Checking in from the Somme
 

I am just checking in quickly to say hi to all from the Somme Battlefields in Northern France.

What a stunning place and unbelievable sights. Off to Flanders & Ypres tomorrow, looking forward to that big time.

Back on Friday night.

:doubleup:

always on bluddy holiday eh mate! :p

alright for some ;)

Talk about how the other half live.:lol:


Hope you're having an enjoyable trip,

Something I would like to myself trouble is I think I would constantly have a lump in my throat and would need a big box of tissues.

Your right about the lump in the throat mate. We take young cadets there every year just to show them why they have to march & salute. Bloody eye opener thats for sure. :-|

Work does get in the way of the hols huh steve!
I will be doing the ww1 stuff in the near future too!

Done the menin gate yet?

Did Ypres, Tyne Cott Cemetry and the amazing museum and trenches in Sanctuary Wood about 10 years ago and then returned Ypres for the playing of the last post at the Menin Gate in the evening. Certainly an experience I'll never forget. Also worth dropping in at the V2 rocket launch site outside St Omar if you get a chance.

I want to do something similar to this and just seen a great deal pop up:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/dea...calais-tickets

This deal is only for day trips so how much can i see in a day?

I had an absolutely unbelievable time. It is without doubt, one of the best things I have ever done in my life. Simply stunning.

I will be going again next year to learn some more.

While we were there, I mangaed to find in on small area near just one cemetry, one British .303 bullet, 2 x British Shrapnel Balls & 1 x German Shrapnel ball. These all went in the pocket. My mate Tim however, found a British Hand Grenade! For obvious reasons, he didn't do the same as me! You are not meant to go looking, but these items were right on the edge of a field.

I also purchased the following, the base of a 1918 British Howitszer Shell, the fuse head from a British Shrapnel Shell but the best thing of all, while in Ypres, I purchased a 1916 German Helmet, found in Flanders. I will post pics at some point.

With regards to what we did on this tour, the following was our itinery:

Day 1

• Travel to the farmhouse from pre-arranged pick-up point via:
• Vimy Ridge (Canadian Memorial Park nr Arras) tunnel and trench visit
• Notre Dame de Lorette (French national World War I memorial and cemetery)
• La Targette and Cabaret Rouge cemeteries and Neuville St. Vaast German cemetery

Day 2

Somme 1916 Tour

• The Lochnagar Crater at La Boisselle
• Mouquet Farm & Poziers (Australian sites)
• High Wood and The Caterpillar Valley
• Mametz Wood and Delville Wood (South African memorial)
• Fricourt German Cemetery
• The Thiepval Memorial & visitors' centre
• The Ulster Tower at Thiepval
• Newfoundland National Park (Beaumont Hamel)
• Auchonvillers trench visit
• Sunken Road
• Serre

Day 3

1915 Battlefields Tour, Fromelles (new cemetery the Cobber Memorial and VC Corner) and Flanders

• Loos September 1915 (Dud Corner and St Mary's ADC cemetery)
• Neuve Chapelle March 1915 Indian Memorial
• Fromelles including The Cobber Memorial, VC Corner and the new cemetery
• Messines Ridge 1917
• Passchendaele & Tyne Cot Cemetery
• Polygon Wood
• Zillebeke (Hill 60, Caterpillar Crater)
• Meal in Ypres
• Ypres Menin Gate Ceremony

Day 4

Somme 1918 Tour (Battle of Amiens)

• Albert 1914/1918 Trench Museum (in tunnels under the town) or Australian Museum in Villers Bretonneux
• Red Baron's crash site near Vaux
• Picnic lunch at Chipilly Ridge
• Villers Bretonneux (Australian Memorial)
• Australian Memorial at Le Hamel
• Adelaide cemetery


I will be posting pictures at some point soon.

If anyone was seriously thinking of doing this, I would recommend the guy we used, Mike Williamson, he was fantastic.

His website is: www.williamsommetours.co.uk