Eternal Refuge

Wow, I have received my first Christmas Card, however, I haven't really thought Christmas yet, as I have a few other things going on.

In fact I have 3 of my nephew's birthdays this weekend/early next week ... I have to go out tomorrow and get some shopping done, otherwise I will have to send them "I.O.U.s" .  Hopefully I will get out to the city first thing in the morning tomorrow.

It was nice being back in clinic this morning ... realised it is 9 months since I was last there, but ironically I am now booked again for Wednesday morning.

But until then, let's try and get some photos done ... or even some icons made

Last week I did post a few icons over on DW -

The first set is for Your_favourites with a theme of Favourite Historical Event
As you know, my grandfather served in WW!, and over the years I have followed in his footsteps across Flanders fields. So, I bring you 4 WWI icons, all taken from the mini-series ANZACS

. . .

This set of photos are all based around the Belgian town of Poperinge, or as Granddad would have called it .... Pop

Our first stop was at The Town Hall (which looks almost Disney, to me), and to the death cell, which is where the condemned were kept for the last night of their life. Once it had all been confirmed (as I said of the 4,000+ about 300 died), they were brought here, offered a priest, food, whatever.




Carved emblem of the Canadian 49th Infantry Battalion



We then had time for lunch, as as ever I had a snack with me, so I walked round the town and into St Bertinus Church






The Ghybe (Ghent, Yper, Brugghe) governed the country of Flanders (in an incorrect manor) and tried to suppress Poperinge (the boulder)

Model of Ginger - a local girl who served in this cafe during the war.

War Memorial

Homage in Recognition of the British Heroes who fell in the defence of the town ... 1914 - 1918





( And into the Church )


We then walked to Talbot House, or as Granddad called it Toc H. the present house is the same one used in WWI, but they have also got the adjoining house to help with accommodation. As during the war, we were provided with a cup of tea, and were shown a screening of a variety show of the time.





( Walking in Granddad's footsteps )



The last stop on our Poperinge visit was to the cemetery, to see the grave of the first officer "shot at dawn".






ES Poole .... 1st officer shot-at-dawn

Our final stop on day 1 was to Vimy Ridge - Canadian Memorial

It is a striking structure, as you can see ... at the site of one of the battlefields, first attempted by Moroccans, and eventually taken by the Canadians.







( Some details of the memorials )


We started our next day with a visit to Bailleulmont Cemetery. The grave we came to see was one of the people who was "Shot at Dawn" ... in fact it is personal memorial that gives the description, that is now widely used.

We were told there were over 300 people who were shot at dawn, although some of them were for crimes such as rape & murder that if they had been in England would have been hanged under the law at that time. Although that seems a lot of people we were also told that over 4,000 were originally sentenced .... but many were commuted and so although an awful saide of the war is remembering those who died as a result of shell shock, there weren't as many people as it could have been.







In actual fact we got really delayed here as one of the holiday makers collapsed, and we had to wait for an ambulance.  Fortunately she was OK, and rejoined us for the final day.




Our next stop was to Doullens, to the Town Hall, which ai where the Doullens Conference was held in 1918. The Germans managed a huge break-through, and this is where the Allies came to discuss what the plans would be for their recovery. In the end Haig said he would serve under anyone ... and the leader was elected as General Philippe Pétain.




The table .... with pictures of each of those who were involved

( Inside the Town Hall )


We then had lunch in Doullens ... so I had a wander round -






... Including the Church of St Peter









Tomb, dated 1585

Well, I am back!

It was a great trip, as ever - following "Behind the Front Lines" ... so where Granddad did his training, and spent time in hospital, and was eventually invadided home from.


Our first stop was at Wimereux Cemetery to see the grave of John McCrae who wrote In Flander's Fields ... he actually wrote it in 1915, as a private tribute when a close friend was killed. He sent the poem to his mother, who had it published.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

As you can see, the cemetery was started on the edge of the town's cemetery




( ... and the rest of the cemetery )



From there we went to Terlincthun Cemetery which was started in the late 40's, as more and more bodies were found.  Most other cemeteries were started at battle sites, or near hospitals ... but there were a lot of random individual graves, so this was started so they could rest together.






42 Allies, and 2 Germans, found in 1982, and moved to rest here.



From there we moved to our final stop of the morning - Etaples Cemetery.  This was started near a large hospital area, which is one of the places Granddad spent time, but unlike these people, he returned home to England.









( .... and a stroll showing some of the special graves )

It must be ... after all, the people I saw this morning were definitely really odd ... so if it's not the moon to blame, maybe Exeter has been invaded by aliens! Luckily they were "nice" while being odd ... but I certainly got some interesting questions asked this morning.

Still it was also busy ... so it meant the 4 hours went by rapidly.

So the shift went well, and kept me amused at the same time.

I really need to try and get some packing sorted out today as very, very early on Monday I am heading out for a WWI mini-break. Over the last few years I have been to a few locations that I knew Granddad was in ... this year it will be partly the location where he did some training while in France/Belgium, as well as some of the evac hospitals, as Granddad was evacuated at the beginning of 1918.

So, I need to get on.

I am doing 2 days of questions as I am working tomorrow as well ...






22. Have you tried any alternatives to cow’s milk? Thoughts? Favourites?
I love full fat cows mil ... and drink a lot of it.
I have never tried goat or sheep milk, but I don't call the vegetable based one Milk!

23. Do you watch Strictly Come Dancing (UK) or Dancing with the Stars (US)?
I can't dance, but do enjoy watching "Strictly" on a Saturday night during the Autumn/Winter




Right - see you Saturday x

One of our visits was one not scheduled ... and we went there for 2 reasons.  The first was that many of the group were Scottish, so we were taken to Black Watch Corner -


As I got off the coach our guide called me aside, to show me the view across the main road .... Glencourse Woods.  I had already been taken there on a previous visit, but this time it was across the road from where I was ... However, for me, it was in memory of my Grandfather.  On the 10th August 1917 during the third battle of Ypres (The Battle of Passchendaele), this is where he was stationed. The lowere photo was taken in 2018 when the tour went along the other road, than the one we were on this time.




From there we went to The Berks Cemetery & Extension -





CWGC re-etching the stones



A German Jew ... sadly if he had survivied he would have faced the Nazi regime.

Lieutenant R Pouton-Palmer, an English Rugby Captain ... and relative of the "Hunter & Palmer" biscuit company.


As we were driving along we saw some of the German bunkers



Another place we were shown was this re-built farmhouse, which (in the cellar) there are still the remains of the original cartoons of Old Bill, by Bruce Bairnsfather



Our next stop was at Messines and our first stop was the museum.

Old Bill

Photos of the town at the end of the war

Copy of painting of St Nicholas' Church - Dec 1914, by Adolf Hitler

The rebuilt Messines Church - where Hitler had been a patient in the crypt when injured in 1914

... and a toilet for the men near the entrance


And, our final stop of the day was Ypres, or Wipers as Granddad would have called it. The city was totally destroyed during the war, but rebuilt to look as it did pre WWI. As I said, Claire's great-grandfather's name is on the Menin Gate ... but as you can see it is being renovated.



















Since 1928, the "Last Post" has been sounded every evening at 8 p.m. by buglers of the local Last Post Association at the war memorial at Ypres in Belgium known as the Menin Gate, commemorating the British Empire dead at the Battle of Ypres during the First World War. The only exception to this was during the four years of the German occupation of Ypres from 20 May 1940 to 6 September 1944, when the ceremony moved to Brookwood Military Cemetery in England. On the evening that Polish forces liberated Ypres, the ceremony was resumed at the Menin Gate, in spite of the heavy fighting still going on in other parts of the town. These buglers or trumpeters, sometimes seen in fire brigade uniform, are members of the fire brigade representing the Last Post Association, who organizes the events. The Last Post Association uses both silver B♭ bugles and E♭ cavalry trumpets, with either British Army tradition being respected during services at the gate.

Well I have some more photos to share.  On the Wednesday we had lunch at Hooge Crater Museum .... it is a great museum with a combination of items gathered from the war, but also models depicting life in the trenches ... both Commonwealth & German.


























Even 100+years on the local farmers still have an "iron harvest", where unexploded bombs are found










Opposite the museum is the cemetery.  One thing really noticeable about this museum are the number of multiple graves, just showing how devastating the fighting was in this area. There was a lot of damage caused by tunnelling, and thus a lot of multiple graves ... as Claire's great-grandfather was killed in such a way I do wonder if he is buried here (his name is on the Menin Gate Memorial.













And, up the road slightly is Hooge Crater Chateau, which is now a hotel, although the grounds are open to the public, showing a bunker as well as remains of some of the local trenches etc

The first cemetery we visited was St Symphorien Military Cemetery ... containing early graves from WWI, as well as a few of the last deaths on 11/11/1918






Our Guide

4 POWs who died at the beginning of the war

1st VC, and last man dead in WWI











On all CWGC there was the option of adding a personal inscription, some of which are just family love - but some are very special and poignant, such as this one I spotted on J Wilkinson's grave from the first days of the war - 23/08/1914




Another stop was to a Museum based on "The Retreat from Mons"


Captain's uniform of the Belgian 2nd Regiment of the Light Infantry

Cross from the common grave of 7 Resistance fighters



British bugle of the 2nd King's Royal Rifles crushed at the retreat of Mons

British drums bequeathed by the regiments who fought in Mons









German cardboard shroud

Winter shoes worn over regulation shoes to protect from the cold in the German Army on the Eastern front


More to come

Yes, life got away from me again .... I worked in clinic this morning, which in itself was confusing, as I don't normally do that on a Thursday morning!

Then I met up with my childhood neighbours as they are back in Exeter, as her brother has had a heart attack.  Luckily for him he was in hospital, which saved his life.  He is still finding the amputation hard to com  to terms with ... and has yet to start on his Chemo, so life is tough at present.  Still it was good to atch up with Liz & Steve, as I brought them back to my place to give them a break from the hospital.  They are back to Essex on Saturday, and hope they can spend some time there as Steve's sister-in-law is over from Australia for a few weeks.

Now I want to post a few photos from the Bygones Museum ... Victorian streets, shops, and WWI, WWII memorabilia ....
























WWI






WWII




27 – Refreshment Day: What is your go-to refreshment on hot summer days? Is this something you enjoy year-round, or that you mainly drink in the summer?
HotTea ... and cold water



Right, let's try and catch up x

Some cemeteries were started during the war, others over the years since.  After the war many bodies were moved from their individual locations into cemeteries, and even to this day bodies are still found, and re-buried with full military honours ... here are some of those I visited.



Flesquieres (where Deborah is!)




Gouzecourt New British Cemetery






Louveral Cemetery



And our guide with his 2 favourite memorials




Arras Cemetery ...







This is the RFC/Raf memorial







Le Touret Cemetery






Le True Aid Cememtery







The Commonwealth War Graves Commission are always working ... and here are 2 masons re-etching faded stones.



Dud Corner Cemetery





And this is looking from the cemetery walls across typical battlefields



Quarry Cemetery






St Mary's Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery

(and as you can see, there are multiple cemeteries in the area ... 2 cross of sacrifice can be seen here)




Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery

Chinese Labour Corps











The walk into the cemetery was along a line of "daily" markers, as it was near a Casualty Clearing Station, so most of these graves are in their original location (this is where the nurse's grave is)



Right I think I have SPAMmed you enough, so this is the final post of my WWI trip to France & Belgium.  (although, I have one more set to post at some point!!!)