Search Results for "beaumont hamel"

On July 1st, 1916, the Newfoundland Regiment took part in a massive First World War offensive on the Somme, led by the British. At Beaumont Hamel the regiment was nearly wiped out, as only 110 of 780 soldiers survived the day. To commemorate its 100th anniversary, Brian McKenna’s documentary film tells the story of this epic tragedy. Using a technique that brings new meaning to reenactment, McKenna recruits descendants of soldiers who fought this battle, offering them a unique opportunity to relive the experience of their ancestors in trenches built specifically for the film.

A new documentary on the tragic battle at Beaumont Hamel, a documentary that traces the activities of the Newfoundland Regiment from enlistment in St. John's and training in Europe to combat in the Mediterranean and, finally, to the battle in France that virtually destroyed the entire regiment. The uniqueness of this documentary is that it is told exclusively through the words of the soldiers and their loved ones, words lifted directly from actual letters, diaries and memoirs.