Day 24, Sunday 3rd October - Ieper

After sharing breakfast with two other Australian couples at the Bed and Breakfast, ‘Camalou’ in Belgium, we left together to visit Talbot House and Concert Hall in Poperinge. Talbot House was established by two army chaplains, Philip ‘Tubby’ Clayton and Neville Talbot. A club for soldiers to become human again, where they could read books, play the piano, watch a play, or pray in the Chapel. We watched a remake of what the plays were like with the soldiers playing the part of women in hilarious skits where slapstick predominated. The house was on 3 levels and now serves as a museum and bed and breakfast for those who wish to stay the night.

Talbot House

Philip ‘Tubby’ Clayton

Beautiful flower arrangements at the local florist (above & below).

Window display of the florist In Poperinge.

Poperinge is a gorgeous little village with so much character, I would have loved to have spent more time wandering the streets and inspecting the shops, but being Sunday most were closed.

A picnic lunch was served back at ‘Camalou’ and yes once again we dined on baguettes. Stuart was offered their own label beer which he readily accepted and asked for seconds!

Our train from Lille Flanders Field station was due to depart at 3pm and we just had time to visit Fromelle and Pheasant Wood. Fromelle was only a 20 minute drive (Christain speed) from Ieper. These famous towns become larger than life in our imagination, as we learn of their significance during WWI, but the actuality is that Fromelle is a tiny little village, pretty but nothing to distinguish it from any other country town - expect the revelation of a mass grave of Allied dead including many Australian soldiers. We drove to the sight of Pheasant Wood where we could see the plot of land that had concealed for so long its precious cargo. It was pheasant season and shooters were everywhere in the fields and woods, shooting for pheasant, rabbits and wild pigs. We could hear the cracking bursts of gunfire as we stood by the road and were advised not to go into the field. The germans had apparently brought the bodies to this site by rail and buried them with some respect. The Fromelles cemetery is like all the others we have visited: beautifully maintained, respectfully observed and a peaceful place for those who could not come home.

Crossroads to famous locations.

Yes, we made it to Fromelles.

Plaques abound in all the famous Battlegrounds imparting much information to the reader.

Many maps show the Allie front and the German front with 'No Mans Land' in between.

The Fromelles Cemetery and Memorial (above and below).

We next visited V.C. Corner at Fromelle, a burial site where there are no headstones. Under two large concrete crosses set flat on the ground, to the left and right near the cemetery entrance, are the remains of more than 400 Australians who were killed in action or died of their wounds. The cemetery is in the middle of the old no-mans-land between the Australian and German trenches of 19th July 1916.

V.C.E. Corner (above and below).

The V.C. Corner Memorial with the sword of sacrifice.

Our last stop was the Australian Memorial Park at Fromelles where the cast iron statue named, ‘Cobbers’ is featured. It depicts Sergeant Simon Fraser with a wounded man of the 60th Battalion on his shoulders, carrying him to safety. It is a fitting tribute to all those Australians who scoured no-mans-land in the aftermath of the Battle of Fromelles to bring the dead and wounded back to the Allie line. The Fromelle battle cost the 5th Division 5,553 dead and wounded in its first operation on the western front.

The cast iron statue of 'Cobbers'.  A duplicate of this cast stands at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance (above and below).

The hour long train trip on the very fast train, gave us time to think of all that we had seen and learnt over the preceding 4 days. Amazing courage, sacrifice and bravery.

Determined to get a taxi when we arrived at Paris, Gare de Nord – we were disappointed to find the queue for taxis was 100 metres long snaking around the pavement of the station. Feeling empowered with our new confidence of travelling on the underground we set off, down two flights of stairs to board our train to Pyramides.

Wanting to make sure everything would go smoothly for our connection to the Airport the next morning, I asked the Concierge to check with the company organised to collect us from the hotel. We were a little worried when they were unable to make a connection with them at all that night or the next morning. If was with enormous relief when the van turned up on time.

Charles de Gaulle Airport was chaos. They are introducing self book-in terminals. Frustratingly, not many of us could use them and I was thankful for the assistance of an attendant. Our plane, although 10 minutes late in departure, did not take off for a further 50 minutes as it was still loading the luggage – all passengers were on board and patiently waited for take-off. We realised that being one hour late in departure would probably mean that we would miss our connection to Melbourne at Hong Kong. On exiting the plane, a stewardess met the 7 passengers who were to connect to Melbourne and walked us quickly through the Terminal and security to allow us to walk straight onto our Qantas flight which had already started boarding. We were very thankful. The flight home was quick although we experienced quite a few hours of turbulence which I don’t think we can attribute to our female Captain Margaret Connor.

It felt great to be home, but on reflection we were amazed with how much we had seen and experience in France and Belgium – a fantastic trip!

Day 23 - Sat, 2nd Oct - The Somme

Today was the Somme. About an one and a half south south west of Ieper into France. Stuart and I shared the trip with two other Australian couples who had just arrived. On introductions at breakfast, we discovered that one of the men went through the airforce with our brother-in-law. Small world.
While in transit, Christian played a couple of historical DVDs on different parts of the war which were very interesting and distracted us from the speed we were driving on the freeways!

We first visited the site of the Windmill where there is a memorial to the 2nd Division.

Charles Bean wrote in the dedication, “The Windmill site – marks a ridge more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other spot on earth”. (Ref: Charles Bean, Anzac to Amiens, Canberra, 1983, p.284). In the fighting at Pozieres, around the Windmill and northwards towards Mouquet (Mow Cow) farm, the A.I.F. suffered more than 23,000 casualties (of which 7,000 were killed, missing or died of their wounds) between 23 July to 5 September, 1916.

I am standing on the site of the original 'Windmill'.

The 'Windmill' site like many others is adorned with Australian flags and poppies by visiting Australians.

These descriptive bronze castings provide much information for the visitor.

We then went to Mouquet Farm which is quite literally ‘a farm’. But on 5th September, 1916, the Battle of Mouquet Farm was to drive a line behind the German strongholds at Thiepval. Unbeknown to the Allies, the farm concealed 2,000 German soldiers. The 1st, 2nd and 4th Divisions took part in seven major offences to dislodge the Germans from their deep defences at the farm and surrounding trenches.

This is Mouquet Farm today (above and below).

We visited the water tower at the entrance to Pozieres which is a monument that records the names of the Australians who won a V.C. in the Battle of Pozieres – 5 Australians and 1 English and 1 Canadian.

Water Tower at the entrance to Pozieres.

We next saw the Thiepval Memorial and Museum to the English dead. It is built across the front lines of 1st July, 1916 when the British Army suffered nearly 20,000 men killed and a further 40,000 wounded. The stone panels on the arch record the names of more than 73,000 British missing or those who were found but unidentified and 858 South Africans and one man from the West India Regiment.

Thievpal Memorial to the British and South African dead.

Our guides had researched their maps of the battles of my grandfather, Sgt Edwin Griff and were able to take us to the spot where his 41st Battery was positioned on the day he won his D.C.M. The terrain was slightly undulating and the battery was situated in a slight fall. It was salient to stand there and look out across the quite farm land to imagine how this peacefulness contrasted to the horror, death and devastation that occurred on 5th April, 1918 when the two brigades (10th and 11th) supporting the 4th Division lost 12 officers and 77 others.

This is the position my grandfather's Artillery on the day he won his D.C.M. 

The view the artillery had toward the German line which was where the trees line the horizon.

The Memorial to the 1st Division is known as Gibraltar – where on 22nd July the Australians fought for Pozieres. Just opposite where the 1st Division Memorial now is, was a white reinforced concrete structure some 3 metres tall, with a block tower at its western end, and the barrel of a machine gun protruding from the side. Deeper cellars revealed much enemy equipment and it appeared that this had been a German forward observation post. The strong concrete tower had withstood every British bombardment and even after the complete destruction of Pozieres remained a landmark to the Australians who fought there. Initially, it was christened ‘The Cement House’ but it soon gained the more evocative name ‘Gibraltar’.

The First Division Memorial (above and below).

The Grand Mine – Lochnagar Crater – La Boiselle is an impressive blast hole (100m in diameter and 30m deep), a vestige of the series of explosions on 1st July, 1916 that marked the start of the Battle of the Somme by the British. The area has recently been purchased from the farmer by an Englishmen to preserve the crater for future generations.

The crater of the Grande Mine.

This photo shows the land which has not changed from WWI and the soil which was heaved up after the mine's were exploded (left hand side) in contrast the the natural lay of the land (right hand side).

Albert is a pretty little town which saw so much devastation during both wars. Because it was an important town in my grandfather’s service history I took the opportunity to take a few pictures.

Villers-Bretonneux remembers the Australians who fought for their freedom. The Memorial Cemetery has at its highest point a white tower overlooking the pastures. It was opened by King George VI as a Memorial to the Australian Imperial Force in France and Flanders.

We climbed to the top and had a wonderful 360o view of the surrounding countryside. During the Annual Anzac Day Service a red glows behind the rising star in the turret.  This memorial shows the scars in its white stone of the battle between the Allies and the Germans during WWII with many bullet holes etching the surface.

In Commemorating the Cemetery, King George said:
“On this monument is an inscription telling us and others who will visit this hill in the years to come, that it perpetuates the memory of the Australian Imperial Force in France and Flanders, and of 11,000 of them who fell in France and have no known grave”. King George VI, speech, The Times, London, 23 July 1938

Villers-Bretonneux Memorial and Cemetery.

The Villers-Bretonneux Primary School is famous for its connection with Australia and Victoria in particular. After the German’s captured Villers-Bretonneux on 24th April, 1918, the Australian 4th & 5th Divisions recaptured the town at a cost of over 1200 Australian lives. The people of Villers-Bretonneux remain indebted to Australia for their freedom. The Primary School was rebuilt using money donated by Victorian school children. It is decorated with much Australiana, including: large wall hangings in their Victoria School hall depicting landscapes of Australia. The playground is adorned by an Aboriginal mural depicting the Australian flora and fauna and in large bold print above the playground is a sign that says, ‘DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA’.

On 14th July, 1919, the Mayor of Villers-Bretonneux spoke of the Australian troops when he unveilled a memorial in their honour:
"The first inhabitants of Villers-Bretonneux to re-establish themselves in the ruins of what was once a flourishing little town have, by means of donations, shown a desire to thank the valorous Australian Armies, who with the spontaneous enthusiasm and characteristic dash of their race, in a few hours drove out an enemy ten times their number...They offer a memorial tablet, a gift which is but the least expression of their gratitude, compared with the brilliant feat which was accomplished by the sons of Australia...Soldiers of Australia, whose brothers lie here in French soil, be assured that your memory will always be kept alive, and that the burial places of your dead will always be respected and cared for..."

Villers-Bretonneux's Town Hall.

Villers-Bretonneux's School (above and below)

Each Year on 25th April the people of Villers-Bretonneux conduct a service of remembrance for the Australians who lost their lives to achieve the town’s freedom.

After leaving Villers-Bretonneux we travelled to the Australian Corps Memorial Park at Le Hamel. This Park commemorates the Battle of Le Hamel which one of the most successful battles of the Somme, lasting only 93 minutes. It was the first battle that Monash planned. Monash used British planes to bomb the Germans across a front 6.5kms at Le Hamel, strategically to mask the noise of 60 of the latest British Mark IV tanks accompanied by 7,500 A.I.F. and four American companies. The battle plan was to straighten out a bulge in the line defended by the Australian corps between the Somme River and Villers-Bretonnuex.  It was at this site that you can view where the Red Baron was shot down by an Australian as he battled in a dog-fight with two Canadian pilots.

I was very excited to pick up from the side of the road a piece of shrapnel, a small marble of lead which would have been packed inside a bomb. Stuart found an old button from a military uniform.

We saw so much today and gain a better understanding of how the war was fought, we had never known that the fronts were a continual trench system for 700kms each – the Allies one side and the Germans the other. We never knew that the Germans had all the high ground with huge reinforced pillboxes and the Allies mainly fought without camouflage and suffered so much loss through the manner is which the war was planned and fought. The sacrifice of life is shocking and we will never really be able to appreciate how bad the conditions were – but we will never forget their endeavours!

Memorial to the bond between and Australian soldiers and their horses.

We made it back to Ypres from the Somme by 8:00pm, in time for the service at Menin Gate. It was a day that I will never forget.