Mark Hone Posted 12 October , 2004 Share Posted 12 October , 2004 Just another note to say that I shall be in the Ypres Salient with my tenth anniversary school battlefields' tour over half term. On Sunday night (24th October) we shall be dedicating a memorial to the 97 Bury Grammar School Great War dead at St George's Church at 6 pm, followed by participation in the Last Post ceremony. If any Pals are in the area please give us a shout and anyone who wants to come is most welcome to the dedication service. Many of the boys are veterans of previous battlefield tours, in one case 5, so they are up for campaign medals ( Not least for listening to me droning on year after year!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Russell.Gore@crawley.gov.uk Posted 14 October , 2004 Share Posted 14 October , 2004 Hi Mark,just thought this may be of interest to you and your party,on the Menin Gate on the R.Fusilers panel are three Brothers,Surname of Rachiel ALL KILLED on the SAME DAY,and all with no known Grave,one Generation of a Family Wiped out.Spare a thought for their poor ma and pa.Enjoy your visit.Russell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philary Posted 18 October , 2004 Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Hello Mark You may remember our correspondence a few weeks ago. I am hoping to get to Vancouver Corner, on Friday. However we are leaving England at 2.15 pm, so think it very unlikely we will get there in time! We will travel straight there and think of you, however we probably won't meet up. I'm really sorry. Hope you have a great time Hilary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 18 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Oh dear, Hilary I don't think you'll make it. Never mind. I can't remember what you said your itinerary was on Saturday but we shall be in the Messines/Plugstreet Wood area in the morning. Look out for a double-decker coach with a Welsh address on it. We are going to recreate a photo of Indian troops at Whitesheet, the scene of the heroic stand by the London Scottish on Messines ridge and then to the site of the Royal Warwicks Christmas Truce (in which my great-uncle possibly participated) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philary Posted 18 October , 2004 Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Thanks Mark Will certainly try and make that, any particular time? Hilary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 19 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 October , 2004 About 9-30 at Whitesheet, 10 am at Messines, 11 at Plugstreet (approx). I was hoping to have a piper at Messines to play 'The Burning Mill at Messines' but it doesn't look as if he can make it. I'll be in full cry describing the battle though. We're going to walk into Plugstreet Wood to where Roland Leighton wrote his poem 'Villanelle ' as well as recreating the Christmas Truce and the birth of 'Old Bill'. We'll be parking by Prowse Point Cemetery and later going on to the Plugstreet Memorial. The weather is looking a bit dodgy for the weekend (as it always does!) so I might have to adjust timings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Mark you had to tell me about the piper earlier... I could arrange one. Any how, see you on sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philary Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Thanks Mark Will take your itinerary and see where we get too! Hil & Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 19 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Thanks all. Kristof-Bert Heyvaert was going to do it, but then he got on a course at Sheffield University so probably won't be able to make it. As I'm a fan of the pipes I might try to take advantage of your offer when we visit Aubers Ridge on next year's tour where two old boys of our school died with 1/4th Seaforth Highlanders. Anybody know what their regimental pipe tunes are? (Next year's tour,? Let's get this one over with first! Ed.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Mark. I was at Plogsteert a couple of weeks ago and they had a bike race on so you could not park anywhere near the memorial or get down some of the roads in the vicinity. I assume nothing like that is happening next weekend but you may wish to check. Best wishes for a successful tour and hope you don't lose too many. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 21 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 21 October , 2004 Off tonight. Anyone who's around in Ieper this weekend please say hello...I hope to report back on Monday/Tuesday, Pip! Pip! Mark H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Back home again? All ok Mark? It was a pleasure to guide your group. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 26 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2004 Our thanks are due to you Kristof, and everyone else who helped to make our anniversary tour such a memorable one, including numerous contributors to this forum. Kristof appeared in full 1917 Lancashire Fusiliers uniform for our battlefields walk on the Sunday, accompanying us on our retracing of the 2/5th LF's attack near St Julien on 31st July, using an authentic trench map kindly sent to me by Ken Lees. Kristof answered numerous questions on his amazing collection of kit from wide-eyed boys and then guided us round the fantastic Memorial Museum Passchendaele. Not only that but he did the whole thing twice as we had to split our 60 boys into two groups. While Kristof was talking to one group, the others were at Varlet Farm with the equally brilliant Charlotte, who described the attack on the farm and her phenomenal collection of 'Iron Harvest'. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see Charlotte on this occasion as I was down with Kristof and the battlefield walk. An immense vote of thanks to both of you. Our Memorial Plaque was successfully dedicated at St George's Church and our CCF once more participated in the Menin Gate ceremony. Thanks to Ray Jones and everyone at St George's (sorry for all my mithering beforehand) and Jacky and his dedicated colleagues at the Menin Gate. I shall send Chris Baker a photograph of our wreath laying ceremony at the grave of our 1914 school captain, John Hartington, carried out by the 2004 School Captain Will Webster, which I hope he can add to the 'Ordinary Heroes' feature on John. At the risk of turning this into Gwyneth Paltrow's Oscar acceptance speech I would also like to thank all the members of the forum who contributed information on diverse topics such as the exact location of the photograph of Indian Army soldiers at Whitesheet and Bertram Best-Dunkley VC. And finally thanks to Chris for this fantastic forum which was the reason that it was possible to obtain all the information and contacts in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 26 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2004 And here is Kristof in Lancashire Fusilier garb at Bridge House Farm, the start of our battlefield walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 26 October , 2004 Share Posted 26 October , 2004 Mark.. Congratulations on such a successful trip - I dread to think how much organising went into it but it sounds as if it was all very worthwhile. Well done to Kristof and Charlotte as well. I am sure seeing Kristof in the real gear made a big impression. Neil P.S. You wouldn't want Kristof charging at you with a bayonet on the end of that rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 26 October , 2004 Share Posted 26 October , 2004 No worries! I am very gentle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 26 October , 2004 Share Posted 26 October , 2004 this even looks better, not??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 Kristof. Just to highlight my ignorance, what is the V shaped webbing going over and under your belt and then over your shoulders for? Thanks. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 It is my SBR (gas mask)! If not really needed close you wear it on your back, on top of your big or small pack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 Kristof. Thanks. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 Mark, Thanks for your e-mail. Congratulations on a successful trip. I'm sure your enthusiasm for the subject will have rubbed off on your students. Now that's real education! Regards, Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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