Remembrance Commemorations 2016

[squirrel]

Finished writing up my notes from a visit to Belgium and France with friends for the Remembrance Commemorations – here’s where we went:

Thursday 10^th November  - Lincolnshire to Dover – Calais to Ypres

Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony – wreath laid on behalf of the Regimental Association.

Friday 11^th November - Vichte for Remembrance Day commemorations, church service, war memorial and Vichte British Cemetery, reception and lunch.

Pictures attached:

The Belgian Veterans standard and the Union flag in the church at Vichte.

Me carrying the Union Flag in the parade wearing my uncle's WW1 and WW2 medals.

Remembrance Concert St Martin’s Cathedral. 

Saturday 12^th November – Ypres to Cambrai

Ypres Town Cemetery

White House Farm Cemetery

Bethleem Farm East Cemetery

Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery (my uncle)

Canada Farm Cemetery

Gwahlia Farm Cemetery

Godewaersvelde Cemetery

 

Bailleuil Communal Cemetery

 

Bruay Communal Cemetery

 

Filleveres British Cemetery

 

November^thSunday 13

 

Thiepval Memorial

 

 

 

51st Highland Division commemorations 13th November 1916 Beaumont Hamel village war memorial

Roye New British Cemetery

 

Becourt British Cemetery

 

Guards Cemetery les Bouefs

 

Caterpiller Valley Cemetery

 

Louverval Memorial

 

White House Cemetery

 

Monday 14th November

 

Courgies Communal Cemetery

 

Crossroads Cemetery Fontaine au Bois

 

Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension

 

Jeancourt East British Cemetery

 

Templeux le Guerard British Cemetery

 

Sunken Road Cemetery Villers Pluich

 

then back to Lincolnshire. Calais - Ferry to Dover

 

 

 

Edited 17 November , 2016 by squirrel

[ShirlD]

I can only imagine the emotion, all the chat, the surprises, (and the beer), as you visited each cemetery and paid your respects at the Remembrance Commemoratrions.

Thank you for posting, those 2 photos say much.

Cheers

Shirley

[KIRKY]

Well done Tony, not sure where you get your energy from! Must have been very moving.

Tony

[Neil Mackenzie]

Tony

 

Looks like an interesting and very full trip.

 

Sorry if I have missed earlier topics but what is the connection with Vichte and is there a special reason why the event taking place there?

 

Cheers

 

Neil

[squirrel]

Neil - the village, Vichte in the commune of Anzeghem, hold their Remembrance Day parade every year. My friend's uncle is buried in the British Cemetery there -  he has been going there on Remembrance Day for over 20 years; next year will be my 10th year there .

 

Shirley & Tony - at times, very moving, emotional, sad, proud...meeting with old friends and meeting new ones, drinks and meals, seeing things that you have seen before in a different way, seeing places you haven't seen before, trying to understand why others ideas of Remembrance don't seem to be the same as yours...enjoying the company of Belgian and French people who attend some of these ceremonies. Enjoying the hospitality and welcome at hotels, restaurants and shops where you have been going for a number of years...At Beaumont Hamel enjoying the 15 year old single malt supplied FOC by one of the Scottish distilleries.

Above all, honouring those who didn't come home, those who did and all those who served, military and civilian.

Edited 24 November , 2016 by squirrel

[ShirlD]

Thanks Tony, you describe so well the experience of a battlefield trip, each day lived to the full.  I recognise a few of the cemeteries you visited.

On a slightly different note I am always interested when I see 51st Highland Division, as my dad went into Alamein with the tanks, supported by the 51st, but this is off topic!  

The Beaumont Hamel area and surrounding battlefields have a very particular haunting quality I have found. 

Are you writing up notes for a book or articles?

Cheers

Shirley

 

[squirrel]

Shirley,

I just keep a note of cemeteries visited and those remembered -  I have the CWGC list of all the casualties of the one regiment that I make a point of following.I am not academic enough for writing a book although I did attempt a novel once, not completed and the result being in a filing cabinet for some years now along with the poetry....

Edited 26 November , 2016 by squirrel