Battlefield Touring As Was in 1920

[Harper]

I recently found a Thomas Cook & Sons brochure "How to See Paris and the Battlefields" dated July 1920.

I have attached a few photos of the brochure so that you can see what they offered 98 years ago.

It must of come from one of my uncles or cousins as my mother was too young in 1920 to travel to France.

The most poignant page was for the tour of Chateau Thierry as it still contains dried poppies.  These may have been collected in memory one of the family  who was killed north of there in 1918.

Finding this was a real "goosebump moment".

[Robin Garrett]

Harper, thank you for sharing this. As you say, fascinating and poignant

[TGM]

Ditto! Fabulous find.

 

 

[mandy hall]

Interesting to see aerial flights offered.

 

Mandy

[angelab]

Fascinating!  What a find.

[Interested]

Quote

 

A worthwhile find; excellent.

There are also similar booklets written by Pneu Michelin (the French tyre people) available free on Gutenberg, for example:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36213

 

[loganshort]

great find. Interesting the mention of Ypres.."is today, by virtue of a decision of the Belgian government not to rebuild the City, an everlasting monument to the dead." When did the government decide to rebuild it? (thankfully they did!)

[salientguide]

Certainly re-building had started by the late 1920,s to judge from dates on most buildings as one wanders around. The Cloth Hall was not finally finished in detail until the 1960,s ( with a slight hiatus to the programme 1940-45! ).  Winston Churchill, I believe, had also been in favour of leaving the city as a ruined monument.

[loganshort]

Interesting. I must look closer at the buildings to notice dates. It's said - when you are walking around a town centre you should look up at the buildings to admire the architecture. (instead of looking down at your I-phone!) Would be good to read some first hand contemporary accounts from visitors on these tours. Thanks SG

[PhilW]

Fascinating. While watching a TV programme the other evening my wife and I were wondering who/how/when they rebuilt numerous settlements (Ypres among them but so many others) from the total devastation that many suffered. Also wondered when and where original inhabitants went - programme mentioned "Normandy" but when/where did they go and and return? Wonder if any of you could recommend any books on the subject? 

While on the subject of tours, my Grandad must have gone on one in 1929. We (Dad and I) found quite a few photos he took while there. They helped greatly in reconstructing "his war".

I attach a couple taken on the Cachy Road near Villers- Bret showing where he was on 24/04/18 when "his" guns were overrun by the Germans - possibly the furthest point the Germans got towards Amiens after the March retreat. Guns captured overnight but recaptured by Aussies the next morning. Grandad got a Mention in Dispatches for saving an injured colleague as they escaped to nearby forest. Ororkep sent me an account of this that he found - a real eye-opener - thanks again Ororkep - document sent to all family members!   Note that the fuse tins from "his guns " (6 inch hows) were still there in 1929!! A couple of points on the photos (x, y, ) are indistinct but I have enhanced copies. JAW is Grandad.

Unfortunately, the exact spot has disappeared under a junction on the A 29 motorway but we took new photos  a (good)  few years ago!