When finally the guns fell silent across the Western Front on the 11th November 1918, much of Europe was left in ruins. Years of warfare had shattered towns and villages and left millions dead. But what of the living? Amongst that number, were millions more prisoners who themselves had endured extraordinary hardships. And despite peace now reigning, tragically, not all would return home. In this video, using the latest technology and a remarkable unseen wartime collection, we’ll follow a little-known but incredible story of one young man and a legacy which has endured for over a hundred years.
Creating these videos is a lot of work, and it would not be possible without your support. If you like our work, you can help us with a regular or one time payment:
• Support us via Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/BattleGuide
• One Time Support: https://battleguide.co.uk/support
Newsletter:
If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what the team at Battle Guide have been getting up to, why not sign up to
our monthly newsletter: https://battleguide.co.uk/newsletter
Links:
• Podcast: https://battleguide.co.uk/podcast
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattleGuide
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BattleguideVT
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@battleguide
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/battleguide.vt
General Sources:
• US National Archives (NARA)
• Google Earth Pro & Web Versions
• Maptiler Pro (Desktop Version)
• Chamberlain Family Archives
Credits:
• Research & Script: Dan Hill
• Narration: Dan Hill
• Editing: Shane Greer
• Thumbnail Design: Linus Klassen
• Music & Sound Effects: Shane Greer
50 Comments
Very moving . In many ways reminds me of my Grandfathers neice and her husband , He had his leg amputated up to the thigh , after being wounded as a Lancaster gunner. Cannot remember the date , but grandpa and myself travelled across from Kent to Bath for a weeks holiday at his sister small farm. With using a single crutch played cricket with us kids . A few weeks after returnibg home heard the sad news he had died .
Beaut
Courageous young men who bravely volunteered to go to war we will never forget their sacrifice and service
I think most of us have read about the main battles of these wars, but learning about the individual stories of these soldiers is always fascinating.
❤
What a touching story…. 😢
GREAT WORK. (I just rather like to listen it in English).
What a story… and what an incredible video! I will be sharing this to all my mates who research the 10th as well 🙂
Exceptional presentation. Thanks for sharing it.🙏🇮🇳
Good Lord. The graphing you showed breaking every part down to just 5 yards is mind-boggling!! Are you saying that someone had a job of detailing these actions 5 yard increments at a time for an entire area? WHOSE job was that? Who came up with that system? Was the same system used in WWII? Man that would be so much easier with a computer. It had to have taken hours if not days or more to compile the action in just this one little village. Thanks for teaching me something new-as you always do!
Wow, just wow. A veery powerful story. What a story to research
How did Elfy have a daughter when he joined the Army at 16? What a wonderful story and how wonderful Elfys mum must have felt to know that her son had another woman who was a mother to him in his last days. The picture of Marie just exudes compassion and caring. Thanks so much for sharing this story.
As a german born in the 60ies – it breaks my heart. My imagination is – if our european nations had worked together in Peace – our engineers, workers, doctors, sailors – what a beautiful place europe could have been.
Sensitively done … I really enjoyed your short Documentary …. great Editing and a wonderful story – thank you
A lost generation destroyed by political madness . An unnecessary war Briton didn’t need to fight . Now look at our country.!
To those brave soldiers who fought and died in ww1 R.I .P you will always be remembered
Rest in peace dear old chap, and all your guardians,,im 65 here in cork city ireland and my mother passed away on the 5 October 2024 at 92.her father, my grandfather, John Cogan,known as jacko,,,was a soldier in the Royal munster fusiliers, born 1896,,No 9998.prisoner of war 1916 i think.he then went back to England to reenlist in 1940 but was un successful so he worked in munitions till 45 …..if I should fall along the way,,then lay me down where i will stay,,,and if it's so that you may pass by,,you might stop a while at where i lie,,and sit and rest and maybe smile, when you recall a time in my blue eyes, and if your memory serves you right, then your own eyes will catch the light, and keep it hidden in your heart, and when it's needed to call upon you might think of me for i am the one,who loved you once for a moment in time…Michael.
Great video I to am trying to put together some bits about my grandmothers 2 brothers family name doe one unfortunately Kia a few days before the end of war
Fantastic story, puts my faith in humanity high
Thanks for your research and for keeping stories like this alive. God bless one and all.
What a marvelous story! Thank you for sharing. God bless, Rob
At 9:19, the letter reads "possible" and not "horrible".
Giovane guerrafondaio
Outstanding research and channel.
The youth of today should read this to realise how they owe such a lot to the youth of the great war.
i cri
Fantastic video,incredible story!
My grandfather and his brother both fought in WW1. My grandfather survived, his brother did not. My great uncle James is buried in the war cemetery at Arras and videos like this always remind me of the life he and all the other young men never had.
I think I have something in my eye.
"With the 10th Essex in France" is the 1914-18 regimental history for Elphy Chambrlain's regiment. Capt. R.A. Chell, D.S.O, M.C is the author and was a dear friend and neighbor of my family. This book has been reprinted, and I understand a reenactor group now portrays the WW1 10th Essex Regiment.
Such an amazing story!
My own Great-Grandfather participated in the assault on the Hindenburg Line, going "over the top" with the 119th U.S. Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, on September 29th, 1918. On the far left of the American lines, that assault occurred just a few kilometers (or less) from Elphie's attack the week prior, this time towards the western end of Saint Quentin Canal and the village of Bellicourt. (I nearly fell out of my chair when you showed the map in the video).
And like Elphie, Private Ray Burton Ryan was wounded, and captured in a mid-morning German counter-attack. He would spend the next several months in a POW camp in Duhlman, Germany, before being repatriated back to the U.S. in the early-Spring of 1919.
Meeting the decendants of Mrs Delaye was simply incredible, such a moving moment in my life I will never forget. Thank you Dan for helping us to share our family's storey which had been lost through the generations. I will most certainly keep the storey going for generations to come.
I was so moved by this story. Thank you. It is a sad story and yet there is hope with the kindness of strangers.
This is superb. We followed the 10th Essex heading to Tombois a couple of years back. One of our members was from the same school (Gordonbrock Lewisham) as one of the casualties at the Cemetery there.
Stunning, poignant, heartbreaking and yet so heartwarming. My sincere respects to the Chamberlain Family along with a very belated salute to brave Elphinstone. ….Dearest Madame Delaye… you are and you were an Angel …Caring for Elphy as you did, reaching out to his family….those are acts of an Angel …To the Delaye Family of 2024… There is a special bond of caring and kindness shared between your family because of the kind acts of your grandmother Madame Delaye…and millions of English people who’s family members served in WW1. My love and respects to you all ❤
Thank you for uploading
Last year, during my visit in Leuven, Belgium I visited a graveyard of those persons, who laid their lives in first WW. Though I didn't know any family personally but still I felt bad thinking about their families, who lost them and those who died in so early age. I believe in a war nobody but Satan wins.
That was so sad !
Very tastefully done.
What a meticulously researched story. The adopted Mother Madame Delay's love for this lady's child is one of many 1,000s of cherished links to all those who endured this atrocious waste of young lives, of all countries involved.
Bloody marvellous. Well done on your research for this. It is so moving. My wife worked out what happened to my cousin (twice removed) from the battalion departing Britain (right down to the ship they sailed on) to his demise in late October on the Menin Road a short way out of Ypres past Hooge. We followed his footsteps over a week. It is very moving to follow a soldier's time in this way and your work on Elphi is amazing and deeply moving. Thank you.
Lest we Forget
Absolutely amazing story it had me in tears what a lovely lady total respect to her and all the families thank you for sharing this with us
What a well done story. One of the best on YouTube.
A very touching story that you wished didn't need to happen. So many men, teens and older who left England and other Countries to meet and die on the battlefield. For nothing some might think, but for me and many like me, a matter of pride for what my Great Grandfather did, now lying at peace in a cemetery in France.
This young man's story isn't unusual many men had very similar war experiences. Experiences that we find hard to comprehend from our modern perspective. I love your channel thanks for the massive effort you put in to these films it's very much appreciated 😊
That poor lad. The spanish flu epidemic was a final tragic twist to ww1.
This is both tragic and heart warming at the same time. So sad that the son did not make it home, but finding such a caring family who looked after him as if he was their son. It must have been of great consolation to his mother, knowing he had been cared for and loved and in very good company.
powerfull and personal well done !
This is such a emotional story; thank you for sharing Elfington's sad demise. War is hell.