Marilyne Posted 9 April , 2013 Share Posted 9 April , 2013 36 hours to go before my long-expected tour of the front line!!! Thought I'd keep everyone posted on the wanderings of the Belgian Walking Bear!! On the attached foto you can see part of the planning process: three weeks of rummaging over maps, in books and on the net... no GPS though... I'd rather use IGN!! First stop thursday: Verdun!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 9 April , 2013 Admin Share Posted 9 April , 2013 No GPS for me either Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted 10 April , 2013 Share Posted 10 April , 2013 Well, I hope you have a great time and you respect the Bear when it gets tired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 11 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2013 Day one of the tour... and it rains... and rains... and rains... Fortunately, today was mostly around the city, so place enough to shelter if it became too hard... Started out at the Tourist info and the Monument aux Enfants de Verdun. It's a simple, but very strong monument, shouting out that one principle on which the whole defense of Verdun was based: "Ils ne passeront pas" - They shall not pass. Then got the marvellous "Walking Verdun" from Christina Holstein out of the bag and started on the City Walk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 11 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2013 OK... maybe I took a shortcut... i went first to the Monument de la victoire and had a very interesting chat with the guy watching the building. He explained to me that every year, on the 1st november, members of the association "Ceux de Verdun" get a spark from the flame at the Unknown Soldier in Paris and bring it down... on foot... (now that's a march!!). they then light the flame inside the Vicotry monument in front of the Livre d'Or, which will then burn for 10 days and 10 nights. On the 11th November, the flame is separated in 10 others and children take those flames to the destroyed villages of the Verdun sector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 11 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2013 so on the way I got to see the Carrefour des maréchaux. By the time I got to Joffre, it started raining like crazy again, so I sprinted back to the entrance of the citadel and paid that a visit (on reduced fare for being military..) . I owe thanks to the teacher of the group that was also there, who said "when we start, I don't want to hear a single word of you. i'm used to your ranting, but the lady with us not!!" and they were silent... For those who never went to the citadel: it's a 25min visit on a little electronical train. the exhibition is then automatic... lights, sounds, voices, 3D actors on screen, shifting panels and when you go "through the trench", the video is made as if you're the company commander, the soldiers giving way and calling to you... Technology at its best for the good of the war. Not bad, mind you, but I do have mixed feelings on this kind of exhibitions. But interesting nevertheless. then you get off the train and on foot to the remake of the choosing of the unknown soldier, which took originally place in the citadel. Cue to the last thing of the day I wanted to see: the cimetière Pavé Faubourg, where the "other" unknown soldiers lay : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 11 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2013 By the time I got there I was already soaked, bespite the umbrella... umbrella is actually just for the camera... but holding umbrella plus camera and trying to zoom... not easy. So .. it is actually a "speciality" of France that they have burried, in a special place, those soldiers not chosen by Auguste Thin. They lay in the middle of the cemetery, around the cross overseeing it. i think it's still a special honour for these men.. whoever they might be. The plaque in front of them urges the visitor to pay respect. After all, it might very well be your son, husband, brother or friend... or anybody you might know. that concluded my first day in Verdun... Big plans for tomorrow, hope the sun will come out a bit and that I'll be able to make some nice pictures on the big walk tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 11 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2013 Well, I hope you have a great time and you respect the Bear when it gets tired. Bear stayed inside on this day... he's the only one still dry!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 12 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2013 Day Two... and starting with important news: there are works on one half of the Douaumont cemetery, so it's not accessible for a few month AND the exterior of the memorial is being refurbished. Apart from that, it was grizzly being there all alone this morning, ready to walk!! So on the tour today: start from the ossuarium, to the Bayonet-trench (which I find, personally, the most unimpressive memorial there is. Big, huge and supposed to be impressive, but too much fairytale surrounding it. and not a single bayonet...) then through some very muddy roads up the PC Driant and the surrounding monuments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 12 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2013 then through some more mud... some things have ot changed in nearly 100 years... to the villages of Beaumont and Bezonvaux, to finish at douaumont. nearly got blown off the darn thing, but the view is superb!! Bezonvaux is quite nice to visit. A was lucky to have caught the one and only ray of sunshine coming through on that day, between two showers!! What's nice in Bezonvaux is that the outdoor exhibition makes it so much closer to us... like that milk can. Quite a stupid object, but in this context, it takes on a very special meaning. Like the inhabitants just left... or like someone might want to pick it up and say "I belong here, I live here!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 12 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2013 Last stop of the day was then the memorial in Fleury. Had to endure a particularly loud and rude school class... I believe we had this topic not long ago... my respect to the staff, who has to endure this every single day!!! I remember only a very small part of the memorial on our first visit.. logic..; had like five minutes inside!! the centerpiece is well done, with the two planes over it. the structure of the museum is nicely done, one can follow the evolution of the campaign in all its aspects: tactical, logistical, personnal. so much better than those over-technologised exhibitions!! One thing is for sure: I need much more time, I need more days, which means... I'll have to be back in this area. tomorrow... moving up the line!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 12 April , 2013 Share Posted 12 April , 2013 Nice photos Marilyne. 'My trip to Verdun' thread followed a similar path, but its nice to see the same sites from a different perspective. Looking forward to your trip. Regards, Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 12 April , 2013 Share Posted 12 April , 2013 Looks a great trip your having, great photos. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted 13 April , 2013 Share Posted 13 April , 2013 That cemetery shot is a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 13 April , 2013 Share Posted 13 April , 2013 Just a suggestion but why not post your photos on Flickr in a Verdun set. Once this is done all that is needed is just one post on the forum with a link to the set. Saves multiple postings and viewers can link to the photos on Flickr and enlarge or comment etc. Like this See post 7 http://1914-1918.inv...howtopic=180994 Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 13 April , 2013 Share Posted 13 April , 2013 ....And not the 1st Bear to take part in such an expedition.... this chap went to France with 6th Service Bn The Northamptonshire Regiment, a gift from a little girl on embarkation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 13 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2013 Norman... thanks for the tip... somebody has a "flickr for dummies" ??? I haven't got a clue... but I'll look. Harry, thanks for this. The Bear likes!!! on with the pictures du jour. Today passed at the Mort Homme first and then at Cote 304, but without long walks. first because still freezing, second because a lot of mud that I did not want in my car. and... lots to do!! Grizzly monument !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 13 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2013 then i moved on to Monfaucon for a visit to the memorial and the cemetery. I spent an hour on the cemetery alone. Absolutely grand!! i had no idea there were places like this so close. i felt overwhelmed!! Finally, I got back in the car and looked up the road to Reims, where I am now, staying with a friend... and got as far as 500m before seeing a sign "museum". Oh, why not?? ..; and entered the proverbial cave of Ali Baba!!! it's a small museum in Romagne, held by a Dutch couple (felt at home immediately). the owner has been searching for stuff since his youth and has an absolutely amazing collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 13 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2013 Museum detail: Romagne '14-'18, 2 rue de l'Andon in 55110 romagne sous Maufaucon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 13 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2013 oops... forgot pictures!! And before anyone asks: canon 50mm f/1,8 !!! Love that little thing!! CU tomorrow !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 13 April , 2013 Share Posted 13 April , 2013 Maryline, I'm enjoying the photos and the descriptions of the places you're visiting. Please keep them coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted 13 April , 2013 Share Posted 13 April , 2013 That helmet is a bit weird and spooky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 14 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2013 Hi all, Today, my friend thierry took me on a tour around Reims. We started at the fort de la Pompelle, which is partly dedicates to the Russian Brigades that fought for France, but alos has an amazing collection of German trench art and helmets!!!! They also have a small part on air warfare, where I found a maquette of a Belgian Plane!! We then went to the Russian Chapel nearby (reference to the russian brigades) and to one of the destroyed villages in the vincinity. We wanted to go to the Memorial of the Légion Etrangère, but this monument is situated on the military domein of Suippes, near the shooting ranges. If you want to visit, you have to make an appointment with the security officer of the camp!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 14 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2013 then in the afternoon, as the sun was high shining and we had time, we decided to go up to Belleau Wood. Amazing !! We started out at the memorial of Chateau Thierry. We managed NOT to kill those youngsters running and jumping and climbing ON the monument, please note!! (although, I commented to my friend that GWF pal Chris C and i know a US colonel who would have probably atomized them in his own special way!!!!) We then went to Belleau itself, visited the cemetery and then the woods. The cemetery is a little bit smaller than Moutfaucon, although in some way more impressive due to its form and the way the tombs are placed. Still a very nice place. Very quiet and a little more charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 14 April , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2013 And with this I just passed captain !!!!!!! :w00t: Which means my GWF rank is now the same as my real one !!! So the end of the day was in Belleau Wood, truly a legendary place !! the wood now has some nice displays of canons, commemorative plates and a central monument. what I absolutely adored was the fact that this place, so full of painful memories is now covered in the most beautiful white flowers, which made up for the most amazing pictures!!! I'll just sit down with a glass of wine now and review them all and I'll post some more "art" pics tomorrow!!! Tomorrow, I'm up to the Somme !! MM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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