When in Belgium a couple of weeks ago on the Unity Protest I was fortunate to spend the Sunday visiting First World War sites around Ypres with other fans, many of them Lifers. We were guided by Clive Harris, himself a Lifer, who whilst a Charlton fan is also a published Military Historian who owns a business running trips to the WW1 battlefields in France and Belgium. We visited the Menin Gate in Ypres, Plug Street (where British forces played football against the Germans on Christmas Day 2014) and finally Nobby Nightingale's grave. The day had a profound effect on me and I decided then that I wanted to return to visit more sites and better educate myself as to the events of WW1 and especially those around Ypres and Passchendaele..
I then hit upon an idea of a Charlton Life trip to the battlefields and approached Clive about it. He agreed to be our guide for the trip and we are currently putting together the figures for an overnight trip. We are looking to put on the trip for either Friday 14th/Saturday 15th July or Saturday 15th/Sunday 16th July. The cost will include coach fare, Eurotunnel or Ferry costs and accommodation costs. Clive very kindly waived his usual fee for the trip but suggested a contribution to charity so there will be included in the cost a £10 'donation' which will be split equally between the CAFC Museum and the Charlton Upbeats, two very worthy causes.
Clive will work on an itinerary for the trip but it will be fluid as it's hard to determine exactly how long we will spend at the sites visited, what the weather will be like, traffic problems etc but we will have time to visit numerous sites which will include among others Nobby Nightingale's grave, Tyne Cot Cemetery and the Menin Gate at Ypres. We plan to visit the Menin Gate in early evening so as to take in the ceremony held daily at 8pm where we can hopefully lay a wreath on behalf of all supporters of Charlton Athletic Football Club and hear the Last Post played as a tribute to those commemorated at the Menin Gate.
The object of this initial thread is to gauge the interest from you all so I would urge anyone interested to say so here or send me a PM. Hopefully by next weekend we will be able to put out something a bit more substantial.
Thanks for reading,
Neal
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Comments
Clive is an excellent guide who gets the balance between military history and human experience just right.
I think i might be away in July but otherwise put me down.
Yes indeed
We also have Jimmy Seeds war to consider as he was wounded towards Neuiport and I would like to visit there on the way back.
As said the tour will be run at cost only (coach/ferry/hotel) and then a donation to the museum/upbeats.
If its a success I am sure we can repeat to other parts of the 'old front line'
What will make this trip will be your stories, so if you do come and have a relation who fought in the Ypres Salient then do let me know so I can factor their story in if possible.
*the trip will be about history, a little beer and getting together, even though I can be a little outspoken at times Its not a protest and all are welcome*
Lest we forget
I just feel the time is right to pay Cpl Frederick J Crew of the West Kents a visit. Dad is poorly, it is a long day trip but there will be four grown men standing by the grave of someone they never knew but to who they owe everything, their very existance.
So we are off to Vormezeele on the 6th of April.