And if we are to remember that ghastly day with poetry, let’s have something that was written by someone who was there.
Lieutenant William Noel Hodgson MC, 9th Batt. The Devonshire Regiment, was killed near Fricourt on July 1st 1916. He is buried at Mansel Copse Cemetery.

“The Devonshires held this trench. The Devonshires hold it still.”

“Before Action”

By all the glories of the day
And the cool evening’s benison
By that last sunset touch that lay
Upon the hills when day was done,
By beauty lavishly outpoured
And blessings carelessly received,
By all the days that I have lived
Make me a soldier, Lord.

By all of all man’s hopes and fears
And all the wonders poets sing,
The laughter of unclouded years,
And every sad and lovely thing;
By the romantic ages stored
With high endeavour that was his,
By all his mad catastrophes
Make me a man, O Lord.

I, that on my familiar hill
Saw with uncomprehending eyes
A hundred of thy sunsets spill
Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice,
Ere the sun swings his noonday sword
Must say good-bye to all of this; –
By all delights that I shall miss,
Help me to die, O Lord.