“Rich Rides To The Somme.”
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Organised by SSAFA - the Armed Forces charity, Ride to the Somme commemorates the cycling soldiers that fought and fell along the Western Front. Last week Rich Baldwin, a 3D Artist/Visualiser here at iCreate, took time away from his busy schedule and, along with a group of 140 fellow cyclists, headed to Arras in France. The group rode for 240 miles around The Somme visiting some of the most important battlefield sites of The Great War. What a great way to pay respect to those cyclists from 100 years ago who volunteered for their Country and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Inspired by the desire to help fellow riders achieve their goals, Rich led a team of 43 cyclists from all walks of life who had all raised a considerable sum of money for SSAFA to ensure that the needs of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families are met in an appropriate and timely way.
By the end of the battle of the Somme, the British Army had suffered 420,000 casualties including nearly 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans nearly 500,000. By the end of the war over 1.5 million men were lost on the Somme. The Third Battle of Ypres more commonly known as the Battle of Passchendaele saw the loss of 275,000 soldiers under British Command and 220,000 German soldiers. By spring 1918 a German offensive had recaptured virtually all of the ground gained over the previous two years ground that had been turned into a wasteland.
If you would like to learn more about the work of SSAFA or get involved with fundraising activities, visit their website. Want to know more about Ride to the Somme or maybe be a part of the 2018 ride?
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