MICHAEL STEDMAN

A VISITORS' CENTRE ON THE SOMME?

Michael Stedman is the author of several important books on the Somme Battles of 1916. His work for the "Battleground Europe" series has resulted in books on the Thiepval, La Boisselle, Fricourt, Mametz and Guillemont areas, so his knowledge of  and feeling for the battlefields then and now is beyond doubt. In this article Michael Stedman argues the case for the establishment of a Visitors' Centre/Study Centre in the Somme battlefield area.

To Whom it may Concern:

This is an open ended sequence of thoughts about the way we deal with part of our national heritage and sense of place in Europe. It would be possible to imagine that place as an off-shore island. Some isolationists amongst our society would prefer that. But our history is inextricably bound up with Western Europe. Since the Middle Ages we have been influential there. Our role in the pan-European processes of exploration, and scientific and cultural development mean that we should never regard the British contribution to European history as anything other than enormously significant.

Britain’s role in facing up to military aggression is undeniably important. During the last two hundred years we have stood firmly against attempts by autocratic dictatorships to plunder western Europe. The strategic, political and moral reasons why we have done so are complex. That does not mean that we should ignore them, yet as a tolerant and liberal democracy we often undersell that remarkable history. By way of example we prefer to direct incoming tourism towards the sites which reflect our pre-democratic and monarchical past. This is unwise. We should not be shy of demonstrating to the people with whom we share Europe that the freedom to have a Europe worth shouting about is due in no small part to what Britain has done since 1900. So please consider this: The history of the 20th century leads us inescapably to the conclusion that war is an evil. The corollary of that conclusion is that we should do all in our power to educate coming generations as part of our determination that the conditions which provoke war shall not be allowed to appear again. Prevention is better than cure as my GP tells me!

“What does all this mean?” I hear you muse.

Well this, in my opinion, is not to say that education should be rooted in sentiment. We all know that indoctrination will ultimately fail. History cannot be distorted to support a particular policy. Put bluntly, museums which choose to ignore the aggression exhibited by many countries including Germany in 1914 will not serve the idea of promoting European co-operation and integration well. Rather, the distortion serves to re-write history and increase the likelihood that people will accept war as a natural and acceptable phenomenon growing irreversibly from social conditions rather than the greed or callousness of brutal leadership. What has happened within war therefore needs to be studied in an open and unbiased manner. We need to support that process of study and understanding precisely because we are tolerant, democratic and subject to all the frailties of an open society.

In the 21st century people, young and old alike, will expect to learn experientially. The traditional idea of schools, centres of excellence, universities, museums and documentary archives as arid, overly disciplined and regimented is moribund. In order to learn effectively today most people require the process placed in context. The effectiveness of study is directly linked to the experiential climate in which we learn. The very best experiential climate within which to learn about the many faceted Hydra which is war is the Somme. The Somme battles, in particular those fought during 1916, are unique in our perception of the 20th century. This place is a crucible within which many important values and ideals were torched into our consciousness by the sacrifice of so much humanity in such terrible circumstances.

Today the tranquil contrast which pervades those Somme uplands could not be more marked.

Yet we all know that it is easy in life to be lulled by a sense of security. Those of us born since the Second World War have had access to an unparalleled period of peace in Western Europe. We are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of people who endured two terrible World Wars. But the distant Korean war came too early in our childhood for us to care. National Service ended before many were called up. Already our children are at university or beyond, working, raising families and sharing in the benefits of peace. Soon those wars will be consigned to the distance - something which happened during the last century, during the last millennium. It might be uncomfortable, but it is necessary, to think about the fact that the future will be dominated by immediacy. Learning which requires tedious forms of study will only inspire a smaller proportion of the next generation. Dwelling upon the lessons of history will seem irrelevant to young learners if those lessons cannot be accessed within an interesting and powerful environment.

I am therefore suggesting that:

As a Society, We Need a Visitors’ Centre on the Somme.

We need it because there is nothing of this nature there now. We need it because the means of understanding the war and its impact through traditional means of remembering are being overtaken by change. The family oral tradition cannot be reliable for ever. The church and remembrance ceremonies are only accessed by a diminishing proportion of the population. Our society and culture is no longer a homogenous entity. It is not possible to argue against explaining our history because of that diversity. Our society, and that of Europe as a whole, is changing irrevocably and that surely means that providing facilities to understand the peculiarity and distant atmosphere of the past is vital if similar mistakes are to be avoided in the future. We need a study centre because knowledge provides strength and reflects the fact that we are not ashamed of our past.

The centre should provide education facilities, field study support, research opportunities and enhanced capabilities for the casual visitor. The Somme lies at a European crossroads. From Roman times armies have waged war here. The shocking and profligate cost of 20th century conflict, measured within the myriad military cemeteries here, states the need without fear of contradiction. The Somme’s location in France and its easy access from Germany, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and Britain make the location self evidently sensible in any European perspective. But the small municipal museums which exist there at present are inadequate for this purpose.

The Somme Visitors’ Centre. What might it contain?

Of course, a visitors’ centre could be problematic. It would be regrettable if the centre simply became the focus of British pride and sense of anguish at the cost of war. There has to be a greater purpose to avoid the inevitable charges of nationalism, narrow mindedness and purposeless dwelling in past military and social mores. We should be pleased that Britain has always sent soldiers to sustain the weak and participate in peace keeping even though some of those missions have been ill judged. It is, of course, always easy to say so with the benefit of hindsight. Some societies, better placed than ours, have no stomach for a role beyond their own shores.

Yet it is interesting that, within our democracy, we have, quite rightly, constantly debated the issue of whether preparing for war is the only way to preserve peace. There are always seductive and reasoned arguments to be heard in favour of reducing our societies’ investment in military spending. But no matter how intensely some mindless militarist or peace campaigner would like to impress their narrow perspectives about this debate upon you - the issue of how we educate future participants in our democracy about war and how to preserve peace is still open to debate. It always will be in any society worth living within.

However, as yet no-one has convinced me that not knowing about the past will make the ghastliness which is war go away. I think it is therefore difficult to argue that money spent on a visitor centre would be wasted, especially one which focuses on education and understanding as its primary purpose.

Is there a Sensible Location for the centre?

Easy access is vital. It should be visible but not intrusive. The centre should be situated where the British focus sits easily to hand. The centre should be situated in a place where the story of the conflict is both meaningful and capable of stirring the emotions which are an essential part of each visitor’s experience. Already, for a variety of different reasons and in a number of different places on the Somme, the South Africans, Canadians and Australians have established or are establishing visitor centres. It will soon be possible for impressionable visitors to get a very inaccurate perception from such a proliferation of Empire / Commonwealth sites on the Somme.

There are many potentially good sites. Thiepval is one place which, in my opinion, has the correct credentials. Throughout the summer and autumn of 1916 it was the scene of brutal and significant fighting involving troops principally from the British Isles. Today the massive memorial whose broad shoulders carry so many thousands of names is not even granted toilet facilities for its many visitors. As we move into the 21st century why on earth are such basic human needs not met there? Yet close by Thiepval is ample land where a centre would not inconvenience the villagers and where its existence would not dominate or detract from the mystery and importance of Lutyens’ Memorial to the Missing.

Are we capable of Financing such a centre?
Do we have the Will to do something?

Of course a venture such as this is beyond the capability of the historical associations. This should be a matter of national consciousness and pride. It is inadequate to argue that the cemeteries are the most eloquent and only requisite for understanding. Any schoolteacher who has visited Ypres, Arras or the Somme and heard the words “Not another cemetery” will know what I mean. Good teachers know that it serves no purpose gazing at thousands of graves and hoping that in some way the mesmeric impact of those white stones will usefully fill a mind with the cost of war for ever. Pity is not enough to help create future values. Life is more complex than that. We need understanding within critical minds.

If understanding and critical capability are worth having then I suggest we find a way of financing a study centre. I am not talking about hundreds of millions of pounds worth of expenditure. But I am talking about the need to investigate how to get a sizeable sum of money. It seems to me that this issue would merit questions in the House of Commons or even a debate. The Departments of Defence, Culture and Education as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office might all want to contribute to such a debate. I have no idea if industrial sponsorship should be considered in trying to raise finance for such a centre. I do not know if the rules governing the award of lottery funding would allow support. I would hope that many leading British companies and Government Departments would support the idea, both in principle and with the promise of financial support.

But there is one thing of which I am certain. This history is The People’s History. We are all affected by it. Whether our roots are in Aylesbury or Birmingham, a commonwealth country or Ireland, Scotland or Wales, Chelsea or Inverness this affected your antecedents and affects you today. To discover that we do not have the will to do something about a visitors’ centre would seem to me to be a sad moment.

But to discover that we do have the collective willpower and determination to carry such a project through would seem to me to be immensely gratifying. Ensuring that something of this nature was to be constructed would be an issue to which I personally would be prepared to devote any requisite amount of time. Do you agree that this matter is worth considering?

I believe that the ideas outlined above are capable of being brought to fruition.

On the last day of 1998 I wrote to my Member of Parliament. The purpose was to ask for his help and support in this matter. I also requested that he ask a question in Parliament and lobbies the Government Departments mentioned above. Simultaneously I wrote separately to those departments in the hope that they will respond to these ideas. Whether this centre can be achieved in a way which does justice to all the men and women who served during the Great War on the Somme will depend entirely on enough people getting interested and active. I think we need a campaign. If anything happens as a result of this initiative I will let you know.

Michael Stedman.

If you would like to comment on Michael Stedman's proposal, you can
use this link to contact him via email.  
He will be pleased to hear from you.

or

Use this link to visit Michael Stedman's web-site.

Copyright © Michael Stedman, January, 1999.

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