The village of Ovillers-la-Boisselle. In honour of the fallen.

Comments

And again Michael, you been a busy man.

Posted by dennis roberts on Fri 01 Jul 14:01:27

Thanks Dennis. I've found my way again.

Posted by Michael Mcmanus on Fri 01 Jul 14:04:04

A very poignant painting, beautiful Michael.

Posted by Carole Swingler on Fri 01 Jul 15:07:20

Beautiful tribute to Hughie and all the others Michael. Lovely green fields and dark blues in the sky.

Posted by Satu Vartiainen on Fri 01 Jul 15:20:06

I've just added my own thoughts in a picture to the gallery of today's events a hundred years ago.....not as beautiful as yours Michael, more on the darker side. A beautiful tribute.

Posted by Fiona Phipps on Fri 01 Jul 16:22:23

A beautiful tribute, Michael. I live not far from Ypres and we always pay our respects to the walls with all the names on the Menin Gate! We once were there during 'the Last Post' ceremony and it was very emotional!

Posted by Mia Ketels on Fri 01 Jul 16:42:21

Very poignant. Well captured.

Posted by Audrey Hynds on Fri 01 Jul 17:25:35

Thanks Carole, Adele, Satu, Fiona, Mia and Audrey. I've never been there Mia but it must produce some profound thoughts when you are travelling around there. Hughies body was never recovered. Like a lot of those young lads, Hughie was apparently bold and adventurous and my Granda worried about his over-keenness and as they passed each other in the trench before they went forward my Granda told him not to be a hero and keep his head down. They didn't have a chance.

Posted by Michael Mcmanus on Fri 01 Jul 19:53:15

Well done again Michael. My dad's oldest brother, 16, lies in an unmarked grave. He was in the Northumberland Fusilliers, no one from the immediate family ever got to go to the Menin Gate and I think my husband and myself were the first and only family members to go and pay our respects. What an emotional time that was, the feelings are flooding back now as I think of it.

Posted by Marjorie Firth on Fri 01 Jul 20:12:36

Thanks Marjorie. Poor lad, 16. It's so emotional isn't it. Such a waste. I get a knot in my stomach. A few years ago I was invited to go to St. Mary's Cathedral in Newcastle when the battalions colours were presented for display. Mary McAleese, then Irish President visited the cathedral to receive the colours. I wore my granda's medals at the event and was so proud, and so sad.

Posted by Michael Mcmanus on Fri 01 Jul 20:32:43

Just lovely Michael.

Posted by Henry Martin on Sat 02 Jul 06:36:10

Thanks very much for your comment Henry.

Posted by Michael Mcmanus on Sat 02 Jul 08:30:54

A fitting tribute Michael....beautifully done...

Posted by Sylvia Pawson on Sat 02 Jul 10:36:02

Thanks Sylvia.

Posted by Michael Mcmanus on Sat 02 Jul 10:48:28

Hang on Studio Wall

01/07/2016

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Acrylic. At Ovillers-la-Boisselle, northern France on 1st. July, 1916, Jimmy McManus, my grandfather, and his nephew, Hughie McManus were volunteers in the Tyneside Irish battalions of the Northumberland Fusilliers. Jimmy was 5 years too old to volunteer in 1914 but he lied about his age. Hughie was only 18. Hughie never came home, victim, like thousands of others to the German machine-gunners. This is for all the fallen no matter what nationality but I have always felt so sad about Hughie.

About the Artist

Michael Mcmanus

I was born in 1946. In the 1960s and part of the 70s I was an airman in the Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm. I joined Durham Constabulary in 1971. In 1999 I retired from policing and began teaching sociology and criminology at Durham University with emphasis on policing and researching crime. I am drawn…

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