Auimfo Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 John, Here's one I took looking back over Shrapnel Valley Cemetery. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 Here's the only other one I have of Shrapnel Valley John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 A magnificent view from Plugge's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 The Sphinx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montbrehain Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 Excellent photographs and great reports too. I hope you got done most of what you wanted ? and here's my prediction YOU WILL RETURN . (puts a different view on things when youv,e been there eh ? ) "MO" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 The Grave of Cpl S Street of the Notts & Derby Regiment at Azmak Your that Andrew! Samuel Street born Rotherham Yorks, enlisted Worksop, abode Cresswell Derby's. One of the few from 9th Bn to have a known grave. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 Yes Steve ... he is that Andrew Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Rice Posted 28 August , 2007 Share Posted 28 August , 2007 Hello Andrew, Tim and Frev Thank you for adding the photo's of Schrapnel Valley Cemetery. They are all great photo's and must have been very moving for you all, visiting such historical sites of our gallant soldiers. I googled the Cemetery to-day and was amazed to read that it contains 527 known Aussie soldiers buried there. Many regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 Your that Andrew! Samuel Street born Rotherham Yorks, enlisted Worksop, abode Cresswell Derby's. One of the few from 9th Bn to have a known grave. RIP Hi Steve Was able to take all but 4 of your Notts soldiers. Unfortunately didn't get to Skew Bridge or Redoubt Cemetery at Helles. Cheers Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 Hi Steve Was able to take all but 4 of your Notts soldiers. Unfortunately didn't get to Skew Bridge or Redoubt Cemetery at Helles. Cheers Andrew Hello Andrew I have PMd you. A public thanks though for all of your efforts for me and my men. With your permission I will let the Sherwood Foresters museum have them. Then any relative can at least see where their man lies. Once again thanks and also for sharing your memories of a wonderful trip. It must have been mentally and physically tiring though. Stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glyn Llanwarne Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 These photos are fantastic. I can't wait for October so I can see the whole lot and hear the stories. Yours in service, Glyn (The one who didn't go) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 29 August , 2007 Share Posted 29 August , 2007 Glyn ... I didn't go either But ... we might be there together next time and our scrub rolling, skylarking, tall stories and photos even better Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 Glyn & Sandra - don't be too downhearted - you were there in spirit remember - and even over the airwaves...................... Was trying not to clog the forum with too many photos - but decided it was time to add a few 'non-Anzac' ones: The Turkish Martyr's Memorial at Cape Helles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 The new Memorial Headstone section - started this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 The Obelisk / Ossuary at the French War Cemetery, Helles Looking back over the cemetery towards Morto Bay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 Suvla Cove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 Oh.......okay...........against my better judgement ..... everyone's been dying to see this one (except maybe Tim!) Wayne (who kindly provided the kilt) has titled it: "Holidaying police piper being given a short arm inspection" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedelmar Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 Woo Hoo ... yummy legs ... and I am just wild about those shoes!!!! Bright Blessings Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 I think Tim should have that one as his avatar. It was funny night at the time so good to see the photo did it justice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 30 August , 2007 Author Share Posted 30 August , 2007 Oh, Frev, you didn't. Oh , Yes you did!!! One of many great moments of our trip! Bet no-one can guess who our funny man on the trip was? It was not just the sights we saw, or the emotional times at the cemeteries and moments, that cemented us as a group. Near strangers when we flew out, the stressful moments behind the wheel, that gave way to laughter, the 1am stories after a few sips of alcohol, the arm around the shoulders in times of sadness, the taking the mickey when it was put on a platter, no arguements, not even heated discussions, (well , maybe just one, but amicably resolved), these are some of the things that made our trip all that more special. All right, I hear you say, we have had these moments too. Three battlefield virgins, plus one who had been there before, but did not preach, meeting up with three more, one of whom did not understand the War Thing, but quickly began to appreciate it, and all Aussies, wanting to understand the Anzac Legend/myth/ truth, come what may, well what can I say? It was just simply ..........................! Cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 I hope the Chief Commisioner doesn't see that or I'll be out of a job................. I plead insanity yer honour, temporary insanity I tell yer..........it woz the bad company that made me do it. But just for a small measure of revenge (Frev) - who do you think was the all smoking, all drinking alcoholic of the trip.......... and should I mention your little faux par comment in a certain Bapaume restaurant. I know the others are dying to find out what it was..........oh ok here it is..... NB - and this will probably be edited Over dinner one night after a few drinks, the conversation got a bit ratty when all of a sudden, with a mouthful of wine, Frev bursts out with "I don't know whether I should spit this out on you or swallow it". Naturally she regretted that comment for the remainder of the trip and I think Andrew and I both recommended when given the choice, swallowing is always better. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 30 August , 2007 Share Posted 30 August , 2007 swallowing is always better. Sound advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frev Posted 31 August , 2007 Share Posted 31 August , 2007 Hooge Tim - I'd forgotten about that 'staged' photo - you could have at least lit the cigarette!! And anyway - where's my beloved raki? I'm sure glad you mentioned the Bapaume restaurant - otherwise your comment "Over dinner one night after a few drinks, the conversation got a bit ratty...." would have had me a little confused remembering just which night you were referring to........... Cheers, Frev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 2 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 September , 2007 Day Four by Frev. Drew drove to Delville Wood Cemetery, where he had a soldier buried & I took an overview shot of the cemetery. From here Drew, Tim & I checked out the nearby South African Memorial while Kim wandered off into the woods....... Back for brekky, we met the other guests Roger & Ann from England, who were sleeping in the room under my squeaking stairs. The ice soon broke, and we got side-tracked talking - as you do. Finally on the road again, first stop Longueval, where Drew filled the car with diesel (having finally worked out how to open the cap), and Kim tried out her French again on the lady behind the counter (with a little help from a lady at the bar!). I took a photo of the Ugly Scots Memorial. Next cemetery stop was the AIF Burial Ground at Flers, where Drew believed one of his rellies, Phillip Pittaway may have been buried amongst the many 'unknown' graves. He took a photo of one of the unknowns of the 27th Bn - and I used this opportunity to place the 2 gum leaves Kim had given me, one each on the graves either side - also unknown 27ths. Across the road, we climbed the rise, and each of us lay in the grass and took an arty shot of the poppies with the cemetery as a backdrop. Kim went for a bit of a wander & came back with some objects including a piece of the chalky earth. While still in the area, we visited Bulls Rd Cemetery where one of my Wedderburn soldiers was buried, and I was also struck by the epitaph of Alfred Elfverson from Qld - "His name is written in letters of love on the hearts left at home". Tim took another of his arty shots here (with Drew's camera), while Kim communed with the cows in the next field. On to Pozieres, where we first visited the old Windmill site, a mound that gave the Germans a commanding view over the battlefields, and saw some pretty horrific fighting. And opposite this, The Tank Corps Memorial, which had been erected near the spot where the first tanks had been used in 1916. We then checked out the partially excavated Gibraltar Blockhouse (known to the Germans as Panzersturm), which had been captured by 15 men of the 2nd Bn. Tim braved the possibility of 'being told off' and jumped the fence for a closer view & photo. Next we climbed the wooden viewing tower and looked out over the peaceful fields, trying to imagine the carnage of old. This was followed by a closer inspection of the the 1st Division Memorial. Couldn't leave without a visit to Tommy's (or Le Tommy as it is more correctly known). Wandered through their photo collection & and I availed myself of their loos (having learnt to make the most of every possible chance - not wanting a repeat performance of the first day, when I was bloated with water for nearly 8 hours, and all 'some' could do was make me laugh, and find every bump in the road to drive over!). Here as Kim pointed out "Frev actually made a decision" - and now we all know why she hates doing it. Yep, I decided ('cos no-one else could) that here we'd stay for lunch - and yep as I think I recall having heard - the food was pretty average. But what the heck, it saved chasing our tails looking for somewhere else to eat! Kim checked out the museum, while the rest of us were quite happy to just sit. Before leaving, there were a few postcards bought, and I also managed to get my hands on a really cute 'Tommy' badge... oh ...and Kim bought herself a T-shirt...........say no more! We were also quite astounded to find a T-shirt hanging up for sale, emblazoned with the words "Lets we forget"!! Kind of wishing I'd bought it now - might have come in handy if I ever got invited to another 'bad taste' party. Moo Cow Farm (Mouquet) was next on our agenda, where there is a plaque telling the story of the incredible fighting, and it's eventual capture. The original family, in a rebuilt farmhouse still live here today, and Sir Reg Ansett's Uncle Arthur was wounded here during one of the many attacks on the farm. While here, Tim (always the larrikin) had me set up a photo of him standing in one of Kim's shell holes with his hand outstretched, and she standing on the high ground, so it appeared Tim was supporting a 'Mini Kim' on his palm. Worked well in theory, and seemed to be working well on the small screen - and would have worked well in practise, if my eyesight wasn't' so bad & me & my new camera were on better terms. Hmm - sadly a little disappointing in the blown-up version.. Next stop was the The Somme Memorial at Thiepval, which is more commonly known as the Thiepval Memorial, and stands within the park that also contains the Anglo-French Cemetery. It was there on the steps of the model in the visitor's centre, but no matter how hard we looked - we couldn't find the giant fly! Here I photographed from the register, all those soldiers with the surname Lucas (my maiden name) - another project I may pursue one day! We spent some time in the gift shop on the way out, where Kim & Tim diligently purchased practical items, like maps to see us through the rest of the trip, while Drew & I perused the books, only one of which I bought. As we returned to the carpark, Kim, who was already sporting her new T-shirt, and was being ribbed by one of us - put her foot in her mouth, making a comment along the lines of, 'at least no-one would mistake her for a pommy', prompting a reply from a passerby, 'and what's wrong with pommies'..........etc. (ED. Kim, It ended in smiles thank goodness) On the road again, we headed back towards Bapaume to visit the Warlencourt British Cemetery were Drew had quite a few soldiers buried. Doubled back to Contalmaison, where Drew gamely drove our 'sporty' car along a very rough farm track to the Sunken Road Cemetery, and was rewarded for his efforts when he found a bullet. Kim, who'd been itching to get behind the wheel, had a bit of a drive here - though I think she would have been much happier with the open road. Tim set up a group shot of us standing on the sunken road (using the car as a tripod) Our last cemetery for the day was Pozieres British Cemetery. I was intrigued by the amount of soldier's photos that had been laminated & staked by the soldier's headstones. The photos were all of uniform size & cut, and had obviously been organized by the same person (or group). The soldiers were all from different units & had died on different days - so I photographed 9 of them with the intention of discovering a possible link. (one of a few new projects I seem to have picked up on our trip!) On our way into Albert, we stopped at La Boiselle and checked out the Lochnagar Crater, also known as La Grande Mine. The crater is huge, and a photo from the top hardly shows the depth, but access down into the crater itself was denied. The boys walked all the way round it, while Kim & I made use of one of the memorials dotted around it 'The Harry Fellows Memorial Seat', and worked through a problem I thought I was having with my camera. Thanks again Kim for taking the time, the outcome certainly relieved my worries. Another memorial here that had Kim entranced, was a large wooden cross with many wreaths of poppies placed at it's foot. The wreath of course that moved her so deeply was the one: 'Remembering the Horses and all other creatures that died or suffered in the service of man in time of war and to the personnel of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and equivalent foreign services who cared for the sick and wounded.' (Ed. Kim. I mistakenly put this at Hooge) In Albert, we saw the Cathedral, a familiar WW1 landmark, which of course now supports a new Madonna & child standing once again upright to the skies. After deciding to eat at a reasonable hour, our plans seemed to be thwarted by the easily side-tracked Yanick at Corner's Pub. We sat in the street (at tables & chairs) and watched the world go by, and listened to the annoying sounds of endless Mozzie bikes buzzing passed, and talked, and waited, and watched, and waited. The boys managed to find some 'eye-relief' by the same treasures that seemed to be side-tracking Yanick, but I think even they were starting to wonder if we'd ever get fed. When the food finally arrived, I think Tim was kind of wishing his hadn't - some sort of strange sausage, which he only seemed to be able to describe as - strange! It was a little disconcerting when we finally started on the trek back to Les Alouettes - hard enough to find ones way around strange areas in daylight - it was now quite dark. However, Drew came through for us with no problem - well done I say! Dianne had set up tea lights for us out the back & we sat up a little longer, trying desperately not to talk too loud, underneath their bedroom window. Eventually we drifted off to bed, and so ended another amazing day of our trip. !(Thanks Frev, that will teach me to take notes.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 11 October , 2007 Share Posted 11 October , 2007 Thanks Kim for directing me to this thread. It's brilliant. Great narrative and great photos. I'm so pleased you all had such a great time. Reading of your visit took me back to my first trip in the 1980's and remembering what I felt on my first visit to a WW1 cemetery. Never forgotten emotions. All the best! Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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