Battle of the Somme centenary

k12pfc

Active member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
250
Reaction score
0
Location
portsmouth
I've been over to Albert for a good number of years to commemorate the Somme anniversary so I am well chuffed to have 2 tickets for the official centenary ceremony at Thiepval on 1st July this year, we're gonna spend a few days camping in Albert but if anyone's planning to go over at this time it's worth remembering there is quite a large exclusion zone in the area, places like La Boisselle are closed for a few days. Albert is a great place though for a few beers in the evenings, all nationalities, all there to pay respect to the fallen of all nations.
 
Got ours yesterday, luckily we got a campsite very nearby. Really looking forward to the commemorations.
 
Are you not going to the Thiepval ceremony then?
Yes I`m going to the ceremony, With 10,000 attending the Thiepval ceremony alone, I left it until I got the notice of ticket allocation to consider accommodation/travel options. So we decided to opt for an organised 4 night / 5 day "Battlefields tour" by coach which has an option to attend the ceremony for those with tickets. Tbh I would've winged it, but my mate wasn't keep on roughing it, hence the tour. The organised option does however limit our options as we had considered attending 1 or more of the other events that day.
 
I can't believe how they've organised this collossal event, 10,000! And no charge to anyone, meal and drinks provided, who's funding this I wonder! Still it'll be fantastic to witness. I can't wait, we were there for the 80th and 90th anniversaries.
 
It appears we will be billeted by the tour Co in the Kyriad at Dechy, which is around 1.5km out of town. Hopefully my companions wont mind a 15-20min walk into town in search of food and beer in the evenings to avoid the sterile environment of the hotel. However there is a railway station nearby at Sin-le-Noble with hourly connections to/from Albert via Douai. We are due to be visiting Albert at some point the day before the ceremony. I`m actually hoping we will be in Albert towards the end of the day, rather than at the beginning so we can linger there in the evening & enjoy the ambience as AFAIK there is some kind of pre ceremony show happening.

I`ve seen pictures of the new exhibition / visitors centre at the Thiepval memorial on the orchard farm FB page, and I`m looking forward to seeing it and anyone who knew about what martin had behind the sofa, will be pleased to know its now in the new visitors centre
 
We're camping in Albert Nr the railway station but we gotta be at the airport for 7am (other side of town!) for our park and ride to Thieval arriving back in Albert at 16:30 that's a long day! Hope it's not too hot/cold/wet lol really looking forward to it, makes you so proud to be British.
 
7am for the P+R isn`t bad especially as those going to the Lochnegar crater event have to be there by 04:30 / 5am

I haven`t received any info regarding the P+R for the Theipval event, but this is probably due to being down as going via a coach tour, and AFAIK they have that info. However I can`t find any info relating to shuttle buses between Albert and the P+R, are you aware of any details regarding this, as all info I have outside of my organised bus relates to transport to/from Albert station from Aimens & Lille. So If we get separated from our group, or miss the tour bus knowing I can make my own way back to Dechy would be reasuring
 
We'll be in Ypres on the night of the 30th and I'm expecting to have to be at the Menin Gate very early if we want to avoid standing 100 yards away.

Fortunately we've got accommodation booked fairly nearby and it's got private parking so it's only a case of walking up and waiting.
 


Back
Top Bottom