The Bit In The Middle (France 2014)

[ebbo]

Terrific trip report and pictures, its lovely down the Tarn area, I'm dead jealous

 

[chad]

a few more from me





a couple from Oradour sur Glane

its funny how it doest really hit you till to pick up the human connection





ive seen so many pictures of this car down the years but it was so striking to see it for real !







i was supprised by Le mans nice place and that meal was fantastic

 

[Dean]

again thanks for the nice comments


Chad, I agree the human connection at oradour grabs you, with out it would be empty ruins of rubble








The final day coming shortly

 

[Dean]

Day 5, From Le mans to the chunnel crossing via the somme and then home (412miles)

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zvY9SPQmGEOg.kJdHUCnOUg1c&authuser=0&hl=en


One of those light continental breakfast then on our way.

All-you-can-eat breakfast buffet for a fist full of Euro’s.

Pan au chocolat, Crepes drizzled with Lavender Honey, Fresh bread with ham & cheese, yoghurt, fresh coffee and an apple juice, keeping it small for me , but options to make it bigger with cakes breads, toasters, preserves, cereals, fresh fruits.






Leaving Le Mans on our way back to the Chunnel we took the opportunity to pay our respects at some of the the memorials and cemeteries of the Somme





The Thiepval visitor centre, Somme Battlefields, France. (D929)








The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme is a major war memorial to 72,191 missing British and South African men who died in the Battles of the Somme of the First World War between 1915 and 1918 with no known grave.





The memorial was built between 1928 and 1932 and is the largest British battle memorial in the world. The memorial, which dominates the rural scene surrounding it, has 16 brick piers faced with Portland stone It was originally built using French bricks but was refaced in 1973 with Accrington bricks. The main arch is aligned east to west the memorial's height is 140 feet (43 m)














On the Portland stone piers are engraved the names of over 72,000 men who were lost in the Somme battles between July 1915 and March 1918.







The Ulster Tower on the D73 is a memorial to the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division in Thiepval in Northern France. The memorial was officially opened on 19 November 1921 and is a very close copy of Helen's Tower which stands in the grounds of the Clandeboye Estate, near Bangor, County Down in Northern Ireland. Many of the men of the Ulster Division trained in the estate before moving to England and then France early in 1916.








In July 1915 36th (Ulster) Division left Northern Ireland for England, spending three months training in Sussex before departing for France in the first Week of October 1915. A view of Helen's Tower would have been one of the last things they would have seen as they left the training camp in July 1915. Many hundreds of them would never return.

The Tower stands 70 feet tall and is a lasting tribute to the men of Ulster who gave their lives during the First World War. Its position on the battlefield is a permanent reminder of the 36th (Ulster) Division’s heroic charge at the Battle of the Somme on the opening day of that great offensive.




Inside the tower







Out back there is a small museum and a café a friendly and welcoming place to stop for a wee brew and cake.

The leading battalions (of the 36th (Ulster) Division) had been ordered out from the wood just before 7.30am and laid down near the German trenches ... At zero hour the British barrage lifted. Bugles blew the "Advance". Up sprang the Ulstermen and, without forming up in the waves adopted by other divisions, they rushed the German front line.
By a combination of sensible tactics and Ulster dash, the prize that eluded so many, the capture of a long section of the German front line, had been accomplished
During the battle of the Somme the Ulster Division was the only division of X Corps to have achieved its objectives on the opening day of the battle. This came at a heavy price, with the division suffering in two days of fighting 5,500 officers and men killed, wounded or missing.

Of nine Victoria crosses given to British forces in the battle, four were awarded to 36th Division soldiers

The near by connaught cemetary, Thiepval.





The Lochnagar Crater at La Boiselle on the D20 was an explosive-packed mine created by the Royal Engineer tunnelling companies, The sound of the blast was considered the loudest man-made noise in history up to that point, with reports suggesting it was heard in London.





Today with a depth of ninety feet and measuring three-hundred feet across, the crater serves as a chilling reminder of the destructive power of war. Many of the craters that resulted from military mining operations in this area of the Somme were filled in and the land returned to agricultural use. To prevent the Lochnagar Crater from being lost in this way Richard Dunning, an Englishman, purchased the land in which the crater is located in 1978 with the goal of preserving the site as a permanent memorial garden and a place for visitors to the Somme to remember and pay their respects to those who gave their lives here in the Great War.






At 07.28 on July 1st 1916 the Lochnagar mine was detonated along with sixteen other mines, resulting in the significant weakening of German defenses. British forces captured the area forty-eight hours later.

Cecil Lewis, then an officer in the Royal Flying Corps, witnessed the explosion of the mine on 1st July from his aircraft high above La Boisselle:

“ The whole earth heaved and flared, a tremendous and magnificent column rose up into the sky. There was an ear-splitting roar, drowning all the guns, flinging the machine sideways in the repercussing air. The earth column rose higher and higher to almost 4,000 feet."



Back in the day the posters read “Wake up Grimsby - young men do your duty” as men signed up to the Grimsby Chums, the only ‘pals battalion’ of Kitchener’s Army to be known as ‘Chums’




Many of the British servicemen that died in battle around the village of La Boisselle were native to Tyneside in northern England. In 1986 a wooden cross was placed beside the Lochnagar Crater to commemorate the men of the Tyneside Battalions of the regiment of the Northumberland Fusiliers. The cross is constructed from the reclaimed roof beams of a former church in the city of Durham.








Again we was running out of time, having a train to catch the tolls were calling and we was already running late. To the somme no doubt we will both return as we only covered a very small part wanting do so much more.
We passed through the bit in the middle and now 1871 miles later we are at, the End (for now)


Catching the last train back to blighty.

 

[Davy F]

Thank you for posting.

 

[paul08]

Nearby to Thiepval Memorial is Delville Wood: this is the South African memorial (and museum) and is definately worth a visit. And then, just up the road is at Rancourt is a French Chapel of Rememberance which is also worth a visit

 

[chad]

Nearby to Thiepval Memorial is Delville Wood: this is the South African memorial (and museum) and is definately worth a visit. And then, just up the road is at Rancourt is a French Chapel of Rememberance which is also worth a visit

these are on the hit list for a visit to the Somme in the future

it was a cracking 5 days away great roads great company great food n beer too

 

[Dean]

it was a cracking 5 days away great roads great company great food n beer too

Trouble is that last bank holiday, feels so long ago

Surely we can at least, just plan another wee trip

 

[Elle]

Great report & pics, thank you


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Davey B]

Great write up. Enjoyed reading that.

Oradour never ceases to make me go deep into thought

 

[Dean]

Nearby to Thiepval Memorial is Delville Wood: this is the South African memorial (and museum) and is definately worth a visit. And then, just up the road is at Rancourt is a French Chapel of Rememberance which is also worth a visit

Or as the men that fought there called it Devils wood for obvious reasons ................

As Chad mentioned they are for another trip. We was on route home bound for our small glimpse. A long weekend to be planned in the area for the future to see a lot more, museum's, cemeteries, and memorials I think. the number of locations appear enless

The Somme..... it's only some 160 miles as the crow flies from London

 

[Dean]

Thanks again to all for the nice comments


For my sister who is neither a member here or a biker, (yet ) but through the link I sent, has read this R/R

Surely your never to Old for a Harley


Michelle's switchback, note trekkie fan sticker on front fender




The lady we met travelling with her husband at Sisteron, had great pleasure in informing all that hers was bigger than her husbands Road king by 100cc they was on route down to a Harley Hog fest at St tropez. :cool

One life sister, we all have the beginning and the end, don't forget the bit in the middle.

 

[modelman]

what a brilliant RR

Thanks for posting guys! The commentary, pics and history lesson were brilliant

 

[Bounce]

Really enjoyed reading this report, with some great pics & story telling.....

I've never really explored France, and this RR has been just the tonic to scratch that itch; lads, I may well contact you for GPX files etc......

 

[Dean]

Really enjoyed reading this report, with some great pics & story telling.....

I've never really explored France, and this RR has been just the tonic to scratch that itch; lads, I may well contact you for GPX files etc......

I love a good story


GPX files - Chad's your man he was the techie wizard for this trip, he has the routes saved, even has some good go pro video footage, Don't ask him about the video where he taped his mobile phone to his bike that went pear shaped

 

[Bounce]

GPX files - Chad's your man he was the techie wizard for this trip, he has the routes saved, even has some good go pro video footage, Don't ask him about the video where he taped his mobile phone to his bike that went pear shaped

Cool...I'll get in touch with him...

 

[Reddivedog]

Good stuff, guys. Thanks for posting.

RDD

 

[dave hendy]

Ye well done good to read these reports always gives you ideas for future trips! Good photos to