1914: How Did Soldiers React To The True Horrors Of WW1? | The Last Voices Of World War One

The last survivors of the Great War share their stories of courage, sacrifice, and tragedy. This six-part series starts in 1914, capturing the wave of patriotism that soon turned into the harsh reality of war. Hear firsthand accounts of soldiers' experiences on the Western Front, their encounters with death, and the unbreakable bonds formed amidst the chaos.

War Stories is your one stop shop for all things military history. From Waterloo to Verdun, we'll be bringing you only the best documentaries and stories from history's most engaging and dramatic conflicts.

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[lauralott]

You can see how much pain they still feel remembering their friends who were killed and the waste of war in general.

[stephenpittman]

My grandfather Albert Rainford from Bolton, Lancs., was on the Somme first day, wounded, recuperated, went back to Belgium, wounded second time. As a 10 year old kid, I would ask him about his time in the army, he never really said in any detail… just a grandad playing a little with his grandson in the 1960s… he was humble, I’m 70 years old now and I miss him so much. He is my hero and my inspiration.

[PrimeRooster]

Rest easy Gentlemen. You will not be forgotten...

[meldanvers]

War is declared by those who have no intention to do the actual fighting.

[camrenwick]

George about losing his friend Joe: "We'd not even said, so long, to one another", with a pause, tears in his eyes, an a lump in his throat. That was so sad. They are at peace now.

[neilorourke]

WW1 was probably the most grisly war in world history. It was the first war with mass use of artillery and machineguns, but armies were still using old troop movement tactics. Truly horrific

[cynthiaalver]

Even after all your sacrifices we still haven't realized the useless, waste of war. God bless you all.

[mariekatherine]

My grandfather fought in WWI and he NEVER spoke of it or allowed himself to be questioned about it. He left a memoir given to him by his buddy who didn’t make it.

[MichaelSmith-mcbd]

Incredible men of their time. Rest easy now gentlemen, no more pain.

[heathfairbairn]

Rich mans war, poor mans blood, both sides bankrolled by the same people, oh the futility of war, we must never do this again 😢

[BeefbrothHDL]

its wild that more than 100 years after this war ended we can watch the veterans of it speaking in a video about their experiences

[rustykilt]

Listening to George Littlefair, the look in his eyes, tells so much of the reality of killing and dying. All these men reliving the story of their experience, I somehow feel more for them now than those young men they once were. They are gone now, and so those who fought in WWII are now going silent.

[FionaKay-juuq]

My Grandfather was wounded at the Somme in 1916. He came back a broken man and died in an asylum. No help from the dvt back in those days
But our family survived and did very well

[AnthonyOMulligan-yvcg]

I grew up listening to the stories of my grandmother and her sisters and cousins, their husbands and sweethearts didn't come home or came home mentally and physically broken, it was very much a case of "before and after", after gassing, after year's on the front. I never knew my Grandfather as he passed before I was born. We are Irish & Welsh, Pa served as a pioneer all of WW1 and again in WW2, of 4 brother's and 7 brother's in law he was the singular man who came home without serious physical injury. My Mum would tell Me of his endless night terrors, his nightmares, his grief of his brothers death's, some dying year's later at military hospital's with ruined lung's. My mother's 3 elder sister's left Wexford for Britian after '39, served in the WAF and as nurse's in Coventry during the blitz. As an Irishman im very proud of each and every one of them. Better Day's Ahead. ☘️

[katherinecooper]

It is sad when I realize the men who are talking are long gone. We must preserve their words forever. The sad thing is every battle, every war the scenes are reenacted ..

[zakkbarnes]

These poor men, imagine fighting and dying. Suffering the horrors of the first and 2nd world war only to see our great country given up so willingly to other cultures and corporations. What a sorry waste.

[shaneburns]

They all lived long lives, I hope they were great ones. Rest in Peace you great men.

[thomasweatherford]

Listening to George Littlefair talk about his friend Joe being killed was very emotional. He recounts stories in a very special way that really gets to me.

[JoelGrant-iely]

My paternal grandfather was in the US Navy, and fought in France during WW1. He was a tall handsome man. After the war he became a gentlemen's tailor. I remember him keeping a large cast iron and wood shotgun in his house. He and grandma kept a tidy house. Grandma died in 1967 and grandad died in 1981 while in a VA Hospital in North Carolina. He was 93.

[brt-jnkg]

"no war was so unnecessary to be fought as the first and so absolutely necessary to be won as the second." Winston Churchill