2005 Battlefield Report

[Morval Ross]

Hi Pals,

Well I have only just had time to sit down and put together the details of my trip to the Somme, Verdun and Ypres this year. I am in the middle of a house purchase and move as well as a ton of work.

We started out trip from Beauvais airport and drove the 220 odd miles to Verdun, an experience as my Uncle was quite hung-over from a birthday party the night before. We arrived in Verdun and booked into the Hotel saint Paul, I basic but more than adequate hotel with a very pleasant chap running it called Seraphin. Verdun is a Beautiful town and the following morning while walking out of the he tourist office e found ourselves in the middle of a military parade to the town war memorial. There were a large number of ex service men present of all ages including a Commanduer De legion d'Honneaur of the paras who must have been about 6.10 if he was an inch. It was quite a spectacle, but I was itching to get out on to the battlefields. I have to say it is a very eerie place to travel around, I am used to the Somme and the Salients open ground with panoramic views, but Verdun was very different as the forest makes it very difficult to read the ground. We visited the main forts and it was amazing to see the hell that must have been unleashed on them and read passages of Alistair Horne while sitting on the top of the forts was quite moving. The inside of the forts were shocking, and to think that the thousands of men had lived there while be shelled constantly was scary. The Ossuary and it cemetery was again very moving, I could not bring myself look in the windows in the basement at the mortal remain of the 130,000 men interred there. The cemetery was picture enough for me. Our next stop was Colonel Driants Grave, again to walk through the forest and to read descriptions of the battle and the forces he faced was of great interest. What a brave man he was. Then it was back to town for Dinner, nothing fancy just a nice little place by the rive of which I cannot remember the name. We then had a couple of drinks of the local brew in the E'stiminet around the corner from the Cloche D'or. My poor Uncle and father had to leave after an hour of the stuff, I on the other hand indulged in a few more pints of Kwak, Ended up talking with a local girl

(easy there boys and girls all very innocent I can assure you) who turned out to be engaged to a high ranking member of the local gendarme, who happened to turn up, again a giant of a man, and he brought a friend, We all ended up drinking Guinness as I am Irish (god awful stuff though) and at 2.30 and we all ended up in his office in the station drink a rather strong Liqueur. Managed to get to bed at 4.00 am, not good when one is sharing a room with Daddy, who advised he was thinking of calling the police. My response was "Its alright Dad, I have already been speaking with them, Hic Hic).

The following morning was quite difficult (please see above) as you can imagine, but we managed a trek around Douomont and Vaux and the Mort Homme on the other side of the Meause. I was quite a mazed o see the scale of the carnage that can be still seen. We visited the destroyed village of Fleaury - De-Douomont, and this is the image that will be the lasting reminder of our visit. They have staked out the pre war positions of the house and streets and have place plaques at each spot telling you what had been there before the war, the Baker, the Smith, the pastor, the café and the town hall, al that remains are the shell holes and the odd bit of masonry. This as by far the most moving of the places we had visited. The next day being out last it was time for the Citadel Souterrain in the town itself. This is a huge place and was of great interest, however the little electronic train was a bit out of place I thought, as my father said it was like a Disneyland carriage and felt that a guided tour would have been much better. But it was still a great experience to go though the galleries and see how the soldiers lived there. The scene and commentary explaining the selection of the French unknown solider was very interesting and how he was picked from eight other soldiers from the field. The other seven are now buried in the cemetery on the edge of town. Our visit know over we headed for Albert and the Somme leaving Verdun, sadly and the Kwak, thankfully behind.

Part two - The Somme and Ypres tomorrow

Ross

[Jonathan Saunders]

Verdun is well worth the trip if only for the KWAK in the E'stiminet!

[paul guthrie]

Morval is restaurant at St Paul still closed? It was quite good at one time.

[iain mchenry]

Look forward to reading part two. Am off to Verdun with my Fiance on Monday for 4 days. Cant wait.

Regards

Iain

[Morval Ross]

Morval is restaurant at St Paul still closed? It was quite good at one time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Paul, I am afraid that there was no restaurant a tthe sant paul. There was what a ppear to eb a new Bar counter in the rooms behind the reception desk. I must say I did enjoy the meals we did have.

Ross.

[Will O'Brien]

Verdun is well worth the trip if only for the KWAK in the E'stiminet!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah yes I remember it well.....................Ross, your post reminds of how well worth visiting Verdun is.......................

[Christina Holstein]

You can only get breakfast at the St. Paul now, Paul.

And speaking of breakfast, the best breakfast by far in Verdun is at the Hotel Prunellia.

Morval - I'm glad you had a good visit. I'm sure you'll want to come back. The "time standing still" feel of Verdun isn't easily forgotten.

Christina