Hedley Malloch Posted 10 March , 2003 Share Posted 10 March , 2003 A small piece in the English language French press records that last year Vimy Ridge received 275,357 visitors including 57 Canadian Veterans. Restoration work is now in hand in four cemeteries on the Ridge; repair work on the Twin Tower Sentinels is to start this autumn and will not be completed until 2006. Canadian experts are working to find more precise information about the tunnel network on the site; they have made an unexpected find of a large mine still on the site This year a rememberance wreath will be laid by Al Puxley, the Veteran Affairs of Canada representative on April 9, the anniversary of the start of the battle. Further details from Mr. Puxley or Laure on +33/(0)32 150 6868. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 17 March , 2003 Share Posted 17 March , 2003 Thanks for the notice Hedley, I have checked on Al Puxley on our data base and these are his coordinates here in Canada: Al Puxley Director European Operations(France) Veterans Affairs Canada Canada Remembers Division Charlottetown 97 Queen Street PO Box: PO Box 7700 IB 304 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Canada C1A 8M9 Telephone: 011-33321506868 I will give drop him a line and find out details and post them. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 19 March , 2003 Share Posted 19 March , 2003 Hedley and Richard, You have probably visited the Australian War Memorial web-site and may have seen there reproductions of oil paintings by Will Longstaff; 'Menin Gate at Midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)" and "Immortal shrine (Eternal silence)." These are sometimes referred to as examples of his 'spiritualist work' as they portray ghostly figures of soldiers at the Menin Gate and the Cenotaph, London. There is a third painting on this theme, also dark, moonlit and with the ghostly figures of helmeted soldiers, this time passing the memorial at Vimy Ridge. Longstaff painted it in about 1931 and for many years it was said to be hidden away in a committee room at the Canadian House of Commons. If this painting is not more widely known, then in my opinion it should be. Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 19 March , 2003 Share Posted 19 March , 2003 Another Longstaff painting on the same theme depicts ghostly soldiers standing on the dunes ,looking out over the English channel back towards "Blighty". I can't remember it's title,but personally, I find this the most powerful of the four. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 20 March , 2003 Share Posted 20 March , 2003 Dave, The name of the 4th painting is "Carillon" and it is held by the Archives of New Zealand. It is said to represent the ghosts of New Zealand soldiers on the beach of Belgium listening to the carillon bells in their own country. Longstaff painted it in 1932. There was said to another painting by Longstaff in this series "The Rearguard (The spirit of ANZAC) but this one disappeared. Ms Anne Gray who wrote the AWM brochure 'Will Longstaff: Art and Remembrance' speculates that Longstaff may have changed the name of this 5th painting to "Drake's drum" and that it might be the same painting which the pupils of Buckingham College presented to Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on their wedding day. (This latter painting is said to show ghostly soldiers rising on the Sussex shore, in answer to the call of Drake's drum.) Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 11 April , 2003 Share Posted 11 April , 2003 Michael: No, I don't know about the "Australian War Memorial web-site" where can I find that? There is a great painting (actually a few) at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada and I think that may be the one that you are talking about. I was there a few months back and I recall something about the "ghosts" and I know it is a Vimy painting. If not, I will be in Ottawa next week and I can check around for more details. I hear that there are big dollars going to be spent on the museum. We were going to spend it on the submarines we bought from the UK but I think they gave up, then they thought of spending it to support to coalition in Iraq but gave up on that as well. The Canadian War Museum web site is located at: http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/cwme.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 11 April , 2003 Share Posted 11 April , 2003 Laughton The Australian War Memorial's website http://www.awm.gov.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 11 April , 2003 Admin Share Posted 11 April , 2003 Dave Bartlett sells copies of Vimy, Menin Gate, the Cenotaph, and Carillon Dave Bartlett can be contacted at www.battlefields.co.uk or info@battlefields.co.uk Regards, Michelle PS I know I've gone a bit off thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 11 April , 2003 Share Posted 11 April , 2003 Dave Bartlett sells copies of Vimy, Menin Gate, the Cenotaph, and Carillon Dave Bartlett can be contacted at www.battlefields.co.uk or info@battlefields.co.uk Regards, Michelle PS I know I've gone a bit off thread! For anyone who happens to find themselves in Ieper,there's also a shop selling these on the left hand side of the road as you approach the Menin Gate from the Groote Markt. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 11 April , 2003 Share Posted 11 April , 2003 Richard, I've got to the key-board a little late this morning and our good friends seem to have already got you all the info which you need on this. Thanks for putting up the CWM site address Have a good trip to Ottawa Best regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 12 April , 2003 Share Posted 12 April , 2003 The joys of being in Canada (the colony) so that while I sleep the others respond. Thanks to all, I have bookmarked the sites and now I have a project for Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 15 April , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2003 Visited Vimy Ridge for the first time on Sunday. It was a bright, warm, sunny day and the place was packed with families, mostly French, out for a walk. There were the usual frustrations (toilets locked, information points closed and credit cards refused) but what impressed me was the quiet, orderly nature of the French visitors. They were many in both cemeteries; their behaviour was quiet, respectful and decorous; a timely reminder that recent events at Etaples are totally unrepresentative of what the overwhelming majority of French people think about British war dead. OK, I know it is mainly associated with Canada but there is no shortage of UK casualties in the Canadian No.2 cemetery Went home and dug out Breton's book on Vimy, a book I have long been meaning to read. I must find out some more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broznitsky Posted 15 April , 2003 Share Posted 15 April , 2003 Hedley, see my post in Chit-Chat about the recent declaration of Vimy Ridge Day in Canada. Now I must read Pierre Berton's book too! Maybe he'll mention 3rd Pioneers . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 I am jealous, as I have never been to Vimy Ridge or to any battlefield. How lucky you are to be so closed in space, but we are all far away in time. Pierre Berton's book is okay but as I have learnt more it is very much missing the role that all nation's played in this great battle. I read it first thinking that it was the Canadian story and my grandfather was Canadian. At that time I did not know that he served with the 26th NF and so I missed a lot. The best Canadian book is by far that of Nicholson and then after that the others I have posted on the web site. Some day, soon I hope, I will get the chance to meet some of you on the European battlefields. What day are you proposing as "Canada Day" so that you can give us all the real tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Lines Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 Hedley Vimy seems to be a popular area with the local French and I can confirm what you say from my experiences as every time I have been there the area has been very well respected. The Sun newspaper and others have a lot to answer for. I was surprised also that the tunnels etc. were shut when I was last there on 15th April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 When I was there some years ago, the French treated it as a park and were used to the environs... nothing nasty about it, it was a pleasant afternoon. By the way just come back from Ypres myself yesterday, having spent time with Charlotte at Varlet Farm. Laughton I spoke to a couple from New Zealand who were on a European Tour which included the Western Front (relating to the New Zealand regiments). Perhaps one day you will be able to make it.. Believe me it is worth every minute. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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