The Battle of the Somme - A Talking Commentary with Neil McGurk

Join us at Land of Iron for a talking commentary of Geoffrey Malins film, The Battle of the Somme. Filming took place during the lead up to July 1st 1916, on the first day of the battle and in the weeks that followed, and was the most seen film in the UK before the release of Star Wars in 1978!

During the film, Neil will talk about the context of what Malins was able to film and what it was trying to communicate to the viewer in 1916. Diving deeper, we will discover the details of what and where the film was showing – and find out what was real and what was fake!

Neil’s interest in the Great War dates back to the 1970s and hearing about his grandfather’s experiences at the end of the war and as part of the Army of Occupation. It was in 2006 that his interest in the subject was fully realised, having been invited to participate in the 90th anniversary commemorations of the Somme where he discovered that his great-uncle was listed on the Thiepval memorial as one of the missing. From here he started his endeavour to find as much as he could about his great-uncle’s service, a pre-War Territorial in the 50th Division, and a greater understanding of the wider activities of the British Army on the Western Front from 1914 to 1918. This has included many visits to France and Flanders, as well as reading widely on the British Army’s approach to subjects as diverse as training to trench construction, from chiropody to platoon-level tactics.

A defining part of Neil’s journey was his participation in the making of the film Warhorse, where he was part of the historical advisory team.

Doors open at 6:00pm for a 6:30 start.

Tickets

• Tickets are £5 per person, plus an online booking fee.
• Spaces are limited, so tickets may not be available on the evening of the event.
• Under-18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
  

Land of Iron’s programme of events and activities is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players.