'Last Absolution of the Munsters'

[michel knockaert]

James,

many thanks for this post.

I am not sure to have included/understood well the meaning of your question concerning the plaque, but I think of having guessed it, you will say to me if I interpreted it well.

The plaque always exists and it is in the Town hall of RICHEBOURG, I will try to go to photograph it soon.

For the follow, be assured that when we finish this research, there will be no more no doubt about the true site of the chapel in 1915 and on the exact site where the MUNSTER'S soldiers were when Father GLEESON gave them the last absolution.

Michel

[Sullivan]

Michel,

Many thanks would certainly like to see a good quality photograph of the plaque.

Cheers,

James.

[michel knockaert]

Hi all

especially for James, here the aerial view of the sector of “La Tombe Willot” with LOCON.

just where there is a farm alone in square at the middle top of the photo.

It is from this place, where they were billeted , which the soldiers of Munster' S left to join “la rue du Bois” to receive the last absolution before leaving for the frontline.

Michel

[marina]

There is something oddly touching about that little farm, knowing what happened next.

Marina

[liverpool annie]

Mark was talking about a painting and the La Bassee Road .... couldn't find the painting .... but I found the poem !!

La Bassee Road poem

LA BASSEE ROAD

(Cuinchy, 1915.)

You'll see from the La Bassée Road, on any

summer's day,

The children herding nanny-goats, the women

making hay.

You'll see the soldiers, khaki clad, in column

and platoon,

Come swinging up La Bassée Road from billets

in Bethune.

There's hay to save and corn to cut, but harder

work by far

Awaits the soldier boys who reap the harvest

fields of war.

You'll see them swinging up the road where

women work at hay,

The straight long road, -- La Bassée Road, -- on

any summer day.

The night-breeze sweeps La Bassée Road, the

night-dews wet the hay,

The boys are coming back again, a straggling

crowd are they.

The column's lines are broken, there are gaps

in the platoon,

They'll not need many billets, now, for soldiers

in Bethune,

For many boys, good lusty boys, who marched

away so fine,

Have now got little homes of clay beside the

firing line.

Good luck to them, God speed to them, the

boys who march away,

A-singing up La Bassée road each sunny summer day

Annie

[peter__m]

Love the poem.

Tell me more...or if I need to go back and read the thread properly just tell me!

[michel knockaert]

especially for Annie :

LA BASSEE ROAD (Cuinchy, 2007.)

towards the left, for billet with BETHUNE, towards the right, the front with LA BASSEE....

Michel

[liverpool annie]

Hi Peter M

This thread started with the question ...........

As a matter of interest has anyone ever established the exact location of the blessing of 2nd Munsters in the Rue De Bois, prior to their attack on Aubers Ridge, as immortalized in the painting by Fortunino Mantana?

And it evolved from there .......... ! Michel has been doing sterling work taking photographs of the countryside as it is now ! .... maybe you'd better read the thread !!

Incidentally has anyone ever seen the German painting by the war artist Weinberg depicting the Munsters' attack? It is called 'The II/55 in the Battle of May 1915 near La Bassee'.

But I was trying to find the second painting when I came across the poem !!

Annie

[peter__m]

And what about the history of that poem?

I've been reading all about La Bassee in Lucy's 'There's a Devil in the Drum' and it's pretty amazing now to read that little poem. (Not the Munsters of course but the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, I'm assuming they were there fighting together)

His accounts of the battle are very vivid and that little poem was quite moving to me. Thanks.

[liverpool annie]

Michel !

They'll not need many billets, now, for soldiers

in Bethune,

For many boys, good lusty boys, who marched

away so fine,

Have now got little homes of clay beside the

firing line.

Hard to imagine these lines in the context of your photo ............. gives you a lump in your throat doesn't it ??

Annie

[liverpool annie]

You know - this poem came from an old thread and I remembered being touched by it and it has stayed with me

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...15299&st=20

I really know nothing about it .... but I will find out and post here ... or if you find it first - would you post here

also ?!

Annie

[peter__m]

It seems to be more a song than a poem but I'll do a wee bit more research on it.

Michael - your pictures are wonderful!

*British soldiers in the trenches of La Bassee

[peter__m]

Sixteen years after the Great War, in 1934, Bernard Newman and Harold Arpthorp, two British veterans, together wrote 'The Road to La Bassée'.

It is an amazing poem, that describes their return to one of the former battlefields in France.

Bernard Newman had some writing experience. Later in his life he would join the English Secret Service and he would write a book on flying saucers. About Harold Arpthorp we know nothing.

The Road to La Bassée

I went across to France again, and walked about the line,

The trenches have been all filled in - the country's looking fine.

The folks gave me a welcome, and lots to eat and drink,

Saying, 'Allo, Tommee, back again? 'Ow do you do? In ze pink?'

And then I walked about again, and mooched about the line;

You'd never think there'd been a war, the country's looking fine.

But the one thing that amazed me most shocked me, I should say

- There's buses running now from Bethune to La Bassée!

I sat at Shrapnel Corner and I tried to take it in,

It all seemed much too quiet, I missed the war-time din.

I felt inclined to bob down quick - Jerry sniper in that trench!

A minnie coming over! God, what a hellish stench!

Then I pulled myself together, and walked on to La Folette -

And the cows were calmly grazing on the front line parapet.

And the kids were playing marbles by the old Estaminet -

Fancy kiddies playing marbles on the road to La Bassée!

You'd never think there'd been a war, the country's looking fine -

I had a job in places picking out the old front line.

You'd never think there'd been a war - ah, yet you would, I know,

You can't forget those rows of headstones every mile or so.

But down by Tunnel Trench I saw a sight that made me start,

For there, at Tourbieres crossroads - a gaudy ice-cream cart!

It was hot, and I was dusty, but somehow I couldn't stay -

Ices didn't seem quite decent on the road to La Bassée.

Some of the sights seemed more than strange as I kept marching on.

The Somme's a blooming garden, and there are roses in Peronne.

The sight of dear old Arras almost made me give three cheers;

And there's kiddies now in Plugstreet, and mamselles in Armentiers.

But nothing that I saw out there so seemed to beat the band

As those buses running smoothly over what was No Man's Land.

You'd just as soon expect them from the Bank to Mandalay

As to see those buses running from Bethune to La Bassée.

Then I got into a bus myself, and rode for all the way,

Yes, I rode inside a bus from Bethune to La Bassée.

Through Beuvry and through Annequin, and then by Cambrin Tower -

The journey used to take four years, but now it's half an hour.

Four years to half an hour - the best speedup I've met.

Four years? Aye, longer still for some - they haven't got there yet.

Then up came the conductor chap, 'Vos billets s'il vous plait.'

Fancy asking for your tickets on the road to La Bassée.

And I wondered what they'd think of it - those mates of mine who died -

They never got to La Bassée, though God knows how they tried.

I thought back to the moments when their number came around,

And now those buses rattling over sacred, holy ground,

Yes, I wondered what they'd think of it, those mates of mine who died.

Of those buses rattling over the old pave close beside.

'Carry on! That's why we died!' I could almost hear them say,

To keep those buses always running from Bethune to La Bassée!'

Slightly off thread from our Munsters inquest so I apologise.

Just found it, its moving and wanted it up there to make those wonderful pictures come alive even more.

[peter__m]

'It is estimated that at La Bassée alone the Germans fired $ 500,000 worth of shells into the trenches within a few days.

Life in these trenches became terrible beyond description. The dead lay thick, bodies without heads, without arms or legs, human flesh plastered by the explosion of shells against, and actually into, the walls. The dead lay for days, decomposing under the feet of the living.

Throughout these battles the Germans advanced in solid formation, often six or seven deep, and their losses were almost beyond belief. They carpeted the ground. Not a shell hole but had its quota.'

Found this on the same site. I knew it was bad but this got me again. Like it always will.

[liverpool annie]

I hear what you're saying .... I'm afraid there are many times while reading threads - my keyboard gets a little flooded !!

I often think of what these men went through and then they went home and went about their business ..... looking for jobs .... looking after their families ....... just picking up on life again .... how DID they do it ?

I just can't imagine ........

And the shame of it is .... that the Germans went through exactly the same .... and we have to stop sometimes and think of their boys too !

Annie

[Chris Best]

A remarkable thread. Thanks to all but particularly to Michel.

Hope to visit the area in the spring.

Chris

[michel knockaert]

Hi Chris

thank you for your message.

In fact I acted only according to my heart

friendly

Michel

[liverpool annie]

Sullivan was talking about the Christ of the Trenches ..... and I found this and wondered if maybe it would have anything to do with the shrine on this thread ??

There are many new buildings in the area. In the centre of Neuve Chapelle village is the church, and next to it the Marie. Inside the church are signs in brickwork showing the dates 1924 and 1927. A figure of Christ can be seen high above the aisle. It clearly bears the scars of shrapnel or similar wartime damage. This figure dates from before the First World War, and originally stood on a crucifix outside the church. After the War it was placed in the rebuilt church. It is not the same figure as the "Christ of the Trenches" described above

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/3756989...cdeeb5a39_o.jpg

Annie

[michel knockaert]

Annie, James,

the Christ of the trenches and that which is with the church of NEUVE CHAPELLE can, neither one nor the other to be that which was with the chapelle of "la rue du Bois".

these crucifixes so called "calvaires" in french, in reference to the sufferings of Jésus on the cross are points of stop for the prayers of faithful at the time of the religious processions, often with crossings of ways or roads, they had important dimensions and the effigy of Christ had a size larger than that of a normal man and of course the size of the cross was consequently.

the chapel "Notre-Dame de Séez" was a very small oratory on which a crucifix of this size could not have its place.

rather look at the JEAN' s map of the attack with NEUVE CHAPELLE, you can see the site of two crucifixes, most probably the Christ of the trenches and that of the church.

the stone lying to the feet of the Christ of the trenches are those of the base and not remains of the chapel.

Michel

[liverpool annie]

Thanks Michel ... I understand ...... !!

Annie

[apwright]

Fascinating thread, Michel. Thank you very much!

I found a pic of "Christ of the Trenches" in its present setting above the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Batalha Monastery near Leiria, Portugal, in someone's photo album at flickr.com:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=245789975&size=o

This is the hi-res version, so might tak a while to load up!

Regards,

Adrian

[michel knockaert]

Hi Adrian,

Many thanks

this photography is splendid, why do not put it on the thread ?

Michel

[Sullivan]

Fascinating thread, Michel. Thank you very much!

I found a pic of "Christ of the Trenches" in its present setting above the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Batalha Monastery near Leiria, Portugal, in someone's photo album at flickr.com:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=245789975&size=o

This is the hi-res version, so might tak a while to load up!

Regards,

Adrian

Adrian,

Many thanks for the link, a most interesting photo.

James.

[Sullivan]

Annie, James,

the Christ of the trenches and that which is with the church of NEUVE CHAPELLE can, neither one nor the other to be that which was with the chapelle of "la rue du Bois".

these crucifixes so called "calvaires" in french, in reference to the sufferings of Jésus on the cross are points of stop for the prayers of faithful at the time of the religious processions, often with crossings of ways or roads, they had important dimensions and the effigy of Christ had a size larger than that of a normal man and of course the size of the cross was consequently.

the chapel "Notre-Dame de Séez" was a very small oratory on which a crucifix of this size could not have its place.

rather look at the JEAN' s map of the attack with NEUVE CHAPELLE, you can see the site of two crucifixes, most probably the Christ of the trenches and that of the church.

the stone lying to the feet of the Christ of the trenches are those of the base and not remains of the chapel.

Michel

Michel,

I notice you mention the name "Notre-Dame de Séez", are you saying this was the name of the shrine depicted in Matania's painting, if so how was this established, is there a reference to this recorded somewhere.

I looked at the photo in the link provided by Adrian, the crucifix is not all that large. I have seen 'Calvaires' in Ireland and some of them were at least as tall as an average person. What we do not know is how accurate was the scale of the shrine depicted in Matania's painting.

Also was it legal for the Portuguese to spirit away an artifact that was obviously the property of the French people in the area, or was it considered the spoils of war.

However I realize you are familiar with the area and are probably correct.

Keep up the research.

James.

[Greyhound]

I notice you mention the name "Notre-Dame de Séez", are you saying this was the name of the shrine depicted in Matania's painting, if so how was this established, is there a reference to this recorded somewhere....

Also was it legal for the Portuguese to spirit away an artifact that was obviously the property of the French people in the area, or was it considered the spoils of war.

James, you can find Michel's sources regarding the chapel in posts 57,58 and 61. And in post 75 he tells us how the crucifix was given to Portugal in 1958. I believe it is now placed above the Portuguese Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Long thread, this one, so it's easy to miss things! Very, very interesting, and we are lucky to have Michel there on the spot, being our detective!