 and 5, at 7pm (tickets here), and there will also be shows in London and Buxton. Ticket sales from the Edinburgh and London performances will go to the charity Erskine Veterans Charity, for which Jamie is an ambassador. It provides support to Veterans in Scotland, through care homes and a Veterans Village. Sir Harry, who was an international music star and at one point the highest-paid performer in the world, was greatly affected by his son John's death at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He raised huge sums of money for injured serviceman, donating his music royalties to veterans supported by Erskine Veterans Charity. An exploration into the public and private personas of Sir Harry, Lauder was originally presented by Scottish Opera in 2017 as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Theatre Royal Glasgow. This production of the musical play has been adapted by director Kally Lloyd-Jones and Jamie from the original script by comedian, actor and impresario Jimmy Logan. In London, Tom Carradine is music director and pianist, and in Buxton and Edinburgh it is former Scottish Opera head of music, Derek Clark who also curated the featured Harry Lauder songs. Sir Harry premiered his classic song 'I Love a Lassie' onstage at Theatre Royal in 1905 when he appeared in his first pantomime, Aladdin, and in Red Riding Hood in 1910 he performed 'Roamin' in the gloamin'. Featuring these well-known songs as well as 'Keep Right on to the End of the Road' and other familiar favourites, Lauder includes news footage of Sir Harry's funeral and film reel from the trenches. Jamie MacDougall said: 'I am thrilled to be bringing this tribute to Sir Harry Lauder to audiences in London, Buxton International Festival and Edinburgh for the first time. I was 10 when I was taken twice to see Jimmy Logan in Lauder at the King's Theatre Glasgow. That was the start of my life-long association with these wonderful songs and Sir Harry, an entertainer who was the first truly global star. I am honoured to be an Ambassador for Erskine, and hope audiences can come along to see this special show and raise money for an incredible charity.' Jimmy Logan wrote and starred in Lauder which he performed for the first time in 1976 in Edinburgh, before it toured around the world. It was also broadcast on television and Logan revived the show in 2000 for the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Scottish Opera extends thanks to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Archives & Collections, custodians of the Jimmy Logan Archive including the Lauder scripts and scores. Jamie will also take the one-man show to London's Hoxton Hall on June 22, and Buxton International Festival on July 17.
Otago Daily Times
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Statue to honour local war hero
An Oamaru war hero killed at the Battle of the Somme may finally take pride and place in his hometown. The New Zealand Remembrance Army (NZRA) plan to honour Victoria Cross recipient, Sergeant Donald Forrester Brown with a life-size bronze statue. Sgt Brown was the first VC recipient for heroism on the Western Front, and the only man from North Otago to be honoured out of 23 New Zealand VC medal winners. New Zealand Remembrance Army member Barry Gamble, who initiated the project, said the plan to build a statute of Sgt Brown was to pay tribute to a local and national hero. "It's all about recognition, honouring this man, who is a true blue Kiwi farmer, who spent most of his short life working the land and then bravely fought for his country." On the opening day of New Zealand's Somme campaign in France, on September 15, 1916, Brown charged and captured key enemy machine-gun positions, helping New Zealand forces to push through German lines. During another attack two weeks later, on the Somme front, Brown told his men to take cover and took two trenches on by himself, chasing the enemy down before he was killed by machine-gun fire at the age of 26, Mr Gamble said. The 1916 Somme offensive was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War (1914-18). The posthumous VC award for gallantry was presented to his father, Robert Brown in Oamaru by the Governor-General, Lord Liverpool in 1917. Mr Gamble said the statue would provide educational, cultural and commemorative value to the Oamaru community and visitors and preserve Sgt Brown's legacy for generations to come. "All the other towns have honoured their Victoria Cross winners with statues and paintings, why not Oamaru ... it's something that we can be really proud of." A former student of Waitaki Boys' High School and a Totara farmer, Sgt Brown was born in 1890 in Dunedin and moved to Oamaru with his family in the mid 1890s, where his father set up a successful drapery business and department store which was eventually named the Polytechnic. Making early sacrifices to enlist with the army, Brown sold his farm on Waiareka Rd in Totara, and gave away his dog, and his horse "and away he went", Mr Gamble said. Your Loving Son, Don, a book of letters he wrote home to his father from the war, was published in 1998 by Sgt Brown's niece Eunice P. Brown. In April, 1916 while stationed in Egypt he wrote about the comfort of his fellow soldiers from the Otago Infantry Regiment in the 10th North Otago Company and their plan to return home. "Its just great the number of Oamaru boys one finds here, and one and all are certain, old Oamaru is quite good enough for us in future." Mr Gamble said despite a photo of Sgt Brown in the Waitaki District Council chambers and his name on the honours board at Waitaki Boys' High School he had "largely been forgotten by Oamaru". "It's quite sad because we've got a proud heritage of buildings, and we've got some of the best memorial statues in the country, like the Hall of Memories." Mr Gamble has driven many projects to honour soldiers, including helping to restore the graves of former military personnel in the Waitaki district. He is also the Oamaru RSA local support adviser. The costing for the monument would be about $160,000, he said. Bob Brown, of Rakaia, the great-nephew of the war hero, was thrilled to be involved and donated $10,000 towards the project, Mr Gamble said. "They were really, really stoked that someone was wanting to do this and they're right behind me." Former New Zealand Army artist Matt Gauldie will be commissioned to create the statue. Gauldie produced a miniature paying close attention to details, at $2000 for the purposes of fundraising. "He's very clever ... a lot of work has gone into this to make sure that he's got all the right war equipment on," Mr Gamble said. NZRA put $1500 towards the concept plan and the Waitaki District Council are in support of the project, he said. Mr Gamble said they estimated the project would take a year and a half to complete and he will be seeking donations from the public and organisations. A final site for the public statue is yet to be determined. The Victoria Cross is the highest award in the British decorations system and is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British and Commonwealth armed services.
Otago Daily Times
30-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Statue to honour VC war hero
More than a century after his death at the Battle of the Somme, Oamaru war hero Sergeant Donald Forrester Brown VC is set to be honoured in his hometown with a life-size bronze statue. The New Zealand Remembrance Army (NZRA), led by local advocate Barry Gamble, has announced plans to commemorate Sgt Brown — the first New Zealander awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for bravery on the Western Front and the only VC recipient from North Otago. The Victoria Cross is the highest award in the British honours system, awarded for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy". "It's all about recognition — honouring this man who is a true blue Kiwi farmer, who spent most of his short life working the land and then bravely fought for his country," Mr Gamble said. Born in Dunedin in 1890 and raised in Oamaru, Mr Brown gave up his farm on Waiareka Rd, along with his horse and dog, to enlist in the First World War. A former student of Waitaki Boys' High School, he was serving with the 10th (North Otago) Company of the Otago Infantry Regiment when he was killed in action at the age of 26. On September 15, 1916 — the opening day of New Zealand's Somme campaign — Brown distinguished himself by capturing key enemy machine-gun positions, helping New Zealand troops break through German lines. Two weeks later, during another assault, he ordered his men to take cover while he single-handedly attacked two enemy trenches chasing the enemy down before he was fatally struck by machine-gun fire. In 1917, his Victoria Cross was presented posthumously to his father, Robert Brown, by Governor-General Lord Liverpool in Oamaru. Mr Gamble believed the statue would serve as a lasting educational and cultural tribute, preserving Mr Brown's legacy for future generations. "Other towns have honoured their Victoria Cross winners with statues and paintings — why not Oamaru? This is something we can be really proud of." Despite his name appearing on the honours board at Waitaki Boys' and a portrait in the Waitaki District Council chambers, Mr Gamble said Sgt Brown had largely faded from the town's collective memory. "It's quite sad. We've got a proud heritage of buildings and some of the best memorial statues in the country. "Yet his story is not well known." The estimated cost of the statue is $160,000. Rakaia man Bob Brown, great-nephew of Sgt Brown, has donated $10,000 towards the project. "They were really stoked that someone was wanting to do this, and they're right behind me." Mr Gamble said he will also be seeking donations from the public and organisations. Renowned New Zealand Army artist Matt Gauldie has been commissioned to create the statue. Mr Gauldie had already produced a detailed miniature maquette for $2000 to aid fundraising efforts. The NZRA contributed $1500 toward the initial concept plan, and the Waitaki District Council has expressed support. Mr Gamble, who has previously led efforts to restore the graves of former soldiers in the Waitaki district, expects the statue to take around 18 months to complete. A final location for the monument has yet to be determined. A book of letters Sgt Brown wrote to his father during the war was published in 1998 entitled Your Loving Son, Don , edited by his neice, Eunice P. Brown. In a letter from Egypt in 1916, he wrote of the camaraderie among Oamaru soldiers: "it's just great the number of Oamaru boys one finds here, and one and all are certain, old Oamaru is quite good enough for us in future".
