Battle of the Somme

[Debs]

On Friday 15th I will be going over to Paris for a long weekend... My ferry is from Dover to Calais. The route from Calais to Paris takes me through the Somme... I would like to stop off on the way to get some pics... Can anyone recommend places to visit en route.

One place I am going to visit is the large crater at Lochnagar. Any other ideas welcome.

[O.C.]

Debs, we visited various sites whilst on tour in August last year, there are so many of them to see.

You don't seem to be blessed with lots of time, but check out these recommendations, and maybe select one or two.

Pozieres ~ British Cemetary

Thiepval ~ Anglo French cemetary

Beaumont Hamel ~ Newfoundland cemetary

VIMY ~ Canadian cemetary, this one is a MUST see in my book.

There really are sooooo many to see, this is a useful site for reference

http://www.historvius.com/ww1-battlefields-in-france/fr97

Hopefully you'll have good weather and bring some pictures back, it's a very sobering thing to visit these sites and the memory of them will remain with me for ever 

[patrick]

Beaumont Hamel ~ Newfoundland cemetary

VIMY ~ Canadian cemetary, this one is a MUST see in my book.

I've been to both of these.... including the tunnels at Vimmy

P

[tommytool]

Tyne Cot Cemetary, Ypres at 8.00pm for last post and that crater at Loch nagar.  We are going over next year as part of the centenary commemoration.

Strolling through Sanctuary Wood last year ( the trees there are the offspring of the original trees shelled to splinters during the war - the old stumps are still there) I came across a British 18lb er shell which had obviously exploded but only partially. Bring that back in the pannier was fun !

I'd also visit the cloth hall and church in Ypres. It's a most beautiful place and testimony to the town that rebuilt it brick by brick after the war.

Enjoy your trip!

[O.C.]

Yep we stayed over in ypres on out return, I liked it so much that Gillian and I went last December for a weekend break, and we are going again in 3 weeks time

When we visited in 2012 we were fortunate in having a full week to visit so many of the sites, memorials and museums, it was a very, very special experience

[Debs]

Ive already been to Ypres and Tyne Cot..

This time I'm heading south, and as I'm passing the Somme, I will stop over for a few hours... I have decided where to go and will post pics.

I've been to both of these.... including the tunnels at Vimmy

P

Whats this then?

[O.C.]

Debs, Vimy is the memorial to the fallen of the Canadian regiments (Vimy Ridge battle), and the site of some of the most horific battles, its also a staggeringly and strangely beautiful place to visit, and the memorial itself is massive, here's a pic of the main memorial





reconstructed Trenches




Vimy Tunnel entrance





To be honest every site we visited, including a couple of German memorials which are generally less easy to find,  were stunning in their own way and all are meticulously maintained 

[Debs]

Thank you for that OC.. I will stop here first.. Looks a nice place to visit..

My Ferry is at 7am and will be in Calais for 9:30am. I dont intend to get to Paris until about 5pm, and its just under 3 hours there... I will have plenty of time to visit the places I want