Talbot House ...

Micky

Never knowingly understood
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So when Peter (Scotboxer on here) announced he was intending to run a three day trip to the Belgium and Northern France battlefields, trenches and war graves of WWI I perked up and took note. My grandfather was at the Somme, I have family out there.

When he asked me to sort the ferry for eight people, but at that time only had seven names ... I was double hooked. I made myself the eighth person :D

When the accommodation was going to be secret until we boarded the ferry I was committed!

Talbot House at Poperinge is a rather unique place, steeped in history, and is in fact a living museum ...

Upstairs, right at the top, is the Chapel ...

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One of the rooms, set aside ...

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I digress, and get in front of myself ... nothing new there then.

The reprobates ...

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OK ... I'll drift off now in to some general photographs of the three days ...

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One big bugger :eek:

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Peter gives us the history lesson ... and it's much appreciated by all

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Outside Talbot House ...

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Scotboxer in chill out mode ...

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The rear garden of Talbot House, where many soldiers of all ranks relaxed away from the front ...

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The French Cemetery at Serre Road ...

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The Ulster Tower ...

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Rear of the Town Hall at Poperinge ... it was here that soldiers that deserted from the front were shot at dawn. So very very sad, for most were not deserters at all. Shell shocked and confused ...

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Poperinge ... a lovely old town

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The football truce ...

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The Ladies from hell ... if they wore a kilt the Germans called them 'The Ladies from Hell'

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Menin Gate 8pm Thursday 21st April 2016 Video

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Peter pulls a Barnsley Bird while I chat to these two interesting guys who have travelled all the way from Australia for the ceremony ...

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As the guys depart on the Friday morning 22nd April I head south for the Süd Schwarzwald, but not before visiting my Great Grandfather (Nan's father) and his son, her brother. Both called Frank Taylor. Peter had kindly and very thoughtfully brought some small wooden crosses with a poppy thereon for us each to place on a grave of our choosing. Thank you Peter ...

My Great Grandfather Frank Taylor, died at the age of 43 years, and is buried at Menin Road South Military Cemetery, not far from menin Gate itself ...

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His son, my grandmothers brother, Frank Taylor, died at the age of 20 years and is buried at Bernafay Wood British Cemetery, Montauban ...

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Thank you guys ... never met you but love you to bits xx

Any questions please direct them to Peter (Scotboxer on here)


It's thanks to him that this little trip took place. A font of knowledge, interesting and informative :thumby:

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Thanks for posting this Micky. Just home via Germany / Silesia / Poland / Czechia/ Germany / Holland. I expect the chap in the Bulgarian registered car who tried to get through at Tyne Dock with a passport and two ID cards for him and his two passengers is on his way home too! :eek: Anyway ... will post some pics re the Belgium / France bit as soon as I get myself proper organised.
 
Talbot House (or Toc Aitch as the Tommies invariably called it) is indeed a very special place. I've always wanted to stay there but it was simply too small for the large groups I usually took. Couple of pics (nowhere near as good as Mickey's)
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In fact, the house was not "providentially immune". One German shell landed in the garden and killed a Canadian who was inside the house. Still, the place was (and is) a quiet refuge in the town that was "the last stop on the road to Hell."

Modern minds might be tempted to be cynical about the religious motives of those who set the place up but it's important to remember that most of the Tommies would have been baptised Christians and probably a majority of those would have been regular church attenders before the war. In their shoes, and knowing where I was headed, I think I might have taken out the additional insurance policy!
 


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