The Road to the Somme: Men of the Ulster Division Tell Their Story

by Philip Orr

During the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Ulster Division lost over two thousand men and their tragic story has since become iconic in Ulster Protestant tradition and mythology. This book covers the events that led up to the Somme, including the 1912 birth of the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Division's formation, training, and journey to France, the battle itself, and the aftermath. Based on Philip Orr's interviews with Somme veterans, this is the soldiers' story, told in their eloquent voices, exposing the reality of that bloody summer and its devastating and far-reaching impact on a close-knit community This updated second edition includes developments in Somme culture over the last twenty years, and over seventy-five new photographs. ""Great historical detailed, authentic, lively, and filled with personal details from people who were there.""-Irish American News

337 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2008

Reviews

[Andy Hart]

I first read this book shortly after its publication in 1987 and have revisited it ahead of a trip to Picardy and Flanders. It is written with the general reader in mind and I am surprised, going back to it, how emotionally gripping it is 2nd time round. In particular, it takes the reader through the same moral journey that was taken, I am sure, by many of the men of the UVF and 36th (Ulster) Division. It is a journey that we of today's still-divided Ireland must yet take and is perhaps best summed up, from the following passage taken from the last couple of pages:

In future, Ulster Protestants may learn to value the actual and individual testimonies of the ordinary participants in history rather than the simplistic and supremacist versions of their collective past which pass, for many, as real history. If they do so, they may come to realise that the truth about social and personal realities may be found in the diverse viewpoints of ordinary people and not in the expostulations of public figures. A strident espousal of glory, traditions, sacrifices and absolutes is entirely different in tone from the mundane but authentic voice of the ordinary human being whom circumstances thrust into the crucible of violence. One kind of voice drowns out the other, so Ulster Protestants must make a careful choice about which voice they prefer to listen to, and which kind of history to treasure.

[Angela Wright]

Brought tears to my eyes on a number of occasions. Learning for myself through the voices of those who experienced it is something I will never forget. An incredible insight into what it was like for those who lived through it and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in foreign lands.

Interesting to read of the changes in Somme culture over the past number of years and how WWI is viewed by all of those living on the island of Ireland today....

Fabulous read....

[Mark Adams]

A solid history book that is not overwhelming. I used it for research into my grandfather in WW1 and it proved most helpful in giving me an insight into life for the men of the 36th (Ulster) division.