CWGC release details of road closures for 1 July 2016

[J Banning]

CWGC have released details of the road closures on the Somme for the 1 July period and also restricted access to the Thiepval Memorial.

http://www.cwgc.org/the-somme/visiting-the-somme.aspx

[Ghazala]

Thiepval Memorial Closure

On 1 July 2016, there will be an international service of commemoration at the Thiepval Memorial marking the centenary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The event will require a significant construction and deconstruction programme, which will cause the site to be closed from 16 June until 9 July 2016. During this period, access to the site will only be possible through pre-arranged visits which will be escorted by Commonwealth War Graves Commission staff and take place at the following times:

16 June - 26 June: 9.45 - 10.15; 10.30 - 11.00, 11.15 - 11.45, 14.00 - 14.30, 14.45 - 15.15, 15.30 - 16.00

4 July - 9 July: 9.45 - 10.15; 10.30 - 11.00, 14.45 - 15.15, 15.30 - 16.00

To request an escorted visit, please contact events@cwgc.org.

Between 27 June and 3 July it will not be possible to visit the Memorial.

Following the 1 July event, The Royal British Legion will be organising a daily commemorative service which will take place at the memorial at 11.45am every day from 2 July until 17 November. For more information, please see the TRBL's Website.

Security Cordon

In order to ensure security at the commemorative events taking place on 1 July 2016, marking the centenary of the First Day of the Battle of the Somme, French Authorities will be enforcing a security cordon in the area prohibiting access to all except those who are attending one of the events. The cordon may be subject to change by the French authorities. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission sites are expected to be inaccessible as a result of the cordon from mid-afternoon on 30 June until early morning on 2 July.

[Ghazala]

Map shows the cordon.

[Ghazala]

New flagpoles have been installed at Thiepval Memorial. The flagpoles weigh a remarkable 480 kilos each, and measure 12 metres in height. They were lifted into place as part of the final stages of the monument's restoration. The two poles are topped with a British and a French crown, symbolic of Thiepvals role as both a memorial to the missing of the Somme and an Anglo-French Battle Memorial.

[Ancre1917]

A map of the exclusion zone (Zone de Circulation Réglementée) has been published. It will

be in place from 20.00 on 30 June till 20.00 on 1 July, 2016.

http://www.somme14-18.com/sites/www.prod/files/assets/files/centenaire_carte_circulation_reglementee.pdf

Richard

[Knotty]

Thank you for the link, the map will be useful if anyone intends to visit the Somme during that period.

John

[Frajohn]

I have received this today, setting out those items excluded from any of the July 1st Commemorations.

 

[Gareth Davies]

Damn, I was hoping to take my tamborine (sic) with me.