My mothers uncle is buried at Dulhallows cemetery in Ypres, he was 19 .
Ypres is an awesome place and should be a must for everyone , especially on the 11th day , the last post has been played every night at the Menin Gate at 8pm since 1928 ( apart from during world war 2). 60,000 name engraved on the walls of those soldiers they never found a body for.
[cite]Posted By: BDL[/cite]Did the Normandy beaches about 18 years ago.
Anyone who goes must visit theMemorial for peaceat Caen. There is a film which uses modern day images of Omaha beach and shots from The Longest Day cut together. It was one of the most powerful images I have ever seen.
Outside the museum you can see the remains of the old town and how battered they were.
Also went to Arromanches and Point du Hoc.
When my youngest reaches or nears double figures I am going to take both my boys to see the beaches and hopefully it will make them appreciate the sacrifices that were made by so many young men in both the Great and Second World Wars.
Went there again this summer. Well worth a visit.
If you are ever going over to Calais on a booze run their are loads nearby. Huge cemetery at Estaples where the training camp was.
Not sure if I could take going to Auswicht or another of the camps but if I was nearby would have to go. Never forget, never again.
All very moving to read these family rememberances and extremely touching. Always wanted to go over and visit the ww1 sites and will do one day. No family memories from me, my forebearers were busy eating potatoes and drinking Guinness but my brother is now doing his bit. Recently returned from Afghanistan.
We have been over loads of times and are going again next month. Have been researching my Grandfathers part in the war and walking the battelfields he fought in. We even found an unexploded shell (part of the iron harvest) and some shrapnell. My Grandfather was in the Post Office Rifles 8th London, luckily I have been able to find a copy of the regiments diary and a book of their history "Terriers in the Trenches" so I can follow were he fought right up to end in 1918. He survived the war.
There was an excellent documentary on C4 last night, time team special, digging down to an WW1 bunker nicknamed vampir in Ypres (prounounced eep apparently)
, built by a specialist Brit team made up of miners and engineers.
"Not sure if I could take going to Auswicht or another of the camps but if I was nearby would have to go. Never forget, never again."
Went to Auswitz a couple of years ago whilst visiting Krakow. Well worth a visit if you're ever in the area. The most moving part was the display of hair and shoes that the Russians discovered when they liberated the place. Far worse than going in the gas chamber, which is really just an empty room. You can still pick out kids pigtails and platted hair.
Did the Normandy beaches & sites whilst on holiday this year. Also been to Etaples near Le Touquet.
I go over regularly with IMissThe PeanutMan. Both of us have visited the graves/memorials of virtually all the men with the same surname as us - I would say at least 50 cemetaries in both France and Belgium.
All of them are beautiful yet very sad places. When you see your own surname on a headstone for the first time, I defy you not to shed a tear, just remembering what that person went through.
A good place to start is at http://www.cwgc.org. Just put in your surname (I wouldn't bother AFKA :-)), WW1 and see what comes up.
As posted previously, Ypres, is probably the easiest place to start - (particularly as three major battles were fought there, and the biggest Commonwealth Cemetary at Tyne Cott is close by) - but places like The Somme battlefield, Loos, Chemin de Dammes, Verdun (though virtually a French/German battle only) and Mons (where the 1st and last empire casualty are buried in the same cemetary) are all well worth a visit.
To see cemetary after cemetary from the memorial at Theipval as you view around the ridge is an incredible sight - each one representing a different part of the front/attacks during the Somme offensive, between July and November 1916.
Henry also mentioned Etaples which is at Le Touquet. It is an absolutely stunning Commonwealth cemetary set at the old bull ring where the troops went through the last stages of training before going to the front. I believe it's the largest in France (the Theipval memorial is a relatively small cemetary, despite the fact there are the names of the 73,000 missing from The Somme).
I went to Ypres when i was at school.. (secondary)
even then when i didnt really understand much about it, it was such an emotional place..
something i will never forget..
We visited the cemetarys & the trenches..
Just to say that Peanutman and myself are off to France and Belgium for a couple of days tomorrow.
We will be popping into Caterpillar Valley cemetary, Longueval on The Somme to visit the grave of Fred Chick who was the Charlton trainer in the 1913/14 season and died at the Battle of The Somme on 31st August 1916.
[cite]Posted By: Addickted[/cite]Just to say that Peanutman and myself are off to France and Belgium for a couple of days tomorrow.
We will be popping into Caterpillar Valley cemetary, Longueval on The Somme to visit the grave of Fred Chick who was the Charlton trainer in the 1913/14 season and died at the Battle of The Somme on 31st August 1916.
A suitable tribute will be left.
RIP Fred.
I was trying to post up the article from the programme about the Charlton staff who fought in the first war but couldn't.
I've been to the somme Which was really something (Went for the Gordon Highlanders - a few were relatives of my step father and the only man to die from Horley Henry Webber)
I was shocked and awed by all the death truly upsetting.
Comments
it's all a front by Medders he loves me really.
Ypres is an awesome place and should be a must for everyone , especially on the 11th day , the last post has been played every night at the Menin Gate at 8pm since 1928 ( apart from during world war 2). 60,000 name engraved on the walls of those soldiers they never found a body for.
Went there again this summer. Well worth a visit.
If you are ever going over to Calais on a booze run their are loads nearby. Huge cemetery at Estaples where the training camp was.
Not sure if I could take going to Auswicht or another of the camps but if I was nearby would have to go. Never forget, never again.
Have been researching my Grandfathers part in the war and walking the battelfields he fought in.
We even found an unexploded shell (part of the iron harvest) and some shrapnell.
My Grandfather was in the Post Office Rifles 8th London, luckily I have been able to find a copy of the regiments
diary and a book of their history "Terriers in the Trenches" so I can follow were he fought right up to end in 1918.
He survived the war.
, built by a specialist Brit team made up of miners and engineers.
Agincourt
Ypers (my grandad fought there twice , wounded once and his brother killed)
Battle Hill in hastings in October --lay some flowers to remember the last king of the English
all we need is a plan , an organiser and a man with a van ---------------------hold on
PS My Grand dad always called it WIPERS and thats good enough for me , he fought for the it after all.
Wipers it is then......have no problem with that.
Man with van........oh yeah
Over 40,000 + in the Cem` in Ypers. 40,000 stunning .
Went to Auswitz a couple of years ago whilst visiting Krakow. Well worth a visit if you're ever in the area. The most moving part was the display of hair and shoes that the Russians discovered when they liberated the place. Far worse than going in the gas chamber, which is really just an empty room. You can still pick out kids pigtails and platted hair.
Did the Normandy beaches & sites whilst on holiday this year. Also been to Etaples near Le Touquet.
All of them are beautiful yet very sad places. When you see your own surname on a headstone for the first time, I defy you not to shed a tear, just remembering what that person went through.
A good place to start is at http://www.cwgc.org. Just put in your surname (I wouldn't bother AFKA :-)), WW1 and see what comes up.
As posted previously, Ypres, is probably the easiest place to start - (particularly as three major battles were fought there, and the biggest Commonwealth Cemetary at Tyne Cott is close by) - but places like The Somme battlefield, Loos, Chemin de Dammes, Verdun (though virtually a French/German battle only) and Mons (where the 1st and last empire casualty are buried in the same cemetary) are all well worth a visit.
To see cemetary after cemetary from the memorial at Theipval as you view around the ridge is an incredible sight - each one representing a different part of the front/attacks during the Somme offensive, between July and November 1916.
Henry also mentioned Etaples which is at Le Touquet. It is an absolutely stunning Commonwealth cemetary set at the old bull ring where the troops went through the last stages of training before going to the front. I believe it's the largest in France (the Theipval memorial is a relatively small cemetary, despite the fact there are the names of the 73,000 missing from The Somme).
even then when i didnt really understand much about it, it was such an emotional place..
something i will never forget..
We visited the cemetarys & the trenches..
We will be popping into Caterpillar Valley cemetary, Longueval on The Somme to visit the grave of Fred Chick who was the Charlton trainer in the 1913/14 season and died at the Battle of The Somme on 31st August 1916.
A suitable tribute will be left.
RIP Fred.
I was trying to post up the article from the programme about the Charlton staff who fought in the first war but couldn't.
Admin can I post up PDF files and if so how?
I was shocked and awed by all the death truly upsetting.
And here are all their names.
http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_reports.aspx?cemetery=40039&mode=1