Hyacinth1326 Posted 7 August , 2018 Share Posted 7 August , 2018 Thanks for your response. I once asked a thoughtful, articulate and analytical tour manager why, with regard to the 1916 battlefield, Grass Lane, Eaucourt l'Abbe, Le Transloy and the area around the Butte, were never visited in his tours (read everywhere Post Morval) even though (IMO) they were crucial to any understanding of the Somme 1916 campaign. His reply was, 'because its one for the anoraks and there is nothing to see. Nothing to connect with'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le_Treport Posted 7 August , 2018 Share Posted 7 August , 2018 Well, I was interviewed by Sophie Raworth this evening! We will just have to see if I make the final cut and how it turns out!!! Don’t expect earth-shattering military insights from me... I have spent the last 2 days tramping the battlefields in up to 37 degree heat which has been very satisfying, and I have learned a lot. Will be in the cathedral tomorrow..... hopefully a bit cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 Which parts of the battlefield did you tramp ? Did you get to Heath Cemetery ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le_Treport Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 Day 1 was the Australian section around Hamel, Day 2 we did from Hangard Wood to Demuin, then Caix to Le Quesnel. Although we had to take the coach for parts as it was too hot, and a storm was brewing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 Some years ago, as a result of a chance remark by a friend at a party, I was prompted to research the military career of her father, W R G Burfield, who joined the ASC in October 1914, eventually reaching the rank of sergeant before being recommended for a commission. He joined the Tank Corps as a second-lieutenant and won the Military Cross, and I was subsequently able to pinpoint the occasion to 8 August 1918 and probably between 3.00 and 3.30pm. Later I was able to give a presentation of my findings, illustrated by excerpts from the video of the BBC series "The Great War", to his three daughters and two of his grandchildren. It was as much a pleasure to me as to them that I could point to a map and say "This is where he won his MC, and this was when." This was the citation in the London Gazette: "For conspicuous gallantry when in command of a Tank, which was carrying infantry. After three direct hits, the infantry officer being killed, he got his crew and the infantry out of the Tank and formed several strong points with his machine guns. He then returned to the Tank and fired the six-pounder gun, until he was wounded and the Tank in danger of falling into the enemy's hands, whereupon he blew it up and went back to the machine gun posts. His courage was a fine example to all." Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 I met May at Passchedaele, she failed to impress. Likewise Will and Kate, who looked and acted like bored teenagers. Charles and the Belgian King were lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 TV coverage on BBC1, just starting. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 Amiens Official Commemorative Programme Quote This document is the official Commemorative Programme for the Battle of Amiens Commemoration event held at Notre Dame Cathedral, Amiens on 8 August 2018 PDF, 2.9MB, 33 pages English version French version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted 8 August , 2018 Share Posted 8 August , 2018 11 minutes ago, mandy hall said: TV coverage on BBC1, just starting. Mandy Oh it's Mr. Ubiquitous Snow, again. 2 hours ago, KGB said: I met May at Passchedaele, she failed to impress. I know someone who tried to explain mental health service issues to her - they had the same impression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil andrade Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 (edited) A lovely ceremony at Amiens Cathedral yesterday. It’s success lay largely in its simplicity. The usual stuff : I’ve heard it all before.....but somehow this time it really got to me Poignant singing ; the stories of individual soldiers and civilians interspersed with vignettes from the memoirs of the High Command. There was a young Canadian reading the account of a Padre in the Canadian Corps who was comforting dying German soldiers and offering them the solace of their Catholic faith. This made a big impact on me ; maybe because my GF was a chaplain out there at the time and might have experienced something similar. If he did, he never mentioned it to me. It succeeded in conveying a more positive impression of the achievements of the British and , above all, Dominion forces, then we are usually offered. Even Dan Snow carried it off rather well, I thought. Having said that I’ve heard it all before, I’ll add this caveat.....Theresa May reading out Lloyd George’s assessment added something unique to the occasion . Phil Edited 9 August , 2018 by phil andrade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 On 07/08/2018 at 08:27, mva said: 'natives' : I guess you mean French people ... so I would like to ask : do you visit French cemeteries, the so-called 'Nécropoles Nationales', e.g. Rancourt, Beuvraignes, Maurepas - or even Etinehem, where there are British graves as well ? Hi Martine not meaning to offend.. yes, we do visit the necropoles, even the ones with solitary CWGC graves in and have many photos. there are a few small ones in the Bonnieres 62270 area as well as the bigger CWGC ones. Bevoir-Wavans and Fillivres and Ligny sur Canche our local. it is noticeable how many are being re posessed by the Maires department, small signs appearing on derelict graves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 Florence Parly? President Macron faced criticism yesterday for declining to interrupt his holiday to attend the commemoration of the Battle of Amiens. Mr Macron, who grew up in Amiens, remained in Fort de Brégançon, his presidential retreat on the Mediterranean, despite the presence of Theresa May and the Duke of Cambridge, who has attended previous First World War commemorations. Disquiet over Mr Macron’s failure to attend was compounded by the absence of Édouard Philippe, the French prime minister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 (edited) I bet Macron makes it to the Armistice commemoration though. Re Canon Scott ref Phil Andrade. Poignant words indeed, though Scott appears to be a rather unfashionable figure in today's Canada judging by his Wikipedia entry. Doubtless ideology plays a part in that. Edited 9 August , 2018 by Hyacinth1326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 3 hours ago, Ghazala said: What a splendid picture: illustrates perfectly why one should never wear short sleeved shirts under a suit or uniform jacket, and the more so when wearing white gloves. I assume he's some species of bus driver. As for the lady in the white jacket - there are so many things one could say ... It almost begs to be the cover picture on Lord Gnome's organ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghazala Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 1 hour ago, Steven Broomfield said: What a splendid picture: illustrates perfectly why one should never wear short sleeved shirts under a suit or uniform jacket, and the more so when wearing white gloves. I assume he's some species of bus driver. As for the lady in the white jacket - there are so many things one could say ... It almost begs to be the cover picture on Lord Gnome's organ. Lol.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 On 08/08/2018 at 14:01, TGM said: Oh it's Mr. Ubiquitous Snow, again. I know someone who tried to explain mental health service issues to her - they had the same impression! I wonder if there is something "wrong" with her. Unable to walk in a straight line, unable to look people in the eye, comments amounted to "Grunt, Passchendaele, grunt". Politicians are supposed to be able to "read" folks. Met Vince Cable long after, nice guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 Modern politics creeping in. Please show restraint. Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Kilkenny Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 And how do we pronounce Foch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 Or Amiens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 It was a pity that they referred to General A A Montgomery as "Commander of the Fourth Army". 1 hour ago, KGB said: I wonder if there is something "wrong" with her. She has diabetes, apparently. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 Aw leave her alone. Somebody else writes the background stuff. Given its ever growing agenda, just be thankful that the BBC managed to devote any air time to Great War commemorations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 (edited) You are asking us to be thankful that for one day the BBC nobly abandoned "Flog It," "Royal Recipes" and whatever other trash makes up its usual afternoon schedule?. Edited 9 August , 2018 by sassenach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 (edited) I was attempting irony. At any rate you may as well make the most of this circus because post November 11 you won't be seeing much relating to the First World War on the telly (except for the odd slice of kaiserporn on Freeview). Talking of the BBC, the bus driver in the photo above, reminds me a bit of the late Johnny Morris of Animal Magic infamy. http://www.wildfilmhistory.org/person/179/photo/133/Johnny+Keeper+Morris+with+a+penguin+for+Animal+Magic.html Edited 9 August , 2018 by Hyacinth1326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 I was thinking Stanley Johnson, but with a haircut and a mini-beard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 9 August , 2018 Share Posted 9 August , 2018 (edited) 42 minutes ago, sassenach said: I was thinking Stanley Johnson, but with a haircut and a mini-beard. I see what you mean but surely the family is away somewhere plotting 'Der Tag' Edited 9 August , 2018 by Hyacinth1326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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