Whatever was gained, it wasn't worth the price that the men had paid to gain that advantage.

It was no advantage to anybody.

It was just sheer bloody murder.

That's the only words you can use for it.

Corporal Harry Shaw, 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the Psalm, 2nd July

1916.

Hey folks, welcome to the Battles of the First World War podcast episode 10, Psalm the Reckoning.

Sorry for the recent radio silence.

Reading, researching, and writing for this podcast is my very happy place,

but two other very happy events have overtaken much of my available time as of late.

Two years ago, I started a total career change that was concluded this past summer when I was hired as a social studies teacher.

Sure, that's a huge surprise to everyone out there.

But our school year just started at the beginning of September, so this new routine of lesson plans and homework correction are keeping me pretty occupied.

On top of that, I'm also working towards a master's degree in education.

So the homework for that keeps me busy too.

Yes, I'm burning both ends of the candle pretty much with a blow torch right now.

So there are a lot of good things happening and they're all happening at the same time, but truly I am blessed to have these opportunities.

I'm working out a rhythm of prioritize and execute that gets my work done efficiently so I can spend time back in my happy place here.

But in the meantime, thank you so much for your patience.

I greatly appreciated.

Okay, let's get back to our people on the song.

When the 2nd of July, 1916 came,

...