The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Twitter a battleground after sale of Somme site
Anger as charity’s former chairman buys piece of land
Awar of words has erupted over a charity’s decision to sell a battlefield site in the Somme. The Western Front Association (WFA) announced it had sold the Butte de Warlencourt to its former chairman Bob Paterson in October.
The ancient artificial mound was the site of fierce fighting during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 as British troops sought to dislodge well-defended German forces.
The WFA bought the land in 1990 for around 7,500 euros with the support of member donations.
Critics of the sale outlined their anger on social media and called on the charity’s executive committee to resign.
Taff Gillingham, a military historian in Suffolk, wrote on Twitter: “I think that they have completely mismanaged the sale, and the announcement, and I no longer have confidence in their judgment.”
But WFA legal trustee Richard Hughes hit back, describing some of the criticism as “absolutely disgraceful”.
Mr Gillingham said he had received messages from WFA branches and members in support of his views.
He emphasised there was no question of financial impropriety by trustees.
The WFA said legal ownership had passed to Mr Paterson, who will maintain the site and keep it open to visitors.
It said it was “increasingly difficult to manage the land at ‘arm’s length’ from the UK” so had looked for a new owner to maintain and develop it. It added that Mr Paterson, who lives near the French site for much of the year, bought the land at a “fair market value”.
Mr Paterson, who has worked in the supermarket, sportswear and construction industries and led a renovation project at the site, declined to comment on the sale.
Mr Hughes said trustees had become increasingly concerned about their personal liability for the land under French law.
“Most of the trustees around the table didn’t want to be trustees any more with the risk of owning the Butte,” he said.
Mr Hughes said Mr Paterson was “hugely qualified” to be purchaser of the Butte and trustees had decided they were unlikely to find a better custodian.
He declined to reveal how much the site was sold for, but hit back at critics making comments about trustees online.
“Some of the stuff that has been flying around on social media is absolutely disgraceful,” he said.
“This is the right thing to do and I’m glad that we’ve done it, but I’m upset that other people are upset.
“This wasn’t a silly or frivolous thing that we did. This was done with sorrow and a great deal of consideration.”
“The stuff on social media is absolutely disgraceful”