Ypres, The Somme.

[Atticus_Finch]

Bit out there, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

I'm going out to Leper(Belguim) and France on Thursday with my old man to visit these battlesites as my Grandfather was in the Highland Light Infantry during WW1.
If we've time, we might get to the Ardennes for the Battle of the Bulge as well.
Was wondering if anyone has done this sort of thing before and any tips, as we are doing it all ourselves. ( No tour company)

 

[teetime72]

I haven`t done this as a spcial trip,but I have visited the Allied war graves in Italy at Monte Cassino.I can only advise you to be prepared for a very emotional time,I have no relatives buried there but I cried my eyes out for no reason at all,and I wasn`t alone,it can be a very harrowing time but well worth doing as it is very humbling and puts a lot of things into perspective

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm kind of trying to prepare myself for that side of it. I don't think people fully realize what these young boys did for us back then.
We have this plaque in our clubhouse that makes me stop for a minute and think when I see it. Some of these guys are on our honours board and as the plaque says, one of the "pleasant things" to these guys was definitely golf.
Off they went, never to return.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I went to Ypres on a school trip and I have to admit it was both moving and enjoyable. I'm not sure if you are aware of it but every night the local fire service (If I remember correctly) have a series of bugelers doing a last post ceremony at the Menin Gate where all the names of serviceman who died have their names engraved. It is definitely worth going to have a look. Also there is a museum called the 'in flanders field' museum (Again I am not 100% sure) and this is quite good as well with lots of poetry written by soldiers stationed in the area, and other genuine artefacts. I'm not sure what sort of information you are after but if you do have questions I'll do my best to help. Also seeing both the trenches that are near by, as well as many of the ceremortries for want of a better word is amazing, I went to the Canadian monument and the German cemetery in addition to the main, more significant ones. And the German cemetery (I am unsure how close this is to central Ypres) is definitely worth a visit purely due to experiencing the myth which says that it feels colder inside the walls of the cemetery than out, also it is quite interesting to see how dark everything there is in reflection of how the Germans apparently mourned the death of their troops as opposed to the Allied forces that tried to celebrate the lives of thei fallen comrades. As for the trenches these also are worth a walk round just to try and imagine what it was like. It is also strange to see how trees have grown up in the middle of the battle field over the years. Whatever you decide to do though I am sure the trip will be a worthwhile experience. I would certainly go back, as it is an entirely unique experience incomparable to any other I know.

 

[medwayjon]

I am determined to go as my great grandfather fought in WW1.

Interestingly, after my great gran died, she left poppa's letters and diaries from the war to my mother which she has safely kept away. She also has a pressed poppy from the WWI battlefields.

 

[Basher]

but I have visited the Allied war graves in Italy at Monte Cassino.

So have I Teetime.

The place is immaculately kept and I too felt it to be a humbling experience.
The sheer number of headstones laid out in perfect alignment is a sight to see. Wandering amongst the stones you realise just how young many of the lads were who laid down their lives.
Strangely almost everyone who visits wanders around in silence, I imagine it's down to respect as well as being in awe at the spectacle.
Monte Cassino and the town got a real pounding during the war, yet the inhabitatnts have great respect for the Allies who liberated them.

The war graves at Ypres will no doubt have the same affect as Cassino but I imagine it's on a much greater scale due to the many more lives that were lost.

Strange thing to say, but enjoy the trip. It certainly will be very thought provoking.

In this politically correct world we live in I firmly nelieve that children should be taught about the sacrifices made by the nations young men during the wars involving this country.

 

[shanker]

I remember travelling from Paris to Calais or Bologne. We crossed the Marne and I saw one of the WW1 cemeteries. Row upon row of anonymous white crosses.

 

[Wilf]

I have visited Normandy on a couple of occasions on golf / history breaks and visited the British cemetery at Bayeux, the D-Day Beaches and the American Cemetery at Coleville. All are very emotional places. The personnal messages at the bottom of the gravestones in Bayeux really bring home the sacrifices made.

Make sure you read is the memorial / visitor books, again some of the messages are incredibly humbling. I read the one at Coleville and there was a message from a brother saying this was the first time he and his brother had been together since 6.30 am 6th June 1944 at Omaha beach 63 years previous, he then gave the row numbers of his brothers grave.

 

[viscount17]

Bayeaux, Caen and Crete (Souda Bay) for me. Without exception immaculately kept. These are very emotional places and long may they remain so. Possibly the saddest are the isolated graves tucked in the corner of a field or near a village which sometimes cover the complete crew from a tank or aircraft. If you travel round the coasts of Normandy and Brittany you will find many of these.
Crete was the special one for me as my Dad got out of Crete on the very last (official) boat, thanks to the Aussie Navy, but left a lot of mates behind. Fortunately I managed to go there last year just before Dad died so I could bring him back the photos.

 

[haplesshacker]

Been to some of the D Day beaches as others have. Got to admit I left the wife in the car and just walked onto the beach, stood still and started welling up. The things these guys went through on that day I can't begin to imagine, not only the Allies but also the Germans defending those beaches. I didn't really care who was right or who was wrong, just the human story behind the day. All must have been terrified.

I'm just so glad that I've never had to do anything like this, and I hope that my son never has to.

I won't say enjoy your trip, as I think that it's more of an emotional journey. Some people get it and some don't.

 

[Dave3498]

I have just finished reading Peter Barton's book on Passchendaele, (the third battle of Ypres) which is a very detailed and moving account of the struggle to finally break through the German defences in that area. Much of the book is taken from first-hand accounts in the form of letters and reports from all ranks, and many photographs.
I thoroughly recommend it to you AF since you are clearly interested in WW1.

You are making a trip that I would like to do: and intend to do one day.

 

[mick]

i have also been to ypres and the somme battlefields on a school trip,a great(for want of a better word) trip to make as a young englishman and helped me gain the respect i have kept to this day for our fallen heroes(also for those still alive).i would love to make the trip again.Dave3498 i will look into getting this book,the reading is not a slog is it as i may take it on holiday in a couple of weeks.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Got back last night from my trip.
Got to say how incredibly interesting the whole area is and a very humbling experience.
Spent most of our time in Ieper and went the Ypres salient tour.
I think the thing that really got to me was the sheer numbers that they we're talking about. In the 3rd battle of Ypres (Battle of Passchendaele) the Allies lost 500,000 men and the Germans around 250,000. All in an area about the size of a couple of golf courses. Around 200,000 guys are still there, about 3ft under the ground that we were standing on.
The Commonwealth cemeteries were immaculately kept (as they should be) and the Belgian people are among the friendliest that I've ever encountered. A legacy of the gratitude felt by their grandparents I suppose.
The last post at the Menin Gate is testament to that gratitude.

Here are some pictures for those interested.......

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/23646044

 

[DCB]

Your photo num 5 of the cemetery summs it all up, look at the peaceful background. What a sacrifice.

I want to get out there some time to have a look. My grandfathers younger brother lied about his age to sign up and died in the first few hours of the Somme. Even having never served in the services I find myself choking up at our local village war memorial on Armistice Sunday.

All vey moving.

Nice pictures.

 

[viscount17]

having had a war and been lucky enough to have been in the London parade afterwards (and what a memory that is!), I get really angry at the attitude of the 'educationalists' with their downgrading and dismissal of our history. I think the lack of respect and general ignorance of the meaning of Armistice day is in large measure down to them.

(I don't know if it is generally known but the powers that be decreed that there should be no wounded at the Falklands Parade. Fortunately someone with some guts (or a conscience) arranged for two or three guys to be there opposite the saluting base. It was the most poignant moment as a navy guy I knew who had been blinded was holding the wheelchair of a marine who had lost his legs.
The other moment that really got to me was right at the start of the parade as we entered the streets from the Hon Artillery Company HQ. There right at the front of the pavement was a guy wearing a chestfull of medals from both the first and second world wars, standing stiff as a post, saluting and cheering us - I felt we should have been saluting him.)

 

[theeaglehunter]

Nice pictures A_F, I went to all of the places that are shown and it is nice to see some pictures as a way of remembering the trip as I did not take that many myself other than of the German cemetery near by.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

post deleted by A_F