Great War Tour 2008 - The report.

The Tour

Thanks Mike for a very informative tour,you definately did your homework before you left home! Just a bit suprised that you didn't mention the discount rates available in the flanders field museum for small cheeky people?:augie Gave my wife a laugh when I told her:) Many thanks. Stan
 
Thanks a good write up and great pics I have been to all the places mentioned in your report. This year I found "Le Blockhaus" it is A Must for your next tour !
and if you want to travel a bit further Try Avrils Place http://www.avrilwilliams.com/ She's a bit excentric but a warm and welcoming person Pete
 
Thanks for the excellent report mike,
I have visited some of the sites that you mentioned when i was at school (including Sanctuary wood), but as with many thing when you are young i didn’t really appreciate what i was seeing.
If you are running the tour again i would defiantly be interested
Thanks again John
:thumb2
 
report

great report mike, good to see beaumont hamel cemetry, my great uncle is buried there, visit each year. i am trying to find out as much as i can about the area and his war, if you are doing another trip would love to come along.

geoff
 
Agreed.

Out of all of the places I've visited in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands that are related to the two World Wars the 'museum' at Sanctuary Wood is far and away the worst.

An unfortunate blot on an otherwise fascinating, and sobering, landscape.

Definitely one to avoid :mad:

We take our pupils there but only because it is one of the few places where "original" trenches can be seen. The collection of artefacts is pretty good too. However, they are always given strict instructions not to spend a single cent there.

There have been stories for some time now that the Canucks . Belgians have bought out the loathsome owner but that he has the right to stay there until he pegs it
 
I enjoyed that

I'm hoping to do something like that next year

Stumpy
 
We take our pupils there but only because it is one of the few places where "original" trenches can be seen. The collection of artefacts is pretty good too. However, they are always given strict instructions not to spend a single cent there.

There have been stories for some time now that the Canucks . Belgians have bought out the loathsome owner but that he has the right to stay there until he pegs it

For 'original' trenches I'd suggest Newfoundland Memorial Park on the Somme, Vimy Ridge or even the much better museum at Zonnebeke

Sanctuary Wood's 'artefacts' undoubtedly contain some genuine items but when I visited there I remember seeing a number of quite definite post-WW1 items.

Great to hear your school runs trips over there :thumb2
 
For 'original' trenches I'd suggest Newfoundland Memorial Park on the Somme, Vimy Ridge or even the much better museum at Zonnebeke

Sanctuary Wood's 'artefacts' undoubtedly contain some genuine items but when I visited there I remember seeing a number of quite definite post-WW1 items.

Great to hear your school runs trips over there :thumb2

Been doing it for years now. Always has a massive impact on the kids and never a problem yet. Beaumont Hamel and Vimy are on the agenda during our Somme day. (We stop in Ypres and "do" the Somme on a single day.) This year we visited the grave of a lad who was the great great uncle of one of the kids. Executed in September 1916 for thumping an officer after a travesty of a "trial". I got our piper to play a lament. A big big moment for the kids.

The school always holds a two minute silence every year on the 11th and there's never a sound. The oldest kids lay a wreath at the school war memorial. We also did a 90th anniversary commemorative event last Tuesday where some of the kids did some drama, sang the songs etc. One of the girls sang "Keep the Home Fires Burning" which she sang at the Menin Gate last June. I'm getting tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

There's not a lot wrong with the majority of kids today. Not the ones I teach anyway.:thumb2
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0722.jpg
    IMG_0722.jpg
    81.8 KB · Views: 528
What a superb report and photos. I've spend a few days in each of previous years' holidays following round my grandfather's Great War locations - 42 of them. He survived the whole thing as a stretcher bearer and bandsman in the 63 Field Ambulance which I believe was a Territorial unit, attached to the 2/2 West Lancs Regiment. I haven't managed to get all of it yet, but the Regimental War Diary (though usually these things are evry terse, and written in haste) can add anotehr dimension to a visit to the locations.

I've spent time in and around Ypres on several occasions as he was posted to various locations in the Salient. I do agree with you about Hill 62. It's a disgrace.

Spending time in those places where there was so much hardship, loss and bravery is a humbling experience.
 
Mike

What a great, informative and thoroughly interesting trip report. It's so refreshing to read such an illuminating and respectful thread compared to the drivell that regularly gets posted on here. Makes me feel very humble reading about the horrors and the heroics from such young lives that were sacrificed so willingly.
It's good to see the locals welcoming British visitors too.
It should be made mandatory as part of the school corriculum to visit these places so the young understand what sacrifices were made in the name of freedom.

You've motivated me into visiting my Grandfathers grave in N. Africa. Buried in Tel El Kebir War Memorial Cemetery.

Keep these reports coming and hopefully I'll join you on one of your 'tours' some day soon.
:thumb

Steve
 
Mike, tremendous report and it wouldn't be one of your classics without a chance to see what you all ate and drank.

I'm leading a day trip across to Ypres for my local bike club on April 19th and you have given me some extra places to build-in to the trip.

As we have a day trip I am concentrating on Ypres and the "big name" places.

I like the look of Polygon Wood (Garmin waypoint by any chance). Any thoughts on the Zandvoorde Bunker? I've not been there before.

Have planned the route using the waypoints list I got off the web and posted on the BMW Club site and that someone else posted on here - http://www.wo1.be/eng/mainnav.html after initially using the Holt's Guide to the Ypres Salient.

Any advice would be most welcome.
 
I'm leading a day trip across to Ypres for my local bike club on April 19th and you have given me some extra places to build-in to the trip.

As we have a day trip I am concentrating on Ypres and the "big name" places.

Glad you found it worth a read.

If you only have a day, I'd suggest restricting your riding as much as possible to maximise the time spent at the places of interest. With that in mind, Polygon Wood isn't far from Ypres, the Zonnebeke museum is near Polygon Wood (and is a good indoor visit if the weather is unkind). Tynecot isn't far from either.

The Cafe/Bar near Polygon Wood, is a handy lunch stop. The owner was on the Ch4 Time Team special about a bunker excavation and he will no doubt treat you to a view of his photo's.

Polygon Wood CWGC is on Lange Dreve. N50 51.436 - E2 58.702

The Cafe is also on Lange Dreve, with the junction of Lotegatstraat. N 50 51.232 - E2 58.702

Zonnebeke (Passchendaele Museum) is on Berten Pilstraat. N50 52.259- E2 59.183
 
Glad you found it worth a read.

If you only have a day, I'd suggest restricting your riding as much as possible to maximise the time spent at the places of interest. With that in mind, Polygon Wood isn't far from Ypres, the Zonnebeke museum is near Polygon Wood (and is a good indoor visit if the weather is unkind). Tynecot isn't far from either.

The Cafe/Bar near Polygon Wood, is a handy lunch stop. The owner was on the Ch4 Time Team special about a bunker excavation and he will no doubt treat you to a view of his photo's.

Polygon Wood CWGC is on Lange Dreve. N50 51.436 - E2 58.702

The Cafe is also on Lange Dreve, with the junction of Lotegatstraat. N 50 51.232 - E2 58.702

Zonnebeke (Passchendaele Museum) is on Berten Pilstraat. N50 52.259- E2 59.183

Cheers Mike. I've done the trip a couple of times before but wanted a few different places as well as some old faves for the newbies.

I found Polygon wood on the wo1.be website. Have added them to my route and dropped Zandvoorde Bunker as it takes a long loop to the south east of the area.
 
I've been across there several times, always fascinated, always want to return, can't get enough. My grandad was at the Somme and survived. His wifes father and brother both died... I've visited them.

Thanks for the photo's and report Mike, you've given me some new places to go and visit :thumb

Excellent...

I have several books on the subject, but just reading 'The Somme' by Peter Hart, it's one of the best and most readable :thumb

:beerjug:
 
Thanks

Really enjoyed the report, especially as I met the gang of you out there!

Many thanks for the directions for the campsite down Aras way.

regards
Brendy (the Irish guy on the Varadero, but who aspires to GSer things!)
 
Really enjoyed the report, especially as I met the gang of you out there!

Many thanks for the directions for the campsite down Aras way.

regards
Brendy (the Irish guy on the Varadero, but who aspires to GSer things!)

Good to see you here Brendy. :thumb2

Glad you found the campsite at Boiry, hope to meet up again one day. :beerjug:
 


Back
Top Bottom