I just found the entire service record of my great-great-grandfather. VRC 24th Battalion, CEF. Sgt Richard Baxter of Montreal. First wounded by shrapnel in the knee at Kemmel in March 1916 and was shot through the shoulder, into his neck and out his jaw on the first day of Lens August 15, 1917. He survived and was returned to Canada in 1918 where he was discharged. Lived the rest of his life in the US.

No trench would survive...😢

Thank you, Mr. Upton for all you do I thoroughly enjoy World War I interviews scenery, battlefields, monuments, and cemeteries. I love watching your commentaries. Thank you again Mr. Upton.

Good job!

Mr. Upton, your films are beautiful, informative, and at the same time, heartbreaking because they show the full extent of the horrors of World War One. For some reason, this is the war nobody talks about (I'm in the U.S.), but the death toll was staggering from the new "machines of war" like machine guns, tanks, flame throwers, airplanes, mines, and more. You very clearly show that almost all of France was a battlefield (for the Second World War as well), but what I never realized was how much of the past is still visible in the form of trenches, ruins, cemeteries. A hit BBC show, "Peaky Blinders" features a character who was a tunneler in this war, and of course I was aware of the trenches, but had no idea of the extent of the tunnels dug beneath enemy lines. Thank you for sharing these. As you say, let us never forget the sacrifices made here.

As a young man, my grandfather lived on a farm outside the tiny community of Grand Junction, Tennessee, USA. He joined the Army and was quickly sent overseas, participating in five major WW1 battles, until he was gassed and shot. He spent the rest of the war in a hospital, where he recuperated and when the war ended, he returned to Grand Junction, where the spent the rest of his life. His journey to/from Europe took him through exciting places like New York City and Paris, so I've always wondered how he managed to return to such a humdrum existence in a farming community. But somebody mentioned that after enduring the horrors of the World War One battles, perhaps going back to his little town in Tennessee was his way of recovering (physically AND mentally) from what he'd endured.

Seat looks great 👍

I'd never seen this model until I was looking at st1300 ,, and one came up on eBay,, what a cracker off a motorcycle,,many attributes,, great video and again great choice,,☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland

Awesome video Steve. I had the honour of taking my high school students from Winnipeg to Beaumont-Hamel. Being there and listening to our guide tell the story of the tragedy that occurred on July 1st is something that we will always remember.

Was the explosion filmed like the shwaben hobe/ hawthorn ridge crater, I’ve seen footage in Peter Jackson’s they shall not grow old and the ground beneath the crater has a similar shape to the one in this video. Sounds odd but it’s a distinctive polygon shape

If you look at the old photos of the area you will see how the greedy French farmers have nibbled away at the surrouding land.If they had had their way it would have been filled in like other craters.I believe an Englishman bought the land to prevent the crater's erasure.

Excellent as always!

Hi, i recently watched a lecture from an author whom has written books on the first world war and given a few recored lectures on certain topics relating to the war. His name is Gordon Corrigan and he claims there is no evidence whatsoever that the football match ever took place and he believes it did not happen. Does anyone have an opinion on this matter they would like to express

All that death and destruction for nothing.. Nice..

What a crazy war. 21 counterattacks burning through 20,000 men, and they still didn't recapture the hill. Blackadder didn't have to exaggerate much to capture the absurdity.

Thank you for your great video.

WHAT THE HELL CAUSED THIS CRATER?

Just finishing our trip to the WW1 trenches, last night in Arras..! Have you done anything near Ors? Wilfred Owen was killed there and quite an interesting place and a fierce battle, with a couple of VC’s won..

Do you have anything about Trones Wood, my great grandfather fought there, he got the MM for action there, he was with the Northamptonshire Regiment.

Thank you for this. It's all so fascinating. I keep coming back to a quote that I can't place. "It had become an industrial process in reverse".

A relative of mine (Edward Arthur Powell) of the 10th Lincolnshire Battalion died near the crater on 1 July 1916. He’s still there somewhere. Nice to finally see the place.

A wonderful video. Two of my great grandfathers fought at Vimy. Another interesting fact is that as the Nazis advanced they were desecrating any war memorial the came to. After visiting Vimy and being so moved about the fact it deals with the suffering of war rather than celebrating a victory, Hitler ordered that the memorial be protected. He further stationed a permanent SS guard force to ensure no German troops desecrated it. The guards were maintained even after Normandy to ensure retreating troops did not harm it,

Thank you . ( 2024 / May / 17 )

👌

Having some family in Canada, what I've learned as a Brit is that at the outbreak of WW1, most Canadians had direct links back to Britain, often being British immigrants to Canada and who fought under a sense Canadian British paternal duty. What happened at vimy ridge, when all four Canadian divisions fought together and won their battle was that they forged a new Canadian identity, and found they could stand on their own two feet, alone, as Canadians.. The significance of vimy ridge to Canadians is more than just a heroic battle. The battle became the genesis of a new nations identity, where Canada came of age and fledged the British nest to independence. A symbolic battle in many ways.

Did this particular Canadian happen to be Herbert McBride?

In 1990 I was 22 and living near in kortrijk cycling racing quite often u would ride down this road and even went to the amusement park there. Now I’m 55 and watching the history of the war reminiscing of those times . During my training rides and races I would visit all these grave sites , what an experience .

It is great to see you back Steven, love your videos.

Hi Steven, do you still have the CTX? If so how has your ownership panned out? Thanks Martin 12:59

Great film Steve! Many thanks. But like most people, you don't mention the stand of A and B companies of 1/7th DLI on this ground on 25th May, a prelude to this better known battle. The battalion lost 29 killed, 76 wounded or gassed, and 183 missing and prisoners. In total this was around two thirds of the men committed. The dead included my great-great uncle, Joseph Bell.

Linge not Ligne,

Remembering the boys of 1/6 North Staffordshire Regiment who lost their lives here on 13 October 1915

Mein Großvater kämpfte im 1.Weltkrieg auch in Verdun für Deutschland und er überlebte den Krieg.Aus den Erzählungen meiner Mutter weiß ich das er danach weder einen Hass auf die Franzosen hatte noch jemals abfällig über diesen Kriegsgegner sprach.Ich bin froh das Frankreich und Deutschland heute befreundete Nationen sein können.🇨🇵❤❤🇩🇪

Es ist sehr,sehr traurig für jeden Soldaten der dort getötet oder verwundet wurde.🇩🇪❤❤🇨🇵

Thanks - such a relatively featureless area topographically, but for those there... Amazing how little shows in aereial photography today

thank - you . ( 2024 / Apr / 08 )

I'm just found your channel searching Honda CTX 1300 and all I've seen your breaks it down like for us regular mechanics. Hope all is well and good. New fan

Thank u for the great Great War video Steven. Could u show us no man's land from soldiers perspective when u walk the trenches. Find a safe place to lay or perk over without disturbing relics and show camera view nice n slow n different places. So we can picture what they were looking towards. Thanks

Great job Steven. Your comments are clear en just, as always, love Your video's.

I hope to visit Asiago plateau in the near future as a pilgrimage. One of my maternal Great Grandfathers, James Bannister served there with 1/7th Worcestershire Regiment. He was awarded the Military Medal as a stretcher bearer for carrying a wounded man to safety, under heavy shell fire and over uneven terrain. It is a forgotten front unfortunately.

Thank - you . ( 2024 / Mar / 25 )

Thanks for this beautiful clip, I want to give you a huge thumbs-up for your work, both of my grandfathers served in the Great War, both were alcoholics, my great-uncle Paul O'Beirn was killed at St. Mihiel in Sept. 1918.

Try a Yamaha tdm 900 for a bit of cheap fun say a 2002 model .

The Hooge crater is in fact huge.

Thank you . ( 2024 / Mar / 17 )

Thank - you . ( 2024 / Mar / 16 )

respect all

Steve just watched part three and great to see the top box does come off. Thank you great vidio.👍😀

Hi Steve. I am about to buy my CTX1300. Like your vids very helpful however wish I had seen them before regarding bone removal of luggage but I am sure I will enjoy the bike. Keep the vids coming 👍

Bit of van halen, nice