Thiepval Visitor Centre

[sunflower]

I have recently returned from the Somme during which I paid a visit to the new Thiepval Visitor Centre.

I would like to ask any forum members who have managed to visit it what their thoughts are regarding its structure and content.

For me, the most striking exhibit was the collection of photographs of the men who are named on the Memorial to the Missing. I recollect there was around 600 or so (and possibly still to be added to). It was really good to see some faces of the soldiers whose names line the walls of the memorial itself.

On my previous visit to the Memorial to the Missing, it was full of people, this time around the Visitor Centre was full of people (and so it should be) but when I went on to the Memorial itself, there was no one there. I had just left the visitor centre and there was a huge queue buying books, etc but even after twenty minutes there was only a couple of people at the Memorial. When I left a bus drew up and I only assume it was the school children who were in the visitor centre coming to view the actual memorial.

I believe that it is good that we have another centre that can tell what happened on the Somme, to go along with the excellent Delville Wood, Newfoundland Park and Ulster Tower memorials. I just hope that the kids take time to walk around the memorial itself and not just gaze upon the model in the visitor centre. I also reckon visitors should go to the memorial first then the visitor centre but that is just my own personal view.

Oh, the toilets are superb. Sunflower

[KIRKY]

Can anyone tell me opening times and days it is open as I am going to The Somme in a couple of weks.

Tony

[sunflower]

Hi Tony

It is open 10 am to 6 pm. You can find out more at the new Somme Tourism website for the battlefields on

http://www.somme-battlefields.com

Enjoy your trip, I had some excellent weather only a week ago.

sunflower

[Bob Foster]

I visited the centre in September. The film being shown was good and the quality of the information available was also good. However one thing did strike me. There are computer terminals giving access to the CWGC website and the Soldiers Died CD. There were a number of people "playing" with these and I helped someone who was unsure . I believe that if the computer bank was staffed by someone with a reasonable knowledge of how to get at the info and how to use it, it could enthuse many people to find out more.

Bob Foster

[sunflower]

Totally agree with you Bob.

I mean why cant there be British students in the centre to help visitors access the terminals and act as guides. Not everyone can work a computer.

At Newfoundland Park, Canadian students offer information and advice to the vast numbers of coachloads and visitors. They are brought over every year and staff the visitor centre and are excellent guides.

Think there is scope for something like this rather than staff just ringing up a cash machine for books sold or the odd bookmark.

Perhaps it is in the pipeline.....

Other ideas anyone?

[ianw]

I suspect that most if not all staff will be associated with the book sales counter. Probably difficult anyway to get French staff with the requisite language skills and a knowledge of the British Army during the Great War. I agree that it would be nice if someone could be available to give advice to British and Commonwealth visitors. This would certainly be an excellent idea at times of peak visitor traffic - say in July and other times.

I am sure that volunteers would be forthcoming - probably from this very Forum. I would certainly give a day or two a year. I wonder how such an offer would be received ?

I also agree that the photo montage of the 600 faces is breath-taking. Such a simple idea but very powerful.

[sunflower]

I think your idea is great Ian about Forum members offering their services on a voluntary basis.

I had only been thinking about students coming from Britain to help but the Forum members are probably even more knowledgeable.

Some Canadian guides need to be tutored up about what happened at Newfoundland Park before going to France. I spoke to two over two separate visits who had no prior knowledge whatsoever before coming over to the park. I am not saying that is a bad thing, it is a good thing that they are learning about their history.

As I said before, maybe the Thiepval Visitor Centre has something like this in the pipeline and will have people on hand for visitors to ask for info. If they dont, it is a great opportunity wasted.

I would suggest that volunteers are recruited (students or forum members). Dont know who would pay for the students upkeep as it is Canadian government (I think) who pay for the staff at Newfoundland.

Still maybe they think the exhibits speak for themselves....