History has told us in unambiguous terms that the statistics from
July 1, 1916, were grim and shocking. Most Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can
recite the facts on cue: 801 men went “over the top” at Beaumont-Hamel, France;
all but sixty-eight were either killed or wounded.
Inside
these covers you will find deeply personal stories of Beaumont-Hamel, told by
the soldiers themselves and their relatives back home, by their descendants,
and by others who have found distinctive ways of bringing an intimate touch to
what is sometimes described as the saddest day in Newfoundland and Labrador
history.
