Fr Robin Gibbons reflects on the anniversary of the Somme July 1 2016

Fr Francis Gleeson is painted in The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois by Fortunino Matania

The two minutes silence held at 7.28 on Friday July 1 2016, led up to 7.30, zero hour, the time when the battle of the Somme began. This was an offensive against the German Army led by British and French troops; it lasted until the 18th November 1916 and took place on the banks and upper reaches of the River Somme. It was arguably the one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War. More than a million men were killed or wounded. On the first day the official statistics show the appalling carnage, the British Fourth Army took 57,470 casualties, of which 19,240 men were killed, the French Sixth Army had 1,590 casualties and the German 2nd Army had 10,000-12,000 losses.

It might be hard for some to visualise just what this offensive meant and the effect it had on nearly every village and town in these countries. The Somme itself became a byword for heroism but also the appalling waste of war.

I write this little reflection as a tribute to the many who fought, some with bravura, others with fear, others with daring, but all young men whose lives ostensibly were before them, but for whom the conflict left deep scars, grief loss and change.

The role of so many in caring and supporting these soldiers has been documented, but the role of the Army Padres on all sides is one which deserves to be better known, as shepherds of the flock they gave beyond their duties and many fell alongside the men they served.

Fr Francis Gleeson who served as chaplain to the Irish Munsters until the end of 1915 always ended his letters to the bereaved families with the words, 'They paid the great sacrifice', but he also acknowledged the horrors of war, in his diary of June 1915 he wrote, "I got 12 letters today; just after reading them. What answering they will take tomorrow. I like to give these poor people all the solace I can, anyhow, but still there's no limit to the sorrowing inquiries. The tragedy of these letters", There is a poignant painting of him giving general absolution to the troops before the battle of Aubers Ridge in June 1915, this is the picture heading this reflection, it may not be the Somme but it sums up all of that War and the ministry of Christ the Good Shepherd with all who suffered.

I have a very direct connection to the Somme, my maternal grandfather, Dr Philip Brookes, who I knew and loved as a little boy and always remember. He, a parson's son from Yorkshire a young man of 18 went with his companions out to battle on that July morning. He survived, but was wounded at the Battle of Delville Wood in September 1916, invalided out then retuned as part of the Royal Flying Corps. His decision to become a doctor and heal people was a direct result of his war experiences. He used to say to my mother and her brothers and to me: "remember I was at the battle of the Somme" - which is why I thought I needed to take time just to remember and to share, as we do in our Catholic tradition every time we celebrate Mass.

Remembering we do not forget, but in that Communion of Saints we also become present with those who gave their lives and those who survived but now have gone before us, and remembering we are all present in the merciful tears of God in whom is everlasting peace.

Prayer of St Ignatius of Loyola

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do your will.

See also: ICN 27 April 2015 Ireland: Priest's WWI diaries go online www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=27303