First visit to the Battlefields

[Tasape]

Have just returned from my first (hopefully of many) to France. I went to where my grandad was wounded at Joncourt just north of St Quentin.

As I expected the cemetries we visited were all superbly kept, I have one question though at the Uplands cemetry there was no visitors book is this common?

On the edge of Joncourt there is still several bunkers intact that formed part of the German line. These along with being able to see the layout of the ground the attack took place over was excellent and helpfull in my research, coupled with the oppertunity to pay my respects to some of my grandads friends who were killed in the action made for an excellent weekend.

I used St Quentin as my base for the visit and found it to be a pleasant place to stay and spend the evenings.

To cut down on the driving I used the eurostar to Lille and hired a car from there after giving myself and my girlfriend a couple of heart attacks at the start I enjoyed the drive, I've put this in in case there is anyone else out there who like myself before I went had some trepidation about driving.

So an excellant weekend was had and thanks to everyone who puts little tips and thoughts on the forum which helps amatures like myself get the most out of our time in France.

[centurion]

Have just returned from my first (hopefully of many) to France. I went to where my grandad was wounded at Joncourt just north of St Quentin.

As I expected the cemetries we visited were all superbly kept, I have one question though at the Uplands cemetry there was no visitors book is this common?

I think that it must be something of a rarity. Certainly every cemetery I visited on the Somme earlier this month had one

[keithmroberts]

Quite a few of the smaller cemeteries do not have a register or a visitors' book. It is always frustrating, just as the theft of registers from other cemeteriesstill seems to occur far too often.

Keith

[Neil Mackenzie]

Tasape

Well done on making your first trip. As you say hopefully it will be the first of many.

Given the number of burials in Uplands (43) it is possible there is no register/visitors book. Was there a box built into the wall near the entrance to hold these? If there was then it should have them and you might wish to advise CWGC accordingly.

Neil

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Uplands Cemetery does not have a visitor's book or on-site register. This is quite usual for "smaller" cemeteries.

Tom

[centurion]

I have to admit none of the ones I visited was that small

[tootrock]

I seem to remember from visits some years ago that the registers for several small cemeteries were incorporated in that of a nearby large cemetery.

Martin

[Tasape]

Thanks all for your reply's.

There was no location for a visitors book at Uplands.I wonder if the CWGC uses a number to decide for a visitors book or not I also visited Joncourt (58) again no visitors book but at Joncourt East (70) and Ramicourt (108) there was.