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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 15:39:41 GMT
We've just returned from 4 days in France and Belgium and I've posted photos of some of the places visited The first photo is Delville Wood (Somme) in the early morning light  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 15:56:01 GMT
St Symphorien Cemetery, Mons, the resting place of: - Lt Dease, the first WW1 winner of the Victoria Cross - Private Parr, the first British soldier to be killed in the war - Private Ellison, the last British soldier to be killed - Private Price, the last Canadian soldier to die, shot by a German sniper while accepting flowers from a Belgian women The cemetery is one of the most unusual and beautiful of all the cemeteries on the Western Front. It was begun by the Germans and contains a mixture of German and Allied soldiers. It also contains memorials erected by the Germans for the Middlesex Regiment and Royal Fusiliers. In August it was chosen as a suitable place to mark the commemoration of the centenary of the First World War. It was attended by many heads of state, including the British PM and other dignatories such as Prince Harry.      |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 15:59:27 GMT
The plaque commemorating the first VC winners, Lieutenant Dease and Sergeant Godley who remained at their posts, using a machine gun to hold up thousands of enemy troops advancing towards Mons.  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:01:14 GMT
Arras Memorial to the Missing  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:03:39 GMT
First and last shot memorials. The two plaques (surrounded by flags) on either side of the road commemorate the locations where the first and last British and Commonwealth shots were fired in the war. Ironically the locations are within 20 yards of each other.  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:07:00 GMT
On Wednesday, we attended the funeral of 15 men of the York and Lancaster Regiment at Y Farm Cemetery, Bois Grenier. They had been found in 2009 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-29696541)  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:08:48 GMT
Ypres Cloth Hall  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:10:44 GMT
Thiepval Memorial and the small tribute we left in no man's land between Thiepval Wood and the memorial (the scene of devastation for the Salford Pals on 1st July 1916)   |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:16:18 GMT
The sunken lane in no man's land in front of Beaumont Hamel. This was the scene of the famous film by Geoffrey Malin showing the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, waiting for zero hour on the first day of the Somme.  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 24, 2014 16:18:48 GMT
The Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge  |
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Post by prospectroad on Oct 27, 2014 13:46:07 GMT
Spanbroekmolen Mine Crater, the largest of the 19 mines detonated on Messines Ridge on 7th June 1917.  |
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Post by shred on Nov 3, 2014 18:57:10 GMT
Pete,
Great pictures and narrative.
Thank you for sharing.
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