Commemoration of the Great War on the Somme: exploring personal connections

Abstract

This study was undertaken at two sites on the Somme, France, one of the main battlefields of the Great War (1914–1918). It used a quantitative method and sought to explore the relative strength of two bases of personal connection (family and nation) to interests in visiting the area. The impact of attendance at a commemorative event on visitors' battlefield interests was also explored. The sample at the Thiepval memorial was dominated by British visitors and by Australians at Villers-Bretonneux. The analysis indicated that people with close family connections to the war had higher levels of interest in seeing sites of their family's war-time involvement, desire to pay their respects and historical interest. Attendance at a major national event (Anzac Day) appeared to increase national interest in people who did not have family connections.

Keywords:

• Somme
• Great War
• family
• nation
• battlefields

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the people on the Somme who generously provided access for the data collection. I am grateful to François Bergez, Vincent Laude and staff at the Thiepval Memorial Visitor Centre, to Lorraine El Yabouri and Mélanie Driencourt at the Franco-Australian Museum in Villers-Brettoneux and to Sylvie Delattre at the Corbie Tourism Office.