Emma and Lindsey Go Forth

[rendellers]

Following our successful short break around Ieper last August we are off again and thank you to so many people on so many threads for giving us ideas.

• We are booked to see War Horse next Tuesday evening.
• I exchanged Tesco vouchers to make the Eurotunnel crossing.
• We are going to travel down to Caen and stay there 2 nights because Emma ( 22 year old daughter) really wants to see the D Day landing beaches. En route may try to go to Rouen because my grandfather was in the Number 2 British red Cross hospital there
• To have some kind of theme to our trip we are going to try and visit the cemeteries and memorials for my maiden name TEBB, although none of the soldiers appear to have a direct connection to us, so on this leg of the trip we hope to get to Blosseville-Sur-Mer Churchyard (WW2) and Tourgeville Military Cemetary
• Then we are circling around the north of Paris originally to take in Monet's Gardens but now probably a sprint into Paris
• On August 1st we're going to visit Compiègne/Rethondes en route to spending a week at Chavasse Farm in one of the cottages
• Whilst in that area I want to go to Essarts-les- Bucquoy which is where I believe my grandfather was recommended for the Military Cross http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...623&hl=tebb
• We hope to get to Loos Memorial, Pozieres British Cemetary, Viz-en-Artois Memoriail, Thiepval and Albert and Arras as well as just soak up the atmosphere of the Somme plus Meaulte and Bouzencourt Cemeteries for two known Bean relatives
• On August 8th we are moving on to Ieper via Fromelles. Having spent two brilliant afternoons last year zooming around the area with Jacques Ryckebosch we want to revisit Tyne Cot and Cement House Cemetery. I also want to go back to Langemarck which I found very affecting and maybe Ploogstert
• New places we might go are Hooge Crater, Poperinge, Dilkesmunde, and the Harry Patch Monument
• We return to England on the 10th via St Omer and La Coupole.

My real interest lies with my grandfather Charles William Tebb RFA. His service history as far as I can make out is May 1909 enlisted 8th London Howitzer Brigade, beacme a driver then a bombadier. May 1914 promoted corporal, 12/8/1914 promoted Sergeant. 16/3/1915 landed in France. 18/3/1916 promoted Battery Quarter Master Sergeant . 12/6/1916 he returned from one months leave. On 28/12/ 1916 he proceeded on 10 days leave. I think he was serving D 235 Battery in the 47th Division.

From 14/4/1917 to 24/12/1917 he was on Home Service training for a commission and returned to France to 124 Brigade RFA 37th Division

Apart from the citation above I dont really know where he was. He was wounded on 25 /8/1918 and returned home deemed permamently unfit for service 16/5/1919

Sorry for long post but do any more knowledgeable people have any comments on what else we might include relevant to granddads service?

Happy to take photos if I can- but won't quarantee quality.

[bruce]

Wow! Your planning is like a real military operation. I just get over there and wander as fancy takes me.

If going to Hooge Crater Cem., pop into the museum over the road too. Then walk up to the chateau grounds (all of 200 yards) and pay 50c to get in and have a good look.

In Pop, go to the execution cells under the Town Hall, and Talbot House is a must. Park in the square and get to the Information Office under the Town Hall. You can purchase a parking permit there for not a lot, which allows you to park in the square and does not have a time limit (in case you go back next year, the year after, etc.) It looks remarkably like a Blue disabled badge!

In Dixmuide, visit the Yser Tower, especially the viewing gallery at the top, and the Trenches of Death. As you come out of the Tower, cross straight over at the traffic lights, alongside the canal, and they are free and about a mile down the road. A coffee in the Hotel de Vrede in the square afterwards is nice on a warm day too.

Enjoy your trip!

Bruce

[paul guthrie]

Don't drive in Paris!

[rendellers]

Thank you both! It's been thought about for a year so I quess it does seem planned and we'll definitely be letting the train take the strain getting into Paris.

Anybody else got any suggestions especially about artillery, or a place where we would get the view of the lie of the land that the gunners would have had?

Thanks

Lindsey