The Story: It is a story of how one ferocious battle changed Newfoundland forever. On Canada day, Canadians mourn for the Newfoundlanders. On July 1, 1916, in the Battle of Somme, the Newfoundland Brigade lost almost ninety percent of its men in thirty minutes.
In fact, it was the bloodiest battle that Britain’s military has ever faced, with about 60,000 fatalities on the first day. It was indeed a great tragedy for Newfoundland as almost every household lost a male member.
What you’ll see: Directed by Brian McKenna, this story narrates the tale of an epic tragedy. He enlisted 21 descendants of the men who fought alongside the Newfoundland Brigade to recreate their ancestors’ experiences and demonstrate the enormity of their sacrifices.
